What is Submarine communications cable?
Context:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently inaugurated the Chennai-Andaman and Nicobar Island Submarine Cable System, which will provide better connectivity to the archipelago.
- The foundation stone for the project was laid by PM Modi in December 2018 at Port Blair.
Key points:
- About 2,300 km of submarine optical fibre cable (OFC) has been laid at a cost of about Rs 1,224 crore to provide better connectivity in the UT.
- The project envisages better connectivity from Chennai to Port Blair and seven other Islands — Swaraj Deep (Havelock), Long Island, Rangat, Hutbay (Little Andaman), Kamorta, Car Nicobar and Campbell Bay (Great Nicobar).
- The project is funded by the government through the Universal Service Obligation Fund under the ministry of communications.
Who will benefit?
- Better connectivity in the region will facilitate the delivery of e-governance services such as telemedicine and tele-education.
- Small enterprises will benefit from opportunities in e-commerce, while educational institutions will utilise the enhanced availability of bandwidth for e-learning and knowledge sharing.
- Business Process Outsourcing services and other medium and large enterprises too also benefit from better connectivity.
- After the launch of the project by PM Modi, the internet bills in Andaman and Nicobar will also come down substantially.
What is Submarine Communications cable?
It is a cable laid on the sea bed between land-based stations to carry telecommunication signals across stretches of ocean and sea.
- The optical fiberelements are typically individually coated with plastic layers and contained in a protective tube suitable for the environment where the cable will be deployed.
Types of Submarine fiber cables:
There are two types of Submarine fibre cables: unrepeatered and repeatered.
- Unrepeatered cables are preferred in short cable routes because it does not require repeaters, lowering costs; however, their maximum transmission distance is limited.
Importance of submarine cables:
- Currently 99 per cent of the data traffic that is crossing oceans is carried by undersea cables.
- The reliability of submarine cables is high, especially when multiple paths are available in the event of a cable break.
- The total carrying capacity of submarine cables is in the terabits per second, while satellites typically offer only 1,000 megabits per second and display higher latency.
Challenges:
A typical multi-terabit, transoceanic submarine cable system costs several hundred million dollars to construct.
InstaLinks:
Prelims Link:
- About optical fibers.
- Types of Submarine fiber cables.
- About the recently launched Chennai-Andaman and Nicobar Island Submarine Cable System.
- Key features of the Universal Service Obligation Fund.
Mains Link:
Write a note on Chennai-Andaman and Nicobar Island Submarine Cable System.
Sources: pib.