There’s been numerous dialog concerning the latest growth in submarine cable development. This flurry of exercise turns into clearer when our annual map is considered over time.
Right this moment, we’re placing a number of years’ value of maps back-to-back to visualise an evolving undersea community. (And to reminisce about a few of our favourite designs, if I am being trustworthy.) Give every map a click on for a bigger interactive view.
2013 | An Vintage Exploration
Years in the past, our map detailed 232 lit cables and 12 that had been anticipated to come back on-line earlier than 2014. The ultimate design charted submarine cable historical past, chronicling community latency and submarine cable capability.
2014 | Protectors of the Web
In 2014 we depicted 285 cable techniques that had been at the moment energetic or resulting from enter service by 2015, in addition to the situation of 44 cable laying vessels.
The “Protectors of the Web” theme integrated protection of the businesses that truly lay and preserve cables, with detailed info on cable faults and repairs, together with the variety of breaks and imply time to begin restore by nation.
2015 | Sub Cables and Sea Monsters
The subsequent 12 months, we encountered a couple of sea monsters alongside our annual lineup of submarine cables.
We charted 299 cables that had been energetic, underneath development, or could be funded by the tip of 2015. (Vox even made a nice undersea cable explainer utilizing this map!)
2016 | 321 Cable Methods Sturdy
You possibly can name 2016 our Blue Interval.
We like to consider it because the 12 months our map documented 321 cable techniques. This version additionally consists of inset maps and infographics which might be as data-rich as they’re stunning.
2017 | The Adventurer’s Map
We would not blame you should you needed to play the Indiana Jones theme within the background whilst you stare upon our 2017 map.
This version borrowed design concepts from your favourite fictional archaeologist, together with submarine cable details as a group of artifacts, journal entries, and hand-drawn sketches befitting of Indiana Jones.
2018 | Detailing 366 Methods
Our 2018 submarine cable map tracks 366 submarine cable techniques and 1,006 touchdown stations that had been energetic, underneath development, or anticipated to be absolutely funded by the tip of 2020. This purple projection has extra element than ever, charting fiber pairs, resiliency, and extra.
2019 | The Constructing Growth
The 2019 version is all concerning the constructing growth. Infographics single out the economics of latest cables, traders, bandwidth demand, and—after all—a better take a look at how content material suppliers get entangled.
In contrast to earlier submarine cable development booms, firms like Amazon, Google, Fb, and Microsoft are taking a extra energetic position. These firms have unbelievable bandwidth demand for his or her information heart site visitors, which is driving tasks and route prioritization for brand spanking new cables.
2020 | A Rustic Throwback
Our 2020 version arrived with a new interactive expertise and free map downloads. This conventional, nostalgic design depicts 447 cable techniques and 1,194 touchdown stations that had been at the moment energetic, underneath development, or anticipated to be absolutely funded by the tip of 2022.
2021 | Shout-Out to the Sharks
Our 2021 Submarine Cable Map depicts 464 cables and 1,245 touchdown stations; 428 cables had been energetic and 36 had been deliberate after we launched this candy-colored version.
There have been fairly a couple of new graphics and FAQs to point out off. This version has trivia on cable suppliers, content material suppliers, deployments, fiber, and extra.
You may additionally discover a new shark buddy within the high proper. You might need heard that sharks are recognized to chunk cables, however bites like this have not accounted for a single cable fault since 2007. The vast majority of harm to submarine cables comes from human exercise, resembling fishing and anchoring.
2022 | And It Was All Yellow
Our 2022 Submarine Cable Map acquired as much as 486 cable techniques and 1,306 touchdown stations. It outlined:
- Development Prices: Regardless of delays related to the COVID-19 pandemic, new system spend rebounded in 2020 to $2.7 billion.
- Content material Suppliers Utilizing Capability: Content material suppliers’ worldwide bandwidth progress outpaced that of all different clients. By 2017, content material suppliers had surpassed web spine suppliers as the biggest customers of worldwide capability.
- Fiber Pairs: Within the Atlantic, rising demand necessities are resulting in a considerable enhance within the fiber pair rely per cable.
2023 | Windrose Networks
What has dashing beauty and depicts 529 cable techniques and 1,444 landings? The 2023 Submarine Cable Map.
Trying intently, you will discover sea monsters, ornate compass roses, and windrose networks woven in. Traditionally, a windrose community was a vital navigational support discovered on portolan charts and different early nautical schematics used throughout the medieval age and the Age of Exploration.
2024 | A Map Safari
We added a safari theme to our map repertoire with the 2024 Submarine Cable Map. This good-looking version explored international connectivity from the ocean to the cloud, depicting 559 cable techniques and 1,636 touchdown stations.
On the backside of the map, you’ll discover further insights on cable development, cable investments, and cloud infrastructure.
2025 | Going Darkish
This futuristic, high-contrast 2025 design depicts 597 cable techniques and 1,712 landings. For these maintaining rating, that is 38 extra cable techniques and 76 extra landings than the 2024 version.
On the backside of this map, we zero in on Networks of the Future with potential capability, used capability, and cable deployment stats for six main submarine cable routes: Trans-Pacific, U.S.–Latin America, Trans-Atlantic, Europe–Sub-Saharan Africa, Europe–Asia by way of Egypt, and Intra-Asia.
