“The lifespan of a submarine cable is 25 years.” We’ve all heard that, right?
Is this statement really a fact—or is it fiction? Let’s find out.
Twenty years ago, the United States was very much at the center of the global internet.
In 2003, 98% of all interregional internet capacity and 42% of all international internet bandwidth was connected to the U.S. despite emerging intraregional capacity in Europe and Asia.
Submarine cables helped to enforce this centrality, and the highest capacity cables were connected to the U.S. Around this time, the U.S. was also among the cheapest places to connect to the internet.
So what’s happened to the U.S.’s role? Is the U.S. becoming less centric to the global network?
With the recent damage to the Nord Stream gas pipeline, there's been lots of talk about the potential risk to submarine telecommunications cables in Europe.
This incident has led to speculation about whether it would be possible to somehow “cut off” Europe from the rest of the world. While I don't want to speculate on the risk of sabotage, I did think it would be worthwhile to explain exactly how the continent connects to the rest of the world.
Some pretty ominous headlines have been circulating around the world lately regarding the risk of a global recession and the ongoing threat of inflation.
At TeleGeography, we've received several questions about how these economic indicators could impact the submarine cable industry.
In particular, people are curious to know if slowing economic growth impair international bandwidth demand growth on subsea cables. And will inflation lead to rising international bandwidth prices?
We've said it before and we'll say it again. When it comes to the global bandwidth market, the two most predictable trends are persistent demand growth and price erosion.
But if the latest update of our Global Bandwidth Research Service teaches us anything, it's that there's more beneath the surface.
Even though we've been mapping cables for over two decades, every year is still full of cable firsts.
First direct link between the Middle East and Australia. A major content provider's first investment in a key region. You get the idea.
As 2020 comes to a close, I thought it was worth looking at changes in the subsea cable landscape. Two years ago I gave a presentation that predicted a coming “extinction” of older cables.
We’re beginning to see signs of this in the market.
What does the future hold for the global bandwidth market?
The two most predictable trends are persistent demand growth and price erosion. Beyond that, operators will have to navigate the major uncertainties of an evolving sector and a global pandemic.
Here are a few of the key trends from our Global Bandwidth Research Service, among many, that will affect the long-haul capacity market in the coming years.
While most press coverage has focused on the massive impact COVID-19 is having on access networks, let’s not forget the role played by our massive network of undersea cables in global communications.
I wanted to offer some preliminary insights into how the submarine cable industry is coping.
