The Future of Submarine Cables
The Future of Submarine Cables
Submarine cables have been around far longer
than some may realise and play an absolutely pivotal role in global data
transfer systems.
The world’s first submarine cable was a
telegraph cable laid in the 1850s which spanned the Atlantic Ocean. This first
endeavour didn’t last all that long – as we would expect with our modern-day
foresight – having been made from several copper cables wrapped in rubber, hemp
and iron.
It does go to show how far the submarine
cable has come in more than 150 years and there is sure to be more development
to come.
Considering submarine cables reportedly make
up a majority of global data cables (around 99%), it’s no
wonder that big businesses like VIAVI, Huawei, Fujitsu and many more are
investing heavily in this technology.
However, the issue with developing submarine
cable technology is that it is some of the more difficult infrastructure to
install, maintain and replace. Development, therefore, is slow-going and can be
expensive.
In stark contrast to those early days of
copper wires and rubber insulation spanning the Atlantic, there is now an
estimated 1.3 million kilometres of submarine cable installed worldwide. This
presents a mammoth project to maintain and upgrade them all.
TMG loves to keep abreast of all developments
in this area, not only as VIAVI’s only master distributor to Australian
contractors, but as experts in all things fibre inspection, OTDR Testing, and general testing
equipment.
So, after putting our ears to the ground,
what do we predict for the future of submarine cables? We’ve compiled a
miniature SWOT analysis of submarine cables in the near future. Please don’t
hesitate to reach out and discuss it all with us – we’re always keen to teach
and learn from our customers!
Strengths &
Opportunities
VIAVI states that submarine
cabling is the most reliable and cost-effective way to keep up with the demand
for improved internet. One example provided by the multinational Communications
equipment company is the 6600km MAREA cable. This spans between Virginia and
Spain and can deliver 160 terabits (125 gigabytes) every second. While they can
be slow to build and maintain, the results delivered by submarine cabling are dozens
of times faster than satellite transmission.
While this sounds like a lot of capacity in
2023, the world’s demands are sure to increase towards 2030 and suddenly, 160
terabits won’t seem so much. In fact, “the compound annual growth of
international bandwidth demand is expected to expand by 20-40% over the next
several years,” according to network analytics company, Kentik. Accordingly,
current submarine cables will need to be replaced as they become old and
obsolete. This demand will only increase as 5G is popularised, populations
increase, and users consume an ever-increasing volume of content.
This article outlines how
submarine cables take roughly five years to build and install, meaning the
cables we will need in 2030 for super-fast data transoceanic data transfers
should already be nearing the design phase.
Kentik also goes on to explain how space
division multiplexing (SDM) is one technology that may allow us to increase
submarine cable capacity without having to greatly increase the length of cable
used or power to transfer more data.
Basically, SDM could achieve this by packing
several independent spatial channels into the cable core, rather than just
one.
Weaknesses
& Threats
In comparison to satellite data transmission,
submarine cables are susceptible to complications. These include environmental
damage (corrosive sea water, earthquakes, and water pressure), accidental
damage from dredging, and attack from malicious third parties.
This latter factor has been made more relevant
over the past 12 months, as Russia invaded Ukraine. In May 2023, Reuters reported that
NATO had warned: “Moscow may sabotage undersea cables as part of war on
Ukraine.”
11 years earlier, infamous whistleblower
Edward Snowden was compiling evidence against the British spy agency GCHQ,
claiming that they had gained access to “the world’s network of cables.” (9News has published
a comprehensive chronology of submarine cable sabotage and the numerous
accidents that have damaged such technologies).
These technologies may be cost-effective and
have the capacity to satisfy our demand, but their physical nature (which
continues to surprise many laypeople) leaves them vulnerable to all kinds of
outage events.
Contact TMG
Such a complex topic requires complex
discussion. To learn more about the future of submarine cables, get in touch
with TMG’s friendly team and we’ll be sure to get you up to speed.
We’re passionate about testing, installing,
maintaining, and repairing all things telecommunications, so get in touch
today.
Image Credit: https://unsplash.com/photos/XexawgzYOBc
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