Hawzah News Agency- In an analysis, the Arab network Al Jazeera examined the vulnerability of undersea internet cables in the Strait of Hormuz and the potential consequences of disruption to this vital communications infrastructure.
Strait of Hormuz: A Vulnerable Point for the Global Internet
The Strait of Hormuz is not only a strategic passage for oil and gas transfers; this waterway also plays an important role in the region's communications network due to the undersea communication routes passing through it. Damage to internet cables in this area could have consequences beyond local communications disruption and affect part of the communications infrastructure of regional countries and the world.
Submarine fiber-optic cables are considered among the world's most important communications infrastructure. A large portion of international data exchange—from users' daily communications to banking services, commercial activities, and data transfer between data centers—depends on these cables. Therefore, any serious damage to this infrastructure could affect the quality and stability of the internet.
Why Do Internet Cables in the Strait of Hormuz Matter?
The geographical position of the Persian Gulf and its connection to international communications networks has made the waters around the Strait of Hormuz an important area for communications infrastructure. Some of the submarine cables connecting regional countries to the global internet pass through the maritime routes of this region.
Under such circumstances, damage to a single cable may disrupt communications for some countries. If multiple routes are damaged simultaneously or the capacity of alternative routes is insufficient, the scope of disruption could expand.
What Are the Consequences of Cable Cuts for the Global Internet?
Damage to submarine cables does not necessarily mean a complete internet outage in a country or globally, because the internet network consists of multiple communication routes. However, the failure of important cables can lead to reduced internet speeds, increased communication latency, and disruption in access to certain online services.
This issue is more significant for countries where a considerable portion of their international communications passes through a limited number of routes. Under such conditions, transferring traffic to remaining routes can place heavy pressure on the network and reduce the quality of internet services.
Economic Consequences of Damage to Submarine Cables
The dependence of today's economy on digital communications has turned the security of internet cables into a matter beyond technical issues. Banks, commercial companies, payment systems, and data centers require stable international communications to exchange information.
Widespread disruption in submarine cables can slow, delay, or interrupt the operations of these sectors. Additionally, internet service providers may be forced to route more traffic through alternative paths, which—depending on the extent of the damage—can increase operational costs.
The severity of the consequences depends on the number of damaged cables, the importance of the disrupted routes, the capacity of alternative networks, and the duration of infrastructure repairs.
Why Are Undersea Cables Difficult to Repair?
Submarine cables are installed on the seabed along long routes, and their repair requires specialized equipment and special vessels. After identifying the location of the fault, technical teams must be dispatched to the area to carry out repair operations.
In busy waterways and areas with security tensions, access to the damage site and conducting repair operations may be more difficult. As a result, a prolonged repair process can perpetuate communications disruption.
Can Satellite Internet Replace Cables?
Satellite internet can meet some communication needs in emergency situations, but completely replacing fiber-optic cables with this technology is not easily feasible. Undersea cables have a very high capacity for data transmission, and the bulk of international internet communications is carried over them.
The limited capacity of satellite networks, access costs, and technical differences mean this technology cannot alone serve as a complete substitute for the vast network of undersea cables.
Internet Security: The Less-Seen Dimension of the Strait of Hormuz
The strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz is usually measured by energy transfers and the impact of developments there on global markets; however, the growing dependence of countries on digital communications shows that the security of this region is also important from the perspective of communications infrastructure.
Damage to submarine cables can create consequences beyond the incident site and affect international communications. Therefore, protecting undersea cables, developing alternative routes, and increasing the resilience of communications networks are considered important factors in maintaining the stability of the global internet.
Source: Al Jazeera
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