Related Posts
With each video stream, each international email message, or each online transaction, the information moves from one place to another all around the planet in mere seconds. Although many people think that satellites provide the transmission medium, the truth is much more exciting.
Today’s internet works with a huge and unseen network of optical fiber cables installed directly on the bottom of the sea. Although many people think that satellites deliver most of the data in the digital world, knowing how internet cables under the ocean work shows a whole new picture.
Internet subsea cables are very thin, usually no thicker than a common garden hose. These cables are made out of very thin pieces of glass fiber, just like a human hair. These glass fibers transmit data by means of the light reflection principle at the speed of light.
While discussing the superiority of internet cables under water compared to other technologies, we should note that speed and capacity are the winning factors. Despite the great advancement of space technologies, the satellites have no chance to compare with subsea technologies due to several reasons:
An advanced undersea cable is able to carry hundreds of terabits per second of information, and it easily wins satellite systems in this factor.
As the path from a satellite in low orbit and back is really long, satellites have a significant latency problem, while the subsea cable provides immediate reaction.
The cost of transporting information via cables is much lower than via rockets
An estimated $100 to 200$ fiber optic cable breaks happen every year. They may be subject to threats such as:
Most instances of damage result from fishing vessels that drag their heavy fishing nets or vessels that drop anchors while sailing in shallow water.
Earthquakes, volcanoes, and landslides underwater can break multiple lines in a matter of minutes, severing communication networks between countries.
The concentration of digital lifelines in certain regions means they are increasingly being attacked by foreign powers amid political strife.
In the end, it is essential to protect this huge network because the current global economy cannot exist without it. It is important to understand that the network of underwater cables is essentially the lifeline of the entire planet in its digital form, which is why countries are going to keep spending money on its security.
