The University of Hawaiʻi is taking a major step toward enhancing the state’s digital future with a proposed ground lease that will allow Google to construct cable landing stations on the UH West Oʻahu campus. This facility will serve as a critical connection point for a new $1-billion trans-Pacific subsea fiber optic system.
The project will occupy approximately four acres, with Google designing, building, operating and maintaining the telecommunications infrastructure under a long-term lease agreement.
“These facilities will offer our students, researchers and the broader community direct and cost-effective access to high-capacity internet via Google’s new fiber optic systems,” said Garret Yoshimi, UH vice president for information technology and chief information officer. “Because the landing site is on one of our campuses, UH avoids costly backhaul connections, resulting in significant savings and improved global connectivity.”
International connections, improved inter-island broadband
The facilities will connect Hawaiʻi to Japan, Australia, Fiji, Guam and the U.S. mainland through three new subsea cables, replacing aging infrastructure and ensuring long-term digital resilience. They are also expected to support the Hawaiian Islands Fiber Link (HIFL), a public-private partnership led by UH and Ocean Networks Inc. that will improve inter-island broadband access.
In addition to revenue and connectivity, the project advances the university’s educational mission. Google has committed to supporting workforce development and IT-related programming at UH. The highly secure facility will also host educational visits and partnerships.
The UH Board of Regents approved entering into the lease with Google in 2024. In June, a draft environmental assessment by the Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources anticipated no significant impact for the proposed UH West Oʻahu facility. The earliest estimated completion date for the cable landing station is in 2026.
“It’s critical that Hawaiʻi remains on the radar for these major infrastructure investments,” Yoshimi said. “Hosting this project positions UH—and the state—for a digitally connected future.”
