How does the internet cross continents?

Many people imagine that the internet is transmitted between countries via satellite. While this is true, due to the limitations of this technology (expensive and high latency), the majority of data is transmitted through the ocean.

Through the ocean? How does that work?

That’s right. The internet is transmitted between continents through a network of submarine fiber optic cables. These submarine cables transmit data through pulses of light, allowing large amounts of information to be transferred from one place to another in fractions of a second. These submarine cables are composed of optical fibers, which are made of ultra-pure glass or plastic and are capable of transmitting information at extremely high speeds. The optical fibers are then protected by multiple layers of insulation and armor to ensure that the submarine cables are strong enough to withstand water pressure and seismic activity at the bottom of the ocean. Submarine cables are usually installed by special ships designed for cable laying. These ships use advanced mapping and positioning techniques to ensure that submarine cables are installed on the ocean floor accurately and securely. Since this entire process is very expensive, oceanic cables generally consist of multiple fibers. It is not uncommon for telecommunications companies to form partnerships to build the cable. For example, the Monet cable, which connects Santos, Fortaleza, and the USA, is owned by four companies: Angola Cables, Google, Algar Telecom, and Antel Uruguay.

The video below tells a bit of the story about the aforementioned cable. Although the audio is in English, it has Portuguese subtitles. It is highly recommended to watch if you want to deepen your knowledge!

If you want to check each of the cables that interconnect the globe, just access the Hurricane Electric 3D map.

Once the submarine cables are installed, data can be transmitted through a variety of network technologies, including internet protocols and packet switching systems. As data is transmitted through submarine cables, it can be routed to different destinations, such as internet servers, network devices, or other submarine cables. There are many submarine cables that connect continents around the world, forming a global communication network that allows people to connect and share information instantly, regardless of their location in the world.