Costa Rica Submarine Cables and Internet Connectivity

Almost everything you do online in Costa Rica travels through a handful of fiber-optic cables lying on the ocean floor. These submarine cables carry the vast majority of the country's international data traffic, and the way they are arranged is the reason local businesses, remote workers, and the wider digital economy enjoy fast, dependable connections. Costa Rica sits in a genuinely strategic spot: several cable systems land here, and that overlap is what delivers redundancy and stability.

The big story of the past year was a generational handover. After 25 years of service, the MAYA-1 cable was retired when its contract ended in October 2025, and a next-generation system, TAM-1, landed in Limón that December to take its place.

Key points:

• MAYA-1: Costa Rica's original gateway to the global internet, in service from 1998 until its contract expired in October 2025. Now retired.
• ARCOS-1: A ring-structured system focused on regional connections, offering backup routes for added resilience.
• AMX-1: A high-capacity system launched in 2014, providing 85 Tbps of capacity and connecting Costa Rica to multiple countries.
• PAC: The Pan American Crossing cable lands on Costa Rica's Pacific coast, diversifying connectivity options.
• TAM-1: The newest cable, live since December 2025, built to meet modern bandwidth demand and succeed MAYA-1.

Costa Rica's strategy ties these cables into domestic networks and keeps them under the watch of regulators like SUTEL and ICE. Continued investment in upgrades and new routes is what keeps service uninterrupted and positions the country as a digital hub for the Americas.

Internet Development and Perspectives in Costa Rica

Submarine Cable Systems Connecting Costa Rica

The country's link to the global internet rests on a small group of submarine cable systems. These underwater fiber-optic networks carry most of the international data traffic and form the backbone of Costa Rica's digital infrastructure. Here's a closer look at the systems that matter.

MAYA-1: The Gateway That Defined an Era

MAYA-1 was Costa Rica's first submarine cable, landing in Limón on the Caribbean coast back in 1998. For 25 years it carried the bulk of the country's international traffic and anchored its early digital growth. Its contract reached the end of the line on October 21, 2025, and the cable was taken out of service, closing a chapter that began before most Costa Ricans had ever sent an email. Its retirement is exactly why the arrival of newer infrastructure mattered so much.

ARCOS-1: Strengthening Regional Connectivity

The ARCOS-1 system, operated by Liberty Latin America, focuses on regional connections across the Americas. It links Costa Rica to a wide network of countries, including the United States, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. Its standout feature is a ring configuration that lets data flow in multiple directions, so if one segment is damaged, traffic simply reroutes. That built-in redundancy is a big part of why regional outages rarely take Costa Rica offline.

AMX-1: High-Capacity Regional Network

Launched in 2014 by América Móvil, AMX-1 marked a major step up in capacity. This 17,500-kilometer fiber-optic system connects Costa Rica to the United States, Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and Brazil, landing in Limón alongside the Caribbean's other cables. With 85 terabits per second of capacity, it supplies plenty of headroom for the country's growing digital economy and reinforces the Caribbean coast as a connectivity hub.

PAC: Pacific Coast Connectivity

The Pan American Crossing (PAC) cable, now operated by Cirion (formerly Global Crossing), gives Costa Rica a connection on the Pacific side. Landing in Esterillos, Puntarenas, it offers an alternative to the Caribbean cables and a useful hedge: if something disrupts the Caribbean landings, the Pacific route keeps traffic moving. It also opens a more direct path toward Asian markets.

TAM-1: The New Backbone

TAM-1 is the newest piece of Costa Rica's internet infrastructure, and it arrived right on cue. Received by ICE through its kölbi brand together with Trans Americas Fiber Systems, the cable landed in Limón in December 2025. Stretching more than 7,000 kilometers along the Atlantic, it links the United States to the Caribbean, Central America, and South America, and can carry up to 18 terabits per second, multiplying the country's international capacity by roughly 23 times. Most importantly, it stepped in for MAYA-1, ensuring there was no gap when the older cable retired.

Together, ARCOS-1, AMX-1, PAC, and TAM-1 form a network that balances global reach with regional resilience. This multi-cable approach is what keeps Costa Rica connected even when one system is down for maintenance or repair.

How Costa Rica Maintains Reliable Internet

Reliable internet doesn't happen by accident. Costa Rica has built it through a mix of diverse backup routes, firm regulatory oversight, and infrastructure that's planned years in advance. That layered approach is what keeps interruptions rare for users across the country.

Multiple Cable Systems Provide Backup

The heart of the country's reliability is its web of submarine cables. Rather than leaning on a single system, Costa Rica runs several that share the load. If one cable drops offline, the others absorb the traffic and service keeps flowing. Because these cables come ashore at different landing points, no single failure can take down the whole network. Connecting to many international systems at once is precisely what gives the country its redundancy.

That technical setup is reinforced by strict regulation, which keeps the whole system running smoothly.

Government and Industry Oversight

Several institutions share responsibility for the country's digital backbone. SUTEL (Superintendencia de Telecomunicaciones) tracks network performance and holds providers to quality standards. ICE (Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad), the state-owned operator, manages and protects key parts of the submarine cable system, including the new TAM-1 landing. MICITT, meanwhile, handles long-term planning so the infrastructure keeps pace with global standards. That coordination means problems get answered quickly and future investment is made with intent.

It also makes it easier to size up the country's main cable systems side by side.

Comparing Cable Systems

Cable System	Primary Function	Backup Capacity	Key Strengths	Potential Risks
MAYA-1	Former global gateway (retired 2025)	None — out of service	25 years of reliable service	Decommissioned; capacity now carried by other cables
ARCOS-1	Regional network backbone	High, supported by a ring structure	Multiple routes for added resilience	Vulnerable to regional conditions
AMX-1	High-capacity regional network	High capacity (85 Tbps)	Modern technology, extensive coverage	Caribbean-only landings
PAC	Pacific coast connectivity	Moderate, single route	Diversifies connectivity options	Single landing point vulnerability
TAM-1	Newest high-capacity backbone	Very high (up to 18 Tbps)	Built for future demand, ~23x capacity boost	Early operational history

Because these systems overlap, a problem on any one cable rarely shows up as downtime for users. That redundancy is a quiet but powerful reason Costa Rica is trusted as a regional digital hub.

How Submarine Cables Affect Costa Rica's Digital Economy

Costa Rica's digital economy has grown quickly, and submarine cables are a big reason why. These undersea data highways give the country high-capacity, stable links to the rest of the world, and that connectivity translates directly into economic momentum.

Faster Internet Speed and Improved Reliability

Each generation of cable technology has made Costa Rica's connections faster and steadier, and the jump from MAYA-1 to TAM-1 is the clearest example yet. That reliability matters for any business leaning on cloud tools, video conferencing, or real-time collaboration. Stable, high-speed links are the foundation of the country's shift toward a digital-first economy.

Costa Rica's Role in Regional Internet Networks

Submarine cables also make Costa Rica a meaningful player in the regional internet map. They don't just improve local access; they help data move smoothly across neighboring countries. That interconnectivity strengthens communication and gives local companies and data centers room to grow, reinforcing the country's place in the digital economy.

Recent Upgrades and Future Internet Projects

Costa Rica isn't standing still. The country keeps investing in infrastructure to improve connectivity, harden reliability, and cement its standing as a regional digital leader. These efforts build on the existing cable network, which was designed with redundancy from the start.

TAM-1 and What Comes Next

The headline upgrade is already done: TAM-1 is live and now being woven into domestic fiber networks. That integration speeds up data transfer and adds resilience, which directly benefits businesses, cloud platforms, and remote teams. It fits neatly into Costa Rica's multi-cable strategy, where no single link is a point of failure.

Planning for Long-Term Connectivity

Looking further out, Costa Rica is laying groundwork for the next round of improvements. Through public-private partnerships, the country is diversifying cable landing points, modernizing regulation, increasing investment, and adopting newer technologies. The goal is simple: keep the network ready for tomorrow's demand.

Key Infrastructure Milestones

The defining milestone of this cycle was the handoff itself. MAYA-1 reached the end of its contract in October 2025, and TAM-1's landing in Limón that December marked the start of a new chapter for Costa Rican connectivity. Alongside it, ongoing domestic fiber projects are stitching international gateways tightly into local networks, keeping data flowing without interruption while the country prepares for what's next.

Why Costa Rica's Internet Infrastructure Matters

Costa Rica's submarine cable network is the backbone of its digital economy and a driver of business competitiveness across Central America. With several cable systems working in concert, the network provides a stable, dependable foundation for everything from cloud services to remote-work setups.

The economic payoff is concrete. Businesses get connectivity they can count on for critical operations, and the redundancy of multiple cables keeps things running even when one system has trouble. A well-integrated network also keeps latency low, which is essential for high-performance applications. Together, those strengths create an environment where local businesses can thrive.

What This Means for Businesses and Web Hosting

For businesses, reliable connectivity is a competitive edge. Fast, stable internet supports smooth cloud operations, clean video calls, and efficient data management, whether the team is down the street or working remotely. That dependability matters most for hosting providers, where uptime and speed are tied directly to customer satisfaction.

Costa Rica's appeal goes beyond the cables. Its time zone overlaps neatly with U.S. business hours, and its reputation for political stability adds to its standing as a strong location for remote work.

For web hosting, the cable network is decisive. It cuts latency to major global markets and strengthens disaster recovery. Multiple cable systems mean redundancy, and tight integration with local networks ensures data moves efficiently from international links into domestic data centers.

Costa Rica's Future as a Digital Hub

Costa Rica is steadily positioning itself as a regional digital leader through ongoing infrastructure investment. The move from MAYA-1 to TAM-1 is a clear step toward next-level connectivity, capable of meeting the demands of emerging technologies and rising data consumption. That upgrade directly benefits businesses hunting for reliable hosting solutions in the region.

With world-class cable connections and a location bridging North and South America, Costa Rica is a natural home for regional digital services. Geography and technology combine to create long-term opportunities for companies that want to reach into Central America while keeping strong global links. Businesses considering VPS hosting in Costa Rica or server colocation stand to gain the most from this positioning.

FAQs

What happened to Costa Rica's internet when the MAYA-1 cable was retired?

MAYA-1's contract ended in October 2025, and the cable was taken out of service after 25 years. The transition was smooth because the country didn't rely on it alone: ARCOS-1, AMX-1, and PAC continued carrying traffic, and the new TAM-1 cable landed in Limón in December 2025 to absorb MAYA-1's role. Thanks to that overlap, users saw continuity rather than disruption, which is exactly what a multi-cable strategy is designed to deliver.

How does the ARCOS-1 cable system's ring design improve Costa Rica's internet reliability?

The ring design of the ARCOS-1 cable system plays a key role in boosting Costa Rica's internet reliability. It offers multiple pathways for data transmission, so if one part of the cable encounters a problem, data can quickly reroute through other paths. This setup helps keep downtime to a minimum and ensures stable connectivity.

This feature is especially important as Costa Rica continues to position itself as a hub for businesses, cloud services, and remote work. By lowering the chances of internet outages, the system ensures steady speeds and reliable connections nationwide.

What projects are set to strengthen Costa Rica's position as a digital hub in the Americas?

The biggest near-term boost is TAM-1, which can carry up to 18 Tbps and lifts the country's international capacity by roughly 23 times now that it's integrated with domestic fiber. Beyond it, Costa Rica is rolling out a dual-mode 5G Core network across more than 1,400 locations to improve access for businesses and everyday users alike.

Another effort to watch is the BELLA II project, which aims to raise regional internet capacity to around 20 Gbps while encouraging deeper digital integration across Latin America. Costa Rica is also strengthening satellite connectivity with international partners to make the overall network more resilient. Together, these projects underline the country's commitment to dependable, high-speed internet for businesses, cloud services, and remote workers.

---

Learn more: Costa Rica: A Strategic Location for Global Web Hosting | Why Host in Costa Rica | VPS vs Dedicated Servers: Which to Choose in 2025