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A deep-ocean submarine cable can be only about 17–21 mm across—roughly garden-hose sized—because the data travels as light through thin glass fibres inside it. Protective layers and, on long routes, powered optical amplifiers keep that light signal usable over thousands of kilometres. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) estimates that submarine cables carry approximately 99% of the world’s Internet traffic; NOAA gives a differently framed estimate of over 95% of international data and voice transfers, so the figures should not be treated as identical measures.
How does data travel through a cable under the ocean?
A submarine link connects terrestrial networks at cable landing stations. At one end, equipment converts digital data into patterns of light using lasers. Glass optical fibres guide those signals along the route; at the other end, equipment reads the light and passes the data into the next network.
The cable is not a solid glass rod. Its fibres form the signal path, while the surrounding components protect and support them. Depending on the system and location, a cable may also include strength members, a power conductor, and metal armour. The power conductor is separate from the fibres carrying information: it supplies electricity to equipment such as repeaters along a powered system.
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Why long cables need repeaters
Light loses strength as it travels, a process called attenuation. On a long, repeatered route, optical amplifiers along the cable compensate for that loss. The ICPC/UNEP report describes erbium-doped fibre amplifiers and gives about 70 km as a typical repeater spacing for the system class it discusses. That 2009 technical account is not a universal spacing specification for current cables; actual designs vary.
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Not every system uses the same design. ITU-T Recommendation G.978 (version 3.0, approved 14 May 2025) covers different cable and fibre characteristics, including repeatered and repeaterless systems. A repeaterless system does not use the same along-route optical repeaters as a repeatered one, so system architecture depends on the link being engineered.
How can a cable this small carry so much traffic?
The cable’s diameter does not limit the amount of information to a single stream. Optical fibres carry data as light, and submarine systems are designed to transmit many signals through their fibre infrastructure. The small glass signal paths are housed inside a compact assembly; the cable’s other materials chiefly provide protection, structural support, or power delivery.
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- Please REMOVE the end protective caps before using the cable.
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The often-quoted traffic share needs attribution. The ITU’s April 2026 backgrounder says submarine cables carry approximately 99% of the world’s Internet traffic. NOAA’s page gives a separate estimate of over 95% of international data and voice transfers, citing a 2009 UNEP-WCMC report. The wording and denominator differ, so neither figure should be presented as a precise, universally defined share of every kind of Internet traffic.
How thick is an undersea cable, and what is inside it?
The garden-hose comparison fits deep-ocean telecommunications cable more closely than every section of a route. The ICPC/UNEP report gives a deep-ocean diameter of about 17–21 mm. Near shore, where additional wire armour can be used for protection, it reports diameters of about 40–50 mm. The European Commission Joint Research Centre (JRC) likewise describes telecommunications cables as up to 4–5 cm across.
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| Route section or design | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Deep ocean | About 17–21 mm diameter in the ICPC/UNEP report; cable is generally laid directly on the seabed. |
| Shallower, more exposed water | May be wider—about 40–50 mm where added wire armour is used in the ICPC/UNEP report—and may be buried for protection. |
| Different system types | Construction and characteristics vary; ITU-T G.978 covers lightweight, protected, armoured, repeatered, repeaterless, and sensing cable types. |
These dimensions describe cable assemblies, not the diameter of the optical fibres alone. The glass fibres are surrounded by materials selected for the route’s mechanical and environmental demands. A lightweight deep-water section and an armoured section near shore can therefore belong to one engineered connection while looking quite different.
How is a 13,000-kilometre ocean route chosen and laid?
Thirteen thousand kilometres describes the scale of the route in the title, not a standard length for every submarine cable. Routes are surveyed and planned around seabed and operational conditions rather than laid as a straight line regardless of obstacles. ITU-T G.971 (December 2024) identifies route-survey and system-planning considerations such as seabed depth and morphology, temperature variation, other cables and pipelines, previous faults, fishing and mining activity, currents, seismic conditions, and applicable laws.
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- Optical digital audio cable: Perfect for equipment with a TOSLINK interface (OPT In / OPT Out or S/PDIF In / S/PDIF Out). TOSLINK connector to TOSLINK connector (F05 connector)
- Versatile: Ideal for transmitting crystal-clear digital audio from your TV, video game console (PS3/PS4/Xbox One), DVD/Blu-ray player, or TV streaming box to a soundbar, amplifier/amp, stereo/Hi-Fi system, D/A converter, and more
- High-End: This metal-free fiber optic audio cable, featuring a fully flexible PVC jacket, is entirely immune to electrical interference. Each cable undergoes multi-stage testing during manufacturing to ensure maximum product quality and durability
- 24K gold-plated connectors: Corrosion resistant gold plating keeps connectors clean. And because these cables are fiber optic, they provide 100 % signal transmission with 0 % loss
- No risk: 36 months manufacturer warranty
Deep-ocean cable is generally laid on the seabed. In shallower, busier waters, anchors and fishing gear pose greater risks, so cables are more likely to be armoured and buried. The JRC describes burial as one physical protection measure and notes monitoring and surveillance as complementary measures; burial is not a claim that every ocean cable is buried.
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Damage is repaired by specialist teams, often using a repair vessel and, where needed, a submersible. The operation can involve locating and recovering the cable, cutting away the damaged section, joining compatible replacement cable, and testing the repaired link. ITU repair guidance notes that shallow-water repairs may need extra cable; some deep-sea repairs may also require an added repeater to compensate for signal loss.
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Damage figures describe different things and should retain their dates and definitions. The JRC reported accidental and unintentional damage occurring about 150–200 times worldwide per year, with fishing vessels a leading source and anchors more typically implicated in shallow waters. Separately, the ITU reported that the International Cable Protection Committee recorded over 170 cable repairs worldwide in 2025. A repair count is not necessarily a count of unique cable failures.
How large is the submarine cable network?
The JRC reported more than 1.3 million km of subsea cables and over 400 active cables worldwide in its 2025 explainer. The ITU’s April 2026 backgrounder reported over 500 active and planned telecommunication submarine cable systems as of 2024. These totals use different categories: the latter includes planned systems, while the JRC figure refers to active cables.
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