Undersea Cables Carrying 99% of the Internet

The Invisible Backbone of Global Connectivity

When you stream a movie, send a message, or make a video call, the data doesn’t travel through the air or over satellite satellites alone. Instead, the majority of this data zips across an expansive network of submarine cables hidden beneath the ocean floor. These high-capacity fiber optic cables carry over 99% of international data traffic, forming the backbone of our digital world. Despite their importance, they remain largely invisible, yet vulnerable to damage and strategic attack. Understanding how these cables operate, what threats they face, and how disruptions affect global communications has become critical in our hyper-connected era.