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Prima, in collaboration with Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN), announces the signing of a contract for the establishment of the first SMART subsea cable system. OMS will be responsible for the marine installation of this system, which is set to be deployed and operational in 2026. The system will enhance digital connectivity and seismic monitoring in the Pacific region, the joint statement said.

Collaborative Innovation

Once operational, the system will provide not only a supplementary telecom cable to New Caledonia, extending to Australia and Fiji, but also a vital component in environmental monitoring.

The integration of four advanced Climate Change Nodes (CC Nodes) into the subsea cable system will facilitate real-time monitoring of seismic activities and efficient tsunami detection, particularly in the seismically volatile New Hebrides Trench. Additionally, this technology is expected to transform warning systems across the Pacific, enhancing security and preparedness against natural disasters.

Environmental Monitoring Advancements

Prima emphasised the key supporters of this project, including the French Government for its “unwavering commitment and encouragement”, the Government of Vanuatu that entrusted Prima with the implementation of this hybrid cable, and OPT NC that supported the project, especially in the Lifou landing.

For its part, ASN also collaborated with the SMART Joint Task Force (JTF) for their consistent support and expertise in developing SMART cable projects. “By merging telecommunications with environmental monitoring technologies, this endeavour will substantially enhance the safety, connectivity, and scientific insight of the Pacific region,” the joint statement said.

Prima is a telecommunications and data infrastructure company based in Port Vila, Vanuatu. Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN) offers an extensive service portfolio including project management, installation, and commissioning, along with marine and maintenance operations performed by ASN’s wholly-owned fleet of cable ships.

What are SMART Cables?

nstrumenting the deep ocean has been a challenge for ocean scientists for decades.

The Science Monitoring And Reliable Telecommunications (SMART) Subsea Cables initiative seeks to revolutionize deep ocean observing by equipping transoceanic telecommunications cables with sensors to provide novel and persistent insights into the state of the ocean, at a modest incremental cost.

 Smart Cables

The Science Monitoring And Reliable Telecommunications (SMART) Subsea Cables initiative seeks to revolutionize deep ocean observing by equipping transoceanic telecommunications cables with sensors to provide novel and persistent insights into the state of the ocean to monitor climate change including ocean heat content, circulation, and sea level rise, provide early warning for earthquakes and tsunamis, and monitor seismic activity for earth structure and related hazards. 

The Joint Task Force

The SMART Subsea Cables initiative is led by a Joint Task Force (JTF) made up of three United Nations organizations: the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The JTF is responsible for charting a path for the implementation of SMART monitoring capabilities into new cable installations worldwide.

International Program Office

The SMART International Program Office (IPO) is the executive branch of the JTF and is responsible for carrying out its recommendations in pursuit of broad SMART adoption. In this role the IPO acts in oversight and managerial capacities as the unifying executive agency bridging the many relevant stakeholder communities pertinent to SMART implementation. 

WALL TOWNSHIP, NJ & LONDON, UK, 21 JANUARY 2024 – EXA Infrastructure, the largest dedicated digital infrastructure platform connecting Europe and North America, today has announced a strategic partnership with NJFX, a leader in carrier-neutral colocation and subsea infrastructure. This collaboration marks a significant step in bolstering global network connectivity with EXA establishing a new Point of Presence (PoP) at NJFX’s facility.

EXA Infrastructure, a London-based I Squared Capital portfolio company, operates a vast 142,000-kilometer fiber network spanning 34 countries and connecting 300 cities. With 13 Tier 3-equivalent data centers and several strategic sub-sea routes, including a low-latency transatlantic link, EXA’s network is a cornerstone of this partnership.

As part of this strategic presence at NJFX, EXA announced a partnership with Bulk for the Havfrue cable system. EXA will integrate Havfrue with their pan-European backbone network to provide direct connectivity to the Nordics avoiding major conventional transatlantic traffic passages.

EXA Infrastructure, VP Network Investments, Steve Roberts said: “As we embark on this strategic partnership with NJFX, we’re not just connecting infrastructure; we’re forging a pathway for our customers to traverse the digital landscape faster and more efficiently than ever before. We are excited to be partnering with NJFX and this collaboration amplifies opportunities for our customers to access Europe with unprecedented speed on the EXA network. We are committed to providing cutting-edge solutions in today’s digital era that is defined by connectivity.”

NJFX is distinguished for its unique strategy in linking carrier-grade networks beyond major U.S. cities, accommodating 35 international and domestic operators and growing. The NJFX campus is also where the major cloud and network operators have their global backbones physically connecting to transatlantic cables to Europe and South America. The alliance with EXA amplifies NJFX’s dedication to offering customers unmatched options in network connectivity.

Felix Seda, General Manager at NJFX, said: “We are proud to have EXA Infrastructure as part of our growing ecosystem integrating their expansive network with our robust connectivity infrastructure. By establishing a presence at the NJFX colocation campus, EXA customers are now able to leverage low latency routes to major connectivity hubs avoiding legacy chokepoints.”

This alliance represents a significant milestone in the telecommunications industry, offering existing and prospective customers enhanced network options. With an emphasis on diversity, capacity, and growth scalability, NJFX and EXA Infrastructure are committed to driving forward the future of global connectivity.

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About NJFX

Located in Wall, New Jersey, NJFX is the innovative leader in carrier-neutral colocation and subsea infrastructure, setting a new standard for interconnecting carrier-grade networks outside any major U.S. city. Our campus hosts over 35 global and U.S. operators, including multinational banks that rely on us for their “never down” network strategies. The NJFX campus is also where the major cloud operators have their global backbones physically connecting to transatlantic cables to Europe and South America. NJFX customers requiring transparency and true diversity can interconnect at a layer one level with their preferred network connectivity partners. For more information, visit

NJFX.net

Media contacts:
Emily Newman
emily@njfx.net

About EXA Infrastructure

Headquartered in London, EXA Infrastructure is a portfolio company of I Squared Capital and the largest dedicated digital infrastructure platform connecting Europe and North America and owns 142,000 kilometres of fibre network across 34 countries. EXA’s network connects 300 cities and offers 13 Tier 3-equivalent data centres, with sub-sea routes that include five transatlantic cables, one the lowest latency link between Europe and North America. For more information, see exainfra.net

Media contacts:

Alana Foster
EXA Infrastructure
alana.foster@exainfra.net

WALL TOWNSHIP, New Jersey — NJFX, the innovative leader in carrier-neutral colocation and subsea infrastructure, announces the appointment of Thomas Schemly as Enterprise Solutions Architect.

Mr. Schemly’s expertise in network design across various sectors has been crucial to his success in strategic partnership development. His deep understanding of global network architecture has been instrumental in designing robust networks for the financial industry. Mr. Schemly’s career is marked by successful partnerships, managing major accounts, and spearheading sales strategies that drives enterprise and cloud solutions.

NJFX General Manager, Felix Seda said, “Over the last seven years, NJFX has provided me the opportunity to forge close relationships with our ecosystem of carriers and understand the nuances of their network architecture. Tom’s experience and insight into the needs of the enterprise community will bring a unique perspective and solidify NJFX’s value in creating an interconnection hub focused on network transparency.”

NJFX has created a new purpose built standard for interconnecting carrier grade networks outside of any major U.S. city. Today, 35 global and U.S. based operators are present at NJFX with multinational banks starting to deploy their core network nodes for a “never down strategy”. The NJFX campus is also where the major cloud operators have their global backbones physically connecting to transatlantic cables to Europe and South America. Enterprise customers looking for true diversity can interconnect at a layer one level with their preferred network connectivity partners.

“Tom’s addition to our team marks a significant stride in our unwavering commitment to the enterprise sector. His depth of knowledge and industry acumen is critical to maintaining the high standard of network security, transparency, and personal engagement that our C-level partners expect”, said Gil Santaliz, CEO of NJFX. “With real-time data transactions estimated 2 billion per minute globally, Tom’s role is instrumental in ensuring that enterprises achieve the network diversity essential in today’s digital ecosystem.”

Reflecting on his new role, Schemly comments, “With over 25 years of experience in designing and implementing intricate networks for financial and other various sectors, I am committed to a diversity-first approach. The team at NJFX has developed a state-of-the-art, carrier-grade data center located outside the NJ/NYC Metro Market. This facility surpasses current industry standards, promoting network transparency and collaboration among our ecosystem. I look forward to driving the enterprise architecture and continuing NJFX’s tradition of excellence.”

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99% of the internet network runs through submarine cables. It is estimated that over USD 10,000 billion in financial transactions run today through these “seabed highways”. This is especially the case of the main global financial exchange system, SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications), which has recently been banned for many Russian banks. The security of these transactions is a political, economic, and social problem. This is a major issue that has long been ignored. The extreme geographic concentration of the cables makes them particularly vulnerable. There are over 420 submarine lines in the world, totaling 1.3 million kilometres, over three times the distance from Earth to Moon. Record: 39,000 kilometres length for the SEA-ME-WE 3 cable, which links South-East Asia to Western Europe through the Red Sea.

Submarine internet cables have a crucial importance, like oil and gas pipelines. In the context of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the seabed is more than ever a battlefield that must be protected. Western armed forces are considering a nightmare scenario of total interruption of the Internet in Europe, as 99% of the global network runs through submarine cables.

Satellites account for only 1% of data exchanges. The reason is simple: they cost more than cables and are infinitely slower.

A hundred submarine cable breaks a year

These infrastructures are equally important today as oil and gas pipelines. But are they equally protected? Modern submarine cables use fibre-optic to transmit data with the speed of light. However, while in the near vicinity of the shore, cables are generally reinforced, the average diameter of a subsea cable is not much larger than that of a garden hose.

For several years, the major powers are fighting a “hybrid war”, half open, half secret, for the control of these cables. As Europe focuses increasingly more on threats to cybersecurity, investments in the security and resilience of physical infrastructure that are the basis of its communications with the world does not seem to be a priority today.

The fear to act will only generate the vulnerability of these espionage systems, interruptions of data flows and undermining the security of the continent. On average, there are over a hundred breaks of submarine cables every year, caused in general by the fishing boats that pull the anchors. It is difficult to measure intentional attacks, but the movements of some ships have started to draw attention since 2014, their route following submarine telecommunication cables.

The first attacks of the modern age date back in 2017: it is about the cables between the UK and the US and between France and US. Although these attacks remain unknown to the general public, they are no less worrying and prove the capacity of external powers to separate Europe from the rest of the world. In 2007, Vietnamese fishermen cut a subsea cable to recover composite materials and try to resell them. Vietnam lost this way almost 90% of connectivity with the rest of the world for a period of three weeks. 

Potential risks

Creating a European program to increase EU’s capabilities to prevent attacks on this infrastructure and repair the damages that they could cause is more urgent than ever. Russian “fishing” or “oceanographic” vessels and which are, generally, collectors of information, are increasingly traversing the coasts of France and Ireland through which these “information highways” pass. Yantar, an “oceanographic” vessel that has an AS-37 mini-submarine, was able to submerge in August 2021 to a depth of 6,000 meters off the Irish coast, following the route of Norse and AEConnect-1 cables, which link Europe to the United States. Russia, which had cut the Ukrainian cables in 2014, would therefore have the capacity to repeat the operation for the whole Europe.

A map of submarine cables around the world

TeleGeography, a US telecommunications consultancy, has created the Submarine Cable Map portal, an interactive map of all submarine cables unfolding around the world, with data about the companies that own them, such as Google, Facebook, Amazon, Verizon, or AT&T. On the map, we can see that a key highway is in the Atlantic Ocean, which links Europe and North America. In the meantime, the Great Pacific Highway links the United States of America to Japan, China, and other Asian countries. From Miami, several cables connect Central and South America. In the case of Mexico, for example, most cables run from the east of the country, cross the Gulf of Mexico to Florida and from there they connect to Central and South America.

Even if we have the tendency to believe that our smartphones, computers, and other cars are interconnected by space, most – almost 99% of all internet traffic – is thus carried by global telecommunications sublines. There are over 420 cables in the world, totalling 1.3 million kilometres, over three times the distance from Earth to Moon. Record: 39,000 kilometres length for the SEA-ME-WE 3 cable, which links South-East Asia to Western Europe through the Red Sea.

Cutting submarine cables, an old and proven practice of war

Recent attacks on cables carrying voice and data traffic between North America and Europe lead to the idea that they seem to be undergoing a new development. France and the United Kingdom had already dealt with this experience on the part of the Germans during the First World War. These infrastructures were part of the global cable telegraph network. Similarly, the United States cut wartime cables as a means of disrupting the ability of an enemy power to command and control distant forces.

The first such attacks took place in 1898, during the Spanish-American War. That year, in the Gulf of Manila (Philippines), the USS Zafiro cut the cable connecting Manila to the Asian continent to isolate the Philippines from the rest of the world, as well as the cable connecting Manila to the Philippine city of Capiz. Other spectacular cable attacks took place in the Caribbean, plunging Spain into the dark during the conflict in Puerto Rico and Cuba, which contributed greatly to the final victory of the United States.

Russia interested in NATO’s subsea infrastructure

Russia seems to materialize the concerns at the highest level in this field. In 2015, the presence of Russian vessel Yantar along the US coast, near the cables, did not fail to arouse tensions between the two states. At the end of 2017, the situation repeated.

“We are now seeing Russian underwater activity in the vicinity of undersea cables that I don’t believe we have ever seen. Russia is clearly taking an interest in NATO and NATO nations’ undersea infrastructure,” said Admiral Andrew Lennon, commander of the organization’s submarine forces. It’s like going back to the days of the Cold War… To the point where Policy Exchange has devoted an entire chapter of its “Russia Risk” report to this topic. The think tank recalls the episode of the annexation of Crimea in 2014, when the peninsula was isolated from the rest of Ukraine by physically cutting off communications.

“If the relative weakness of the Russian position makes a conventional conflict with NATO unlikely, fibre-optic cables can be a target for Russia. We should prepare for an increase in hybrid actions in the maritime field, not only in Russia, but also in China and Iran,” underlines the former commander of the NATO allied forces, the American Admiral James G. Stravridis.

Three major security risks

The first risk factor is the growing volume of data flowing through cables, which encourages third countries to spy on or disrupt traffic.

The second risk factor is the increasing capital intensity of these facilities, which leads to the creation of international consortia involving up to dozens of owners. These owners are separated from the entities that produce the cable components and from those that position the cables along the ocean floor. Timeshare makes it possible to reduce costs substantially, but at the same time allows the entry in these consortia of state actors who could use their influence to disrupt data flows, or even to interrupt them in a conflict scenario. At the other end of the spectrum, GAFAMs (Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon, and Microsoft) now have the financial and technical capacity to build their own cables. Thus, the Dunant cable, which links France to the United States, is entirely owned by Google. The Chinese giants have also embarked on a strategy of submarine conquest: this is the case of the Peace cable, which connects China to Marseilles, owned by the Hengtong company, considered by the Chinese government as a model of “civilian-military”.

Another threat is espionage, which requires specially equipped submarines, or submarines operating from ships, capable of intercepting, or even modifying, data passing through fibre-optic cables without damaging them. So far, only China, Russia and the United States have such means.

The most vulnerable point of submarine cables, however, is where they reach land: the landing stations Thus, the town of Lège-Cap-Ferret, where the interface room between the Franco-American cable “Amitié” will be built, has recently become a veritable nest of spies, according to informed sources.

But the most worrying trend is that more and more cable operators are using remote management systems for their networks. Cable owners are excited about the staff cost savings. However, these systems have poor security, which exposes submarine cables to cyber security risks.

Solutions in case of multiple attacks

The US executive has recently investigated possible risks in the event of multiple attacks. In addition to expanding the SSGP grant program, it has encouraged the Maritime Administration to involve various civil society associations, such as the International Propeller Club, in programs designed to minimize these threats. The idea is to create a kind of “submarine cable militia” capable of responding quickly in a crisis.

The Propeller Club has more than 6,000 members and has recently provided $ 3.5 billion in aid to the maritime industry in the fight against Covid-19. Similarly, the creation of a “submarine cable Airbus” capable of competing with GAFAMs, whose market share could increase from 5% to 90% in six years, can obviously become a reality only if Europe pays attention to this topic.

In a context of growing international tensions, the creation of a European program modelled on the US and Japanese programs, which aims to increase operations to deter attacks on these infrastructures and to develop a high-stakes construction and repair, has become very important.

From service vehicle routing and data science to voice assistants and network planning, artificial intelligence is becoming a staple in the telecoms industry. Recently, NVIDIA surveyed 400+ telecom industry professionals around the world on their views about the opportunities and challenges of implementing AI-driven practices across their company and in the industry. This report summarizes the key survey insights, as well as the investment decisions and
implementation approaches that define the state of AI in telecoms in 2023. While the responses show that there’s significant interest in AI, it’s also clear that the industry is in the early stages of its AI adoption journey and needs support to clearly define ROI.

There’s Clear Interest in and Expectations of Success From AI
In line with the industry-level expectation on the importance of AI in telecoms, the survey

shows that there’s a clear interest in AI among industry stakeholders. Of overall respondents, 95 percent said they were engaged with AI, with the figure rising to 100 percent among decision-making management respondents.

Telcos have announced they’ve tested AI-enabled solutions for network operations, base station site planning, truck-routing optimization, and machine learning data analytics. To improve the customer experience, some are adopting recommendation engines, virtual assistants, and digital avatars. For many respondents in the survey, however, the engagement was described as at an early stage.

Only 34 percent of respondents reported using AI for over six months, while 23 percent of respondents said they’re still learning about the different options for AI. Eighteen percent reported being in a trial or pilot phase of an AI project.

This level of engagement feeds into the expectation that AI will deliver competitive advantage and success. In the survey, based on a 7-point scale, 59 percent of respondents agreed with the statement “AI will be a source of competitive advantage for my company,” while 65 percent of respondents agreed that AI is important to their company’s success. But not everyone agrees with the industry-level view on the importance of AI in telecoms. On the same 7-point-scale question, about 12 percent of respondents disagreed that AI has a role in their company’s success.

Managing operations in the telecoms industry is a very complex task.
This is understandable, as the industry is responsible for critical national infrastructure in every country, supports over 5 billion customer end points, and is expected to constantly deliver above 99 percent reliability. Each network interface or customer touch point is potentially a drag on efficiency, creating a constant need for industry stakeholders to invest in solutions that improve operational efficiency.

In an industry with a multi-billion capex spend per annum, the level of investment in AI appears to be low. Typically, mid- to large-size telcos will spend at least a billion dollars annually on capex. Yet, 60 percent of respondents (for 2021) and 50 percent of respondents (for 2022) spent less
than $1 million on AI. On the top end, 2 percent of respondents spent over $50 million in 2021, rising to 3 percent in 2022.

While the responses can partly be attributed to where the respondents are in AI
adoption, it suggests that the industry’s level of investment in AI is not matching
its level of enthusiasm and engagement. Indeed, 33 percent of respondents noted
a lack of budget, and only 42 percent of respondents agreed that their current
investment is at the right level. Going forward into 2023, 47 percent of respondents reported plans to increase their AI investment, while 45 percent said they’ll be keeping it broadly the same.
Only 8 percent of respondents said they’ll be decreasing their AI spend.

 

Scaling Beyond Proof of Concept and Pilots Is a Major Driver for AI Investments

Among all the factors driving investments in AI, moving from proof of concept and pilot stage to implementation was the most notable response. This isn’t always an easy step to make; only 30 percent of respondents agreed that their companies have the capability and knowledge to move an AI project from research to production.

While a total of 49 percent of respondents said they were still in the learning, assessment, or trial/pilot phase of their AI investments, 47 percent of respondents said implementation plans will drive their investment decisions. Economic uncertainty and the need to prioritize spending elsewhere also drove decision-making. Some 46 percent of respondents cited concerns about
the economy; similarly, 46 percent of respondents said AI investments will be balanced against spending on scheduled infrastructure upgrades. And 34 percent of respondents noted that their market differentiation strategies are a major factor in their AI investment decisions.