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Tech firms, lawmakers celebrate new Va. Beach-Spain trans-Atlantic cable

Lawmakers and tech industry leaders are celebrating the completion of a new high-speed data cable that stretches across the Atlantic Ocean.

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (WVEC) -- Top Virginia leaders are attending an event in Williamsburg along with Microsoft, Facebook, and Telxius to announce the progress of a subsea cable that will connect Virginia to Spain.

The cable, which spans from Virginia Beach to Bilbao, Spain, will allow greater connectivity between the two countries. It can transmit 160 terabits of data per second.

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It can transmit 71 million high-definition videos at once which is 16 million times faster than the average home internet connection.

The 4,000-mile long cable is called "Marea," which is Spanish for "tide."

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It is expected to bring about economic development and job growth to the Hampton Roads region.

Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner and Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe were in attendance.

Speakers for the event include: Brad Smith, President, Microsoft; Erin Egan, Vice President of U.S. Public Policy, Facebook; Rafael Arranz, Chief Operating Officer, Telxius; and Will Sessoms, Mayor, City of Virginia Beach.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.

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