Skip to content
RichseenAtlas← JourneySign in

The Cables Beneath

When these happened

25 dated records from 1858 to 2026. Each is drawn as wide as its date is certain — a band is a band because nobody knows the year, not because the drawing is imprecise.

1875190019251950197520002025The first Atlantic telegraph cable is completed — 1858-08-05The 1858 cable fails — 1858-09-18A permanent Atlantic cable lands at Heart's Content — 1866The Paris convention on submarine cables is signed — 1884-03-14The Grand Banks earthquake breaks cables in sequence — 1929-11-18TAT-1 opens with 36 telephone circuits — 1956-09-25The Cable Damage Committee is established — 1958-05-22The erbium-doped fibre amplifier is demonstrated — 1987TAT-8, the first transoceanic fibre cable, enters service — 1988-12-14East Asian connectivity degrades for weeks — 2006-12-26 – 2007-02Cables in the Luzon Strait break in sequence over nine hours — 2006-12-26 – 2006-12-27The Hengchun earthquake doublet off southern Taiwan — 2006-12-26 12:26 UTCEleven cable ships repair the Luzon Strait cables — 2007-01 – 2007-02A transatlantic cable is built to be short rather than large — 2015-09SEA-ME-WE 5 is ready for service — 2016-12-13MAREA is completed across the Atlantic — 2017-09Both cables to the Matsu Islands are cut within six days — 2023-02-02 – 2023-02-08A sinking ship's anchor severs Red Sea cables — 2024-02Four cables fail off Côte d'Ivoire and thirteen countries lose connectivity — 2024-03-14Cables and a power link are damaged in the Baltic Sea — 2024-11-17 – 2024-12-25An international advisory body for cable resilience is created — 2024-11-29TAT-8 is lifted from the seabed — 2025A ship's captain is convicted for severing a cable — 2025-06-12SMW4 and IMEWE are cut near Jeddah — 2025-09-06The core of 2Africa is completed — 2025-11-17
25 shown · 25 dated · 0 cannot be placed on an axis · Approximate or contested. Draw a band and do not sharpen its edges.
In order25
  1. 1858-08-05The first Atlantic telegraph cable is completed

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  2. 1858-09-18The 1858 cable fails

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  3. 1866A permanent Atlantic cable lands at Heart's Content

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  4. 1884-03-14The Paris convention on submarine cables is signed

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  5. 1929-11-18The Grand Banks earthquake breaks cables in sequence

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  6. 1956-09-25TAT-1 opens with 36 telephone circuits

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  7. 1958-05-22The Cable Damage Committee is established

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  8. 1987The erbium-doped fibre amplifier is demonstrated

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  9. 1988-12-14TAT-8, the first transoceanic fibre cable, enters service

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  10. 2006-12-26 – 2007-02East Asian connectivity degrades for weeks

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  11. 2006-12-26 – 2006-12-27Cables in the Luzon Strait break in sequence over nine hours

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  12. 2006-12-26 12:26 UTCThe Hengchun earthquake doublet off southern Taiwan

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  13. 2007-01 – 2007-02Eleven cable ships repair the Luzon Strait cables

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  14. 2015-09A transatlantic cable is built to be short rather than large

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  15. 2016-12-13SEA-ME-WE 5 is ready for service

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  16. 2017-09MAREA is completed across the Atlantic

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  17. 2023-02-02 – 2023-02-08Both cables to the Matsu Islands are cut within six days

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  18. 2024-02A sinking ship's anchor severs Red Sea cables

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  19. 2024-03-14Four cables fail off Côte d'Ivoire and thirteen countries lose connectivity

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  20. 2024-11-17 – 2024-12-25Cables and a power link are damaged in the Baltic Sea

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  21. 2024-11-29An international advisory body for cable resilience is created

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  22. 2025TAT-8 is lifted from the seabed

    It was measured or witnessed, with the observation cited.

  23. 2025-06-12A ship's captain is convicted for severing a cable

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  24. 2025-09-06SMW4 and IMEWE are cut near Jeddah

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  25. 2025-11-17The core of 2Africa is completed

    It happened, and the record is settled.