New Delhi: Web is an inseparable a part of life on this fashionable world. Social media entry, YouTube and OTT platforms, video calls, on-line purchasing and workplace work, all depend on a continuing digital connection. Many individuals assume that the web primarily comes from satellites or cell towers. Nonetheless, the truth is almost 99 p.c of world web visitors travels by way of cables laid beneath the oceans. The information flows not above, however beneath, by way of the depths of the seas.
Submarine optical fiber cables kind the spine of the web, connecting continents and international locations reliably over 1000’s of kilometres. These cables transport huge quantities of information each second, linking companies, governments and households throughout the globe. However who really owns these large networks stretched beneath the oceans?
A Temporary Historical past Of Submarine Web Cables
The story of web cables traces again to the 1830s, with the invention of the telegraph. Even then, wired communication was the one approach to transmit messages over lengthy distances. In 1858, American entrepreneur Cyrus Westfield laid the primary telegraph cable beneath the Atlantic Ocean to attach the US and Britain.
Although the cable failed quickly after, it marked a historic starting. By 1866, the primary everlasting undersea cable was efficiently put in. Over time, it started to span the world, evolving from telegraph to phone, and finally, to web information.
At present, submarine cables stretch over 1.4 million kilometres worldwide. They carry 99 p.c of the web visitors, together with India’s worldwide information. Round 95 p.c of India’s worldwide web visitors passes by way of these undersea fiber-optic cables. The nation is linked by way of 17 worldwide submarine cables linked to 14 touchdown stations situated in Mumbai, Chennai, Kochi, Tuticorin and Thiruvananthapuram.
From these factors, the web spreads to each a part of the nation, seamlessly connecting India to the worldwide digital community.
Who Owns These Oceanic Web Highways?
Regardless of their international significance, no single authorities owns these cables. Submarine web cables are primarily owned and operated by non-public telecom and know-how firms. These corporations have the monetary sources, technical experience and infrastructure wanted to put, keep and function the cables to make sure uninterrupted web service throughout continents.
In India, firms like Tata Communications, Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, Sify Applied sciences and BSNL handle these undersea cables. Globally, varied non-public firms deal with the deployment and operation of submarine cables, sustaining the spine of the world’s web.
With out these networks, the seamless move of information, which fashionable life is dependent upon, would merely not be doable.
The following time you scroll by way of social media or stream a video, do not forget that beneath 1000’s of kilometres of ocean, a community of fastidiously maintained fiber-optic cables is tirelessly carrying information to your system.