7 things to know about a subsea cable network

Bay of Bengal Gateway subsea network has been built by six telcos to handle high bandwidth demand

Reliance Jio's Bay of Bengal Gateway subsea cable network spread over 8,100 km is now operational. The network has been built by six telcos to handle high bandwidth demands of emerging technologies and applications.

Here are 7 things to know about a subsea cable network and why it is important. 

1) What is a submarine cable network?

A submarine communications network are cables laid on the sea bed for telecommunication signals. It helps transfer data through land-based stations across stretches of ocean connecting different continents. The first submarine communications cables, laid in the 1850s, carried telegraphy traffic. Subsequent generations of cables carried telephone traffic and  now these cables carry data communications traffic. Modern cables use optical fiber technology to carry digital data, which includes telephone, internet and private data traffic.

2) Why are submarine cables important?

Typically, submarine cable networks are considered to be more reliable as there are multiple such networks that carry voice and data traffic. Till 2006, overseas satellite links accounted for one per cent of international traffic, while the remainder was carried by undersea cables. The total carrying capacity of submarine cables is in the terabits per second, while satellites typically offer only 1000 megabits per second and display higher latency. However, a typical multi-terabit, transoceanic submarine cable system costs several hundred million dollars to construct.

3) How are these cable systems built?

Typically these subsea cable systems are built by consortia or group of companies in the communications business. Between 1999 and 2001, more than $22 billion worth of investment was made in these networks. 

4) Are more subsea networks being built in the Pacific Ocean now?

Yes, a lot more subsea cables are  being laid in the Pacific Ocean in contrast to earlier times when most of the cable links were built between Europe and North America -- across the Atlantic.

5) What is the Bay of Bengal Gateway all about?

The subsea cable network is owned by six global telecom behemoths -- Dialog Axiata of Sri Lanka, Etisalat of the United Arab Emirates, Omantel of Sultanate of Oman, Reliance JioInfocomm of India, Telekom Malaysia Berhadof Malaysia and Vodafone of the United Kingdom. Construction of the subsea cable system commenced in May 2013.

6) Why is it so important?

The new subsea cable system has been built as a direct trunk connection between Barka in Oman and Penang in Malaysia. The new cable system will supplement the data carrying capacity of these telecom operators who currently rely on the cable systems of others.

7) Can subsea cable system be damaged? 

Cables can be broken by fishing trawlers, anchors, earthquakes and even shark bites.