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All the underwater cables that connect the world to the Internet
Posted on 3/13/15 at 11:02 pm
Posted on 3/13/15 at 11:02 pm
quote:
Cables lying on the seafloor bring the internet to the world. They transmit 99 percent of international data, make transoceanic communication possible in an instant, and serve as a loose proxy for the international trade that connects advanced economies.
Their importance and proliferation inspired Telegeography to make this vintage-inspired map of the cables that connect the internet. It depicts the 299 cables that are active, under construction, or will be funded by the end of this year.
quote:
The cables are so widely used, as opposed to satellite transmission, because they're so reliable and fast: with high speeds and backup routes available, they rarely fail. And that means they've become a key part of the global economy and the way the world connects.
LINK
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Posted on 3/13/15 at 11:19 pm to BluegrassBelle
Hardwire is the way to go. Nice find Belle.
Posted on 3/13/15 at 11:24 pm to BluegrassBelle
This should be a reminder that all you have to survive this world is what you can grasp. And grasp now.
Posted on 3/13/15 at 11:28 pm to harmonics
Boggles my mind about the distance they cover and how they are laid on the ocean floor. Question...what happens when a cable crosses a deep sea trench? I assume it sags across the trench or follows the contour of the trench all the way to the bottom. Another question...how would they repair a cable that breaks? I would think that repairs would be impossible due to great ocean depths. Do they just lay another cable?
Posted on 3/13/15 at 11:29 pm to BluegrassBelle
I came across one of these recently in Laguna Beach.
Everyone stands next to it, takes pictures, and wonders what it is. After explaining to a few people that there are actually telephone lines laying at the bottom the ocean they looked at me like I was a fricking idiot.
Like transcontinental communication is some sort of fricking magic.
People are stupid.
Everyone stands next to it, takes pictures, and wonders what it is. After explaining to a few people that there are actually telephone lines laying at the bottom the ocean they looked at me like I was a fricking idiot.
Like transcontinental communication is some sort of fricking magic.
People are stupid.
Posted on 3/13/15 at 11:39 pm to BluegrassBelle
surprised these aren't attacked more, that is if they're ever attacked.
never heard of one being attacked
never heard of one being attacked
Posted on 3/13/15 at 11:41 pm to Stir of Echoes
I was just explaining this to my wife. She's brilliant and incredibly successful, yet it blew her mind.
I told her something like, "Before cell phones, how do you think international calls were made?" She was like, "huh...never thought about that. Interesting," and then she said, "Goodnight."
I assume she's dreaming of underwater sea cables right now.
I told her something like, "Before cell phones, how do you think international calls were made?" She was like, "huh...never thought about that. Interesting," and then she said, "Goodnight."
I assume she's dreaming of underwater sea cables right now.
Posted on 3/13/15 at 11:44 pm to BluegrassBelle
The cables running to the north pole...so Santa can shop on Amazon?
Posted on 3/13/15 at 11:45 pm to mizzoukills
dammit man!
get in there and make her dreams of Micheal Keaton in a bad wig come true!
get in there and make her dreams of Micheal Keaton in a bad wig come true!
Posted on 3/13/15 at 11:46 pm to mizzoukills
quote:
what happens when a cable crosses a deep sea trench
The cables are laid all the way on the ground, but they usually avoid trenches and underwater mountains. I guess cables for telegraphs and such laid before we had the ability to map the bottom of the ocean were probably free across trenches, but now they try to avoid problems like that.
quote:
how would they repair a cable that breaks
Send a diver down or they try to snag the cable and drag it to the surface.
Cool installation animated video if you like this sort of stuff LINK
Posted on 3/13/15 at 11:48 pm to mizzoukills
The situation probably isn't much different from power lines other than being in a different natural environment. They are probably a actually safer under water and require less maintenance.
Posted on 3/13/15 at 11:49 pm to mizzoukills
If destroying unprotected internet cables could truly usher in a global economic apocalypse...it makes me wonder why they've never been attacked by Islamic terrorists. Or, is it just a matter of time?
Hell, imagine the chaos if the majority of American citizens and businesses woke up without internet access. I imagine it would be very similar to a power grid attack (EMP).
Frightening how vulnerable every country is to total annihilation.
Hell, imagine the chaos if the majority of American citizens and businesses woke up without internet access. I imagine it would be very similar to a power grid attack (EMP).
Frightening how vulnerable every country is to total annihilation.
Posted on 3/13/15 at 11:49 pm to BluegrassBelle
Definitely a great find. When I look at that pic, I imagine a multi-organismic body that might someday become conscious. The cables look like nerves connecting neurons (us) around the earth. No, I'm not drinking.
Posted on 3/13/15 at 11:52 pm to Kentucker
If the map is correct, those cables stretch across incredibly deep ocean trenches. If a trench runs north and south and the cables run east and west...there is no way around that trench.
This post was edited on 3/13/15 at 11:54 pm
Posted on 3/13/15 at 11:53 pm to mizzoukills
quote:
it makes me wonder why they've never been attacked by Islamic terrorists.
They're at the bottom of the fricking ocean.
Posted on 3/13/15 at 11:54 pm to mizzoukills
Whatever country decides to frick with the internet will be wiped off the face of the world regardless of ally. You don't frick with the internet.
Posted on 3/13/15 at 11:54 pm to Duke
You dumbass, the cables originate on land and disappear into the ocean. All you'd have to do is attack the origination point to wreak havoc.
Derp.
Derp.
Posted on 3/13/15 at 11:56 pm to mizzoukills
I watched a program about how they lay the cables once. It's quite straight-forward how the cables lay. They conform to the topography. Cables have broken in the past and they are simply taken back up and repaired or replaced if technology has advanced to the point where repair would be unproductive.
Posted on 3/13/15 at 11:58 pm to mizzoukills
LINK
In fact, my concerns about ocean cable vulnerabilities led me to the linked security article about the exact same thing....
In fact, my concerns about ocean cable vulnerabilities led me to the linked security article about the exact same thing....
Posted on 3/14/15 at 12:00 am to harmonics
I also liked the old school pic of the first continually successful trans-Atlantic cable in 1866.
Then it was used to submit telegraphs, later phone lines, and the same process is used to drop internet cable across the oceans even 150 years later.
Then it was used to submit telegraphs, later phone lines, and the same process is used to drop internet cable across the oceans even 150 years later.
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