Global Communications Infrastructure: Undersea and Beyond

Undersea cables, or submarine cables, link the continents of the world together and are the “backbone” for international data connectivity. National economies are dependent on undersea cable traffic and, increasingly, undersea cable infrastructure (UCI) acts as a conduit to ensure that global data traffic reaches data centers and end users. Strategic diversification of technology investments across connectivity platforms can “future proof” our nation’s long-haul international data connectivity infrastructure. The world of long-haul global communications continues to evolve and policymakers must stay ahead of the game to ensure that the U.S. and its allies are well-positioned across a range of global communication pathways to offer overall network and operational reliability and resilience.