Google Cloud has unveiled plans for a new transatlantic subsea cable system named Sol, marking a strategic expansion of its global digital infrastructure. Connecting the United States, Bermuda, the Azores, and Spain, Sol is designed to enhance capacity, resilience, and performance across Google’s cloud services, particularly in support of growing demand for artificial intelligence applications.
The new undersea system complements Google Cloud’s existing Nuvem cable, together forming a dual-path transatlantic network with terrestrial linkages in both the U.S. and Iberia, as well as interconnection points in Bermuda and the Azores.
According to Google, the Sol cable will be manufactured in the U.S. and will play a critical role in boosting connectivity to the company’s 42 cloud regions worldwide.
DC BLOX Landing Station
Palm Coast, Florida, has been selected as the U.S. landing point for Sol. Google Cloud will partner with data center operator DC BLOX to establish a new connectivity hub in the region, which includes building a terrestrial connection to Google’s cloud region in South Carolina. Once live, Sol will become the only active fiber-optic cable between Florida and Europe.
The initiative includes a terrestrial connection from Palm Coast to Google’s cloud infrastructure in South Carolina. Once operational, Sol will become the only active fiber-optic cable between Florida and Europe – the first of its kind since 1999.
DC BLOX’s Palm Coast Cable Landing Station (CLS) campus will anchor Sol and eventually support up to five additional subsea cables. The second CLS campus, spanning over 20 acres, is expected to be operational by Q1 2027 and will complement the company’s existing facility in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The infrastructure is purpose-built for hyperscale and carrier needs, offering full colocation services and enabling diverse and resilient international connections.
On the European side, Sol will land in Santander, Spain, where Google is collaborating with infrastructure firm Telxius. The deployment will further integrate the Madrid Google Cloud region into the company’s global backbone, reinforcing Spain’s digital connectivity and economic position. Government officials in both the U.S. and Europe have praised the project for its economic and technological impact.
Florida Secretary of Commerce J. Alex Kelly described the cable’s arrival as “a major step forward for Florida’s role in the digital economy,” while Palm Coast Vice Mayor Theresa Carli Pontieri emphasized the project’s long-term benefits in attracting top-tier technology companies and expanding global connectivity.
DC BLOX’s Chief Revenue Officer Chris Gatch noted that the Palm Coast Cable Landing Station would accommodate additional subsea systems beyond Sol, positioning Florida as a future gateway for global communications.
Google’s Nuvem System
In Spain, Santander Mayor Gema Igual highlighted the value of digital infrastructure in attracting investment, enabling remote work, and supporting the city’s smart city initiatives. Telxius CEO Mario Martín confirmed the company’s role in facilitating Sol’s landing and accelerating deployment timelines.
The cable is also welcomed in other key regions it will serve. Artur Lima, Vice President of the Government of the Azores, called the investment “strategic and visionary,” positioning the islands as a digital connectivity hub in the North Atlantic. Portugal’s Minister of Housing and Infrastructure, Miguel Pinto Luz, pointed to Sol’s 16-fiber-pair capacity as crucial for meeting Europe’s rising digital needs and enhancing resilience in tandem with Google’s Nuvem system.
Bermuda’s Minister of Home Affairs, Alexa Lightbourne, celebrated Sol as a reaffirmation of the island’s growing importance as a digital nexus in the Atlantic, following Google’s earlier investments there.
Once completed, Sol will reduce latency and increase performance for Google Cloud customers across regions while reinforcing the company’s global infrastructure alongside previous investments such as the Firmina, Equiano, and Grace Hopper cables. With strategic landings and robust fiber capacity, Sol aims to meet rising demands in AI, cloud services, and cross-continental data exchange – critical for both local economies and global tech ecosystems.
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