Understanding Internet Cables
Earlier communication mechanisms used to take people months to transfer information from one point to another until halfway through the 19th century. In today’s world, Information travels underneath the ocean flow; 1.2 million km, 745645 worth of communication cable. 99 percent of international communication uses fiber optic; most of which live under water. Before their invention, people used telegraph cables to transfer information.
The following article contains information about understanding the origin of undersea communication cables. Learn about who invented the first cable, the challenges faced and how the cables have been repaired from their very first day to the high-speed era that’s keeping the world connected.
Cables and our Lives
Modern cables are 25 mm in diameter (0.98 IN); weighing 1.4 tons per km. Some places may only have one cable linking to them where as other places like the United States have multiple Optical cable lines connecting to them.
This helps us with our day to day internet needs and telecom necessities. You may find this intriguing due to presence of satellites as the alternative. It comes down to the speed the information travels. Speed of information transfer is 99.7 percent the speed of light; a high value. This cable transfer is more cost efficient than using satellites in the long run.
About half of the internet cables under the ocean belong to American tech companies; Google, Facebook, Amazon and Microsoft. The other half belongs to the rest.
Who invented the undersea cable?
The First Submarine Cable: 1850
There were multiple tries before successfully launching the first internet working cable. The first ever Submarine cable was laid across the English Channel in 1850. This was achieved by John Watkin’s Telegraph Company in England. It only connected England to France. This cable worked for only one day as it lacked outer protection and was destroyed by a fisherman’s anchor. Even though this attempt did not last, companies around the world were willing to invest into the sector.
The First Working Undersea Internet Cable: 1851
Shortly later in 1851, a better cable; this time round insulated and shielded from external physical damages, was laid by the same telegraph company. It still connected England to France. This marked the birth of the first operation undersea cable hence the start of successful submarine communication. This cable transmitted data for about 37 years and transformed the telecom sector in the world by exposing the potential associated with this kind of technology.
The Transatlantic Telegraph Cable: 1858
After the world positively received information on the future of communication transfer and its first success at the English Channel, another cable; the Transatlantic Telegraph Cable, was laid in 1858. It connected Newfoundland and Canada to Valentia Island in Ireland allowing communication for the first time between Europe and America. Queen Victoria and US President James Buchamam became the first two people to communicate. It took 16 hours for a short message to be delivered. This was the beginning of the revolution towards communication transfer.
The All Red Line
The last few decades of the 19th Century saw a rise in Undersea internet cables. Britain led the way; linking itself with its colonies using the All Red Line. It connected Britain to Babolo to South Africa, India, Australia, New Zealand then to Canada before coming across the Atlantic to Britain. The hardest section to set up was the Pacific floor from Tuning Islands to Britain.
Elsewhere, Huawei was connected to United States in 1902; with Philippines in the next year.
Impact and Legacy
The success of the undersea cable at the English Channel interested multiple communication companies around the world; most especially telegraph. This stands as the pillar for modern communication and information transfer and connectivity.
It also gave rise to many technological companies. For example, after the first cable was laid in 1850, it failed due to poor insulation. William Montgomerie invented insulation materials; gutta-percha in particular to help with the problem.
What are the threats to undersea cables?
The challenges that affect the submarine undersea cables are categorized into the Natural Occurrences and Human Activities.
Natural Phenomena
Undersea cables can be damaged and broken by the effects of natural occurrences like landslides, earthquakes and some tsunamis under the water bodies. The cables can also be bitten by undersea marine animals though on rare occasions. The change in climate conditions at the water bodies like rising temperatures and multi directional ocean currents soften the protective layers of the cables hence weakening them overtime.
Human Factors
The communities activities on the water bodies like anchoring of ships, fishing and deep mining affect the cables. The equipment utilized in these cables can accidentally damage or move the cables at the floor of the ocean. The cables are also challenged by intentional cyber attacks and physical tampering by unfriendly personnel and this has mainly been witnessed in geopolitical tensions.
Undersea Cables Repair
There are different methods applied in the repair of the undersea internet cables. The method applied depends on these factors; Depth of the cable, nature of the damage and the conditions at the sea. Let’s explore the different methods for each condition.
Swallow Water Repairs
Repairs of cables in waters at a depth of 1500m or less are cheaper and faster. A team of Divers or remotely operated vehicles is sent from the repair ship to recover the damaged section. The malfunctioning part is replaced and then reburied using machines like jet plows,
Deep-Sea Repairs
Faulty cables in waters deeper than 1500m are worked upon using more sophisticated methods. The deepest ocean floor where undersea internet cables pass is found in the Mariana Trench at the Challenger Deep. It is 10,900 meters deep and if a cable faults in such an area, the following are some of the methods that can be used.
- The Cut and Buoy Method involves cutting the cable at two points and each end attached to a buoy. It is then brought to the repair ship for fixing.
- The Grappling Hook Method involves using a hook to retrieve the cable from the ocean floor for repair.
- Sometimes human controlled robots are used to repair the submarine cables at the bottom of the ocean. If the cable is beyond repair, it is replaced with a new one.
Conclusion
This article contains information on the submarine undersea cables responsible for the telecommunication and connectivity capabilities we see in the world today. From the internet to the telephone calls. It contains information on who invented the first undersea cable. It also contains informative content on the challenges facing the underground cables plus the fixes. Let us know which technology aspect you want us to write about next in the comment section below.
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