The digital landscape of Brazil is set to undergo a significant transformation with the introduction of a submarine cable in the state of Rio Grande do Norte. Hugo Fonseca, the state Secretary of Economic Development, confirmed in a discussion with the Tribuna do Norte newspaper that a landing zone for the submarine cable has already been secured. An official announcement from the federal government is anticipated within the next 45 days. This infrastructure is deemed strategic as it is estimated that 90% of all internet traffic in Brazil is routed exclusively through Ceará. Any disruption in the cables reaching Fortaleza could potentially halt critical operations, such as banking.
In addition to the submarine cable, the state has been chosen to host one of the two supercomputers outlined in the Brazilian Artificial Intelligence Plan. The installation of this equipment is scheduled for the latter half of 2026 at the Augusto Severo Science and Technology Park in Macaíba, Greater Natal. The project will be funded by an investment of R$ 1.8 billion in federal resources, supplemented by state contributions. The integration of the submarine cable and the supercomputer will position Rio Grande do Norte as a future epicenter for technology, data centers, and high-performance computing in the Northeast.
The rationale behind the installation of the submarine cable is straightforward. Without a direct link to international data routes, the state cannot attract data centers. These centers require physical proximity to the cables to minimize latency in the transmission of large volumes of data. At present, any company wishing to operate a data center in Rio Grande do Norte must route the traffic to Ceará. This adds milliseconds of delay, rendering operations that require an instantaneous response unfeasible.
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