Subsea cables provide a link for 99% of international networking and communications around the world.
Over the past year, tech giants such as Google, Facebook, and Microsoft have announced plans to build new subsea cables in the upcoming year. Google alone will be completing the installation of five subsea cables by 2019. SubTel Forum, an industry magazine, projects subsea cable growth to be approximately 143% over the next four years, with a total of 35 new subsea cables already planned for installation between 2018 and 2021. SubTel Forum reported that the capacity for major subsea cables has increased annually by approximately 32%. They have also projected the increase in capacity of subsea cables to be capable of transferring data at speeds of “more than 60 terabits per second.”
The demand for more connectivity comes from a need for higher cable capacities due to an increase in the use of digital technologies such as cloud-based services and the need for quick delivery of data and media around the world.
With such a rapid increase in subsea cables and the demand for more capacity, companies such as Italian cable maker Prysmian Group (“Prysmian”), are investing in new cable-laying vessels. Prysmian announced last week that they would be investing approximately $208 (€170) million into a “new cutting-edge vessel that will have advanced features such as deep water installation capabilities for depths of more than 2,000 meters.” Currently, Prysmian already owns three of the most advanced cable-laying vessels. The newest addition to their fleet will significantly increase Prysmian’s “prospects for subsea cable installations and offshore wind project execution capabilities.”
The bigger the technology company, the bigger the project. Companies such as Prysmian are investing in new vessels with advanced technology for the installation of subsea cables. These vessels will make it “cheaper to build cables with more bandwidth” to support the growing need for international data networking and communications.
GeoTel is the leading provider of telecommunications infrastructure data, including subsea cable data from around the world. For over sixteen years, GeoTel’s products have been providing companies and government entities with the leverage and insight necessary to make intelligent, location-based business decisions. For more information or a demo, please contact our experts at (407) 788-8888.
by Sarah Pereau | 21 Mar 2018
