The Submarine Cable Growth as Informed by a Decade of TeleGeography Maps

There’s been numerous dialog in regards to the current increase in submarine cable development. This flurry of exercise turns into clearer when our annual map is considered over time.

Right this moment, we’re placing a number of years’ value of maps back-to-back to visualise an evolving undersea community. (And to reminisce about a few of our favourite designs, if I am being trustworthy.) Give every map a click on for a bigger interactive view.

2013 | An Vintage Exploration

Years in the past, our map detailed 232 lit cables and 12 that had been anticipated to return on-line earlier than 2014. The ultimate design charted submarine cable historical past, chronicling community latency and submarine cable capability.

2014 | Protectors of the Web

In 2014 we depicted 285 cable programs that had been at the moment lively or on account of enter service by 2015, in addition to the placement of 44 cable laying vessels.

The “Protectors of the Web” theme included protection of the businesses that really lay and preserve cables, with detailed data on cable faults and repairs, together with the variety of breaks and imply time to start restore by nation.

2015 | Sub Cables and Sea Monsters

The subsequent yr, we encountered just a few sea monsters alongside our annual lineup of submarine cables.

We charted 299 cables that had been lively, below development, or can be funded by the top of 2015. (Vox even made a nice undersea cable explainer utilizing this map!)

2016 | 321 Cable Techniques Sturdy

You might name 2016 our Blue Interval.

We like to think about it because the yr our map documented 321 cable programs. This version additionally consists of inset maps and infographics which can be as data-rich as they’re stunning. 

2017 | The Adventurer’s Map

We would not blame you when you needed to play the Indiana Jones theme within the background whilst you stare upon our 2017 map.

This version borrowed design concepts from your favourite fictional archaeologist, together with submarine cable info as a set of artifacts, journal entries, and hand-drawn sketches befitting of Indiana Jones.

2018 | Detailing 366 Techniques

Our 2018 submarine cable map tracks 366 submarine cable programs and 1,006 touchdown stations that had been lively, below development, or anticipated to be totally funded by the top of 2020. This purple projection has extra element than ever, charting fiber pairs, resiliency, and extra.

2019 | The Constructing Growth

The 2019 version is all in regards to the constructing increase. Infographics single out the economics of recent cables, buyers, bandwidth demand, and—in fact—a better have a look at how content material suppliers become involved.

Not like earlier submarine cable development booms, firms like Amazon, Google, Fb, and Microsoft are taking a extra lively position. These firms have unimaginable bandwidth demand for his or her information middle site visitors, which is driving initiatives and route prioritization for brand new cables.

2020 | A Rustic Throwback

Our 2020 version arrived with a new interactive expertise and free map downloads. This conventional, nostalgic design depicts 447 cable programs and 1,194 touchdown stations that had been at the moment lively, below development, or anticipated to be totally funded by the top of 2022.

2021 | Shout-Out to the Sharks

Our 2021 Submarine Cable Map depicts 464 cables and 1,245 touchdown stations; 428 cables had been lively and 36 had been deliberate after we launched this candy-colored version.

There have been fairly just a few new graphics and FAQs to indicate off. This version has trivia on cable suppliers, content material suppliers, deployments, fiber, and extra. 

You will additionally discover a new shark buddy within the prime proper. You might need heard that sharks are recognized to chunk cables, however bites like this have not accounted for a single cable fault since 2007. Nearly all of harm to submarine cables comes from human exercise, corresponding to fishing and anchoring. 

2022 | And It Was All Yellow

Our 2022 Submarine Cable Map obtained as much as 486 cable programs and 1,306 touchdown stations. It outlined:

• Building Prices: Regardless of delays related to the COVID-19 pandemic, new system spend rebounded in 2020 to $2.7 billion. 
• Content material Suppliers Utilizing Capability: Content material suppliers’ worldwide bandwidth development outpaced that of all different prospects. By 2017, content material suppliers had surpassed web spine suppliers as the most important customers of worldwide capability.
• Fiber Pairs: Within the Atlantic, rising demand necessities are resulting in a considerable improve within the fiber pair depend per cable.

2023 | Windrose Networks

What has dashing attractiveness and depicts 529 cable programs and 1,444 landings? The 2023 Submarine Cable Map.

Trying carefully, you will discover sea monsters, ornate compass roses, and windrose networks woven in. Traditionally, a windrose community was a vital navigational assist discovered on portolan charts and different early nautical schematics used throughout the medieval age and the Age of Exploration.

2024 | A Map Safari

We added a safari theme to our map repertoire with the 2024 Submarine Cable Map. This good-looking version explored international connectivity from the ocean to the cloud, depicting 559 cable programs and 1,636 touchdown stations.

This futuristic, high-contrast 2025 design depicts 597 cable programs and 1,712 landings. For these conserving rating, that is 38 extra cable programs and 76 extra landings than the 2024 version.

On the backside of this map, we zero in on Networks of the Future with potential capability, used capability, and cable deployment stats for six main submarine cable routes: Trans-Pacific, U.S.–Latin America, Trans-Atlantic, Europe–Sub-Saharan Africa, Europe–Asia through Egypt, and Intra-Asia.