The Subsea Cables that Connect Us

Most of us are probably not looking to make the career change into submarine cable technicians. However, as software developers, as important as it is to keep up with the latest software tech, it's also beneficial to study the modern marvel that is the internet on a macro-macro-macro-level.

Cables Galore:
In 1858, the first trans-Atlantic telegraph cable connecting Newfoundland, aka Canada, to Ireland sent its first transmission. Today, there are over 380 underwater cables in operation around the world supporting the internet, with a total length of three quarters of a million miles. These cables supports nearly all intercontinental electronic communication in our world, today.

The Tech Giants Own The Internet:
As you cram for your interview with Microsoft, remember they're not just a software company. They own the internet. Google, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft lease or own half of the world's undersea bandwidth. Recently, Facebook and Google teamed up to invest in the creation of internet cables that will span the Pacific Ocean, further connecting the U.S. and Asia.

Penguins and Postcards:
Antarctica is the only continent that has never been wired to the Internet via submarine cables due to harsh conditions and a tiny population. But perhaps that will soon change, as The Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) has toyed with the idea of adding a cable connecting Antartica to Australia.

The Future is Satellite?
Fun fact: Undersea cables are both more cost-effective and faster than these fancy satellites. Satellites are extremely expensive to manufacture, and the distance from the Earth creates a latency effect. However, keep your ears peeled as companies are attempting to tackle these issues and bring satellite-enabled internet into our lives. Recently, SES chose Elon Musks' SpaceX to launch four MEO satellites; these satellites orbit the Earth at a lower altitude, but require more intricate antennae.

For over 150 years, we have relied on large cables spanning the lengths of oceans to connect us to each other. We're not all meant to become experts on the subject. But perhaps, we can, at the very least, appreciate the fact that internet connects us all today because of a bunch of cables under the sea. Thank you cables.