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View Full Version : How are we connected to other continents?

klear
02-19-09, 01:40 PM
I can't really find anything on google about this, I don't really know what to search... but basically I was discussing this with a co-worker... How is the internet connected to other continents? Are there cables in the ocean? If so isn't that insanely hard to maintain? Satellite?

Just curiosity, thanks for any info!
TimoneX
02-19-09, 01:46 PM
I was an investor in global crossing several years ago while they were running some lines across the Atlantic so I did some research on this. It's been nearly a decade though, so I'm sure things have changed...hopefully advanced...but yes there are transatlantic fibre cables.
I.M.O.G.
02-19-09, 02:15 PM
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Submarine_communications_cable

In March, 2007, pirates stole an 11 km (7 mi) section of the T-V-H submarine cable that connected Thailand, Vietnam, and Hong Kong, affecting Vietnam's Internet users with far slower speeds. The thieves attempted to sell the 100 tons of illicit cargo as scrap.[14]
klear
02-19-09, 02:23 PM
Crazy stuff, that link says "A submarine communications cable is a cable laid beneath the sea to carry telecommunications between countries." It's the same stuff for internet? Maybe telecommunications includes internet....
TimoneX
02-19-09, 02:29 PM
count it
I.M.O.G.
02-19-09, 02:35 PM
Crazy stuff, that link says "A submarine communications cable is a cable laid beneath the sea to carry telecommunications between countries." It's the same stuff for internet? Maybe telecommunications includes internet....

ISPs are part of the telecom industry. So yes, it's the same thing.
ppe1700
02-19-09, 02:51 PM
I can't really find anything on google about this, I don't really know what to search... but basically I was discussing this with a co-worker... How is the internet connected to other continents? Are there cables in the ocean? If so isn't that insanely hard to maintain? Satellite?

Just curiosity, thanks for any info!

YES! and they KEEP breaking..

please google SMW1, SMW2 and SMW3
this stands for sea-me-wee (or something) these are the fibre optic cables that run under the sea.

god knows how they re join a break! but they keep mysteriously breaking and cutting off places like malta lol.