The future of the Internet depends on what the post Covid 19 pandemic brings us. Henry Kissinger said: “The Coronavirus Pandemic will for ever alter the world order” (The Wall Street Journal).
In this context, it is my opinion that companies are already preparing for a future where submarine cables will fulfill a fundamental roll being the underpinning of global communications.
The amount of data transmitted via the Internet has increased exponentially with the use of Wi-Fi and the mobile Internet.
Technological advances adapt to the new conditions and the digital transformation has accelerated.
The Internet needs more roadways for transmission to assure connectivity, security, privacy and speed.
Bikash Koley (VP and Head, Google Global Networking, Head, Technology and Strategy, Google Cloud for Telecommunications) said: “The Internet infrastructure is not in the cloud it is under the ocean”, clearly referencing to the submarine cables connecting the Internet networks.
He also said that “98% of international Internet traffic circulates over submarine cables”.
The new submarine cables are the digital roads underneath the oceans, 380 cables and several in process for 2022, 2023 and 2024 are being planned. 16 pairs of fiberoptic cables will enable a large volume of Internet data and associated services to be transmitted safely and securely.
The companies utilizing the submarine cables split their data via numerous routes thus creating options if one were to fail.
“The new submarine cables are the digital roads underneath the oceans.”
— Liliana Bein
According to TeleGeography, “two thirds of cable failures are caused by accidental human activities” (anchors, fishing nets) and by natural disasters such as earthquakes and ground movements.
Hurricane Sandy, also called “Superstorm Sandy”, according to FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency), on November 25th 2012 affected 24 states and the full Eastern seaboard causing 74 billion US dollars in damages (CNN). It made ineffective many exchanges where the submarine cables connected the US and Europe, interrupting for many hours connections with New York.
Consequently, as a prevention the cable named “Marea”, financed by Microsoft and Facebook and built by Telxius, was located at the Virginia (US) coast distant from the other cables.
At present the design and insulation is much more advanced and there are improvements in components and laying out, and the most exposed is where it connects with the on land main internet network.
Fiber optic cable characteristics have evolved much and to a point that the submarine telecoms industry is analyzing the development of SMART (Scientific Monitoring and Reliable Telecommunication), including sensors measuring the ocean’s temperature and pressure as well as seismic acceleration so as to monitor the weather conditions and alert of natural disasters (ITU and Submarine Telecoms Industry Report)
What is happening about the cables’ cybersecurity? Logic would indicate that the on land infrastructure is more liable to suffer a cybernetic and a DDoS (Denial of Service attack). Therefore, the vulnerable point is where the connection to land is in any case also the satellite communications and security copies by that means exist.
Speaking about submarine cables and satellites, the latter have advantages for reaching areas with difficult or remote access thus ensuring connectivity.
The median life span of submarine cables is 25 years and thus replacements are already being contemplated together with the expanding the system and its interconnections.
At the end of July 2021 Google announced two new cable systems, “Blue” and “Raman”, which are planned to enter in service in 2024. These are being developed with TIM Sparkle, Telecom Italia and others.
“Blue” will connect Italy, France, Greece and Israel. “Raman” will connect Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Djibouti, Oman and India. All these cables will mean a future expansion and improved future service.
As Abraham Lincoln said: “the best way to predict your future is to create it”.