In This Issue

 73 nov Voice 2013 of the ISSN 1948-3031 Industry

System Upgrades Edition In This Issue: • The Road to Upgrades • Upgrading Cables Systems: • An Opportunity to Turn Point-to-Point Links into More Global Networks • Challenges & Successes: Upgrading Trans-Pacific Cables with 100 Gb/s website traffic - unique visits 54,367 53,652 9-13 52,693 4-13 55,213 1-13 10-13 51,259 53,206 11-12 5-13 Year-to-date hits: 50,940 6-13 10,167,063

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PUBLISHER: Wayne Nielsen A dozen (common abbreviated doz or dz) is a times. Year to date, STF’s website has MANAGING EDITOR: Kevin G. Summers grouping of twelve. The dozen may be one of the experienced 10.1M hits. earliest primitive groupings, perhaps because CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Colin Anderson, there are approximately a dozen cycles of the In 2014, we will add additional enhancements Stewart Ash, Anup Changaroth, Bertrand moon or months in a cycle of the sun or year. to the SubTel Forum brand including new live Clesca, Olivier Courtois, Jas Dhooper, Dr. Herve Twelve is convenient because its multiples and event video-streaming, which we believe will Fevrier, Peter Liu (Liu Bo), Clive McNamara, divisors are convenient: 12 = 2 × 2 × 3, 3 × 4 = further enhance your utility and enjoyment. Stephen Nielsen, Elaine Stafford, Paul Treglia 12, 2 × 6 = 12, 60 = 12 × 5, 360 = 12 × 30. The As always, such services will be provided at no use of twelve as a base number, known as the cost, and we will do so with two key founding Submarine Telecoms Forum magazine is duodecimal system (also as dozenal), probably principles always in mind, which annually I published bimonthly by Submarine Telecoms originated in Mesopotamia. (Wikipedia) reaffirm to you, our readers: Forum, Inc., and is an independent commercial publication, serving as a freely accessible To me, a dozen can be a pretty big number. »» That we will provide a wide range of ideas and issues; forum for professionals in industries connected th with submarine optical fiber technologies and This November issue marks our 12 Submarine Telecoms »» That we will seek to incite, entertain and techniques. Submarine Telecoms Forum may anniversary of publishing Forum Magazine. We have appreciated provoke in a positive manner. not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, literally hundreds of articles from as many in whole or in part, without the permission of international authors from our industry on So here’s to you, our readers and supporters. the publishers. significant far-reaching topics. Some have Thank you as always for honoring us with merely informed; others have incited reaction; your interest. Liability: while every care is taken in all have enhanced the discussion within preparation of this publication, the publishers our community. Through good times and And on to next year when we can celebrate a cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of terrible times, we have attempted to keep the baker’s dozen. the information herein, or any errors which vantage clear and concise. Hopefully, we have may occur in advertising or editorial content, succeeded more times than not. or any consequence arising from any errors or omissions, and the editor reserves the right When Ted and I established our little magazine to edit any advertising or editorial material in 2001, our hope was to get enough interest to submitted for publication. keep it going for a while. With his premature departure and the eventual addition of Kevin, Contributions are welcomed. Please forward to Kristian and a boatload of others years later, the Managing Editor at [email protected]. we took the original idea and expanded it in a number of different and complimentary ways. Submarine Telecoms Forum, Inc. 21495 Ridgetop Circle, Suite 201 In this our 12th year, an average of 50K Sterling, Virginia 20166, USA unique monthly visitors have downloaded subtelforum.com the magazine more than 500K times, and 3 Copyright © 2013 Submarine Telecoms Forum, Inc. downloaded the Almanac more than 1.8M In This Issue...

Exordium 3 The Boracay and Palawan 25 Back Reflection 64 Wayne Nielsen Submarine Cable System: Stewart Ash Extending the Super Highway News Now 5 in the Philippines Conferences 77 Peter Liu (Liu Bo) & Jas Dhooper Exploring The Need For 8 Advertiser Index 78 System Upgrades Challenges & Successes 34 Stephen Nielsen Upgrading Trans-Pacific Coda 79 Cables with 100 Gb/s Kevin G. Summers The Road to Upgrades 12 Colin Anderson & Anup Olivier Courtois Changaroth

Upgrading Cables Systems: 18 PTC Submarine Cable 42 An Opportunity to turn Point- Workshop to-Point Links into More Elaine Stafford Global Networks Bertrand Clesca & Dr. Herve Next Generation in Power 56 Fevrier Feed Equipment (PFE) Paul Treglia & Clive McNamara

4 News Now  Alcatel-Lucent to Eliminate 10,000  Cyprus: The Home of British/  Internet Working Again After Cut Positions as Losses Mount American Internet Surveillance in In Suriname Submarine Cable the Middle East  Angola Cables Capitalises On  LS Cable & System To Undergo Location To Link Brazil And Asia  District Court Affirms Presidential Spin-Off Discretion In CFIUS Process  APTelecom Brings Together  MainOne Begins Work On West Engaging Content, Interactive  Endesa Says Submarine Cable Africa Manufacturing Plant Forums And Thought Leaders Solution Not On The Table For Tipped For Marsden From Subsea Industry To Kick-Off Hidroays First Cross-Strait ‘State Of Subsea’ Event Series Submarine Cable To Start  Marco Polo New World Works Commercial Operations with New Parent Perseus to  Arctic Fibre Completes Canadian Enhance Electronic Trading Licence Application  Gateway Cable Repair Could Platform Affect Internet Speed  Are The Brits Tapping Undersea  Now Available: Submarine Cable Cables Off Cyprus?  German Environment Ministers Almanac Issue 8 Visit Nkt Cables Global Submarine Optical Fiber Cables Industry  Centurylink Traces San Juan  Pacnet First to Provide 100G Wave Islands Outage To Severed Services Between Asia-Pacific and Submarine Cable  iiNet Acquires Added Hawaiki the United States Submarine Cable System Capacity News Now  PCCW Global Provides First  SubTel Forum Expands STF Today  Uninett Contracts With Global Direct Submarine Cable Access To With Live Streaming Marine Systems For Arctic Circle The Democratic Republic Of The Subsea Cable System Installation Congo Via The West Africa Cable System  Sunesys to Provide Fiber Backhaul Infrastructure to  Voyager Chooses Hawaiki For Seaborn Networks For Brazil-US Trans-Pacific Cable  Reliance Jio Gets A Telecom Submarine Cable Project Service Licence In Singapore  WIOCC & Dalkom Somalia To  Tata Communications Hits 52- Deliver First International Fibre-  Seaborn Networks Receives Week High After Turnaround Optic Connectivity Direct To Coface Guarantee For Brazil-US Results Mogadishu Cable Project  Telecom NZ Data Use Up And The  Seacom Completes African Ring Case For Trans-Tasman Cable

 SubOptic 2013 Archive Now  TIM Brasil and Xtera Deploy the Available Online! First 100G Optical Network over 2,400 km in the Amazon Region  SubPartners Tackles Indonesian Permits For APX-West Cable  Undersea `Highway’ To Speed Up Regional Links The Undersea Cable Report 2013 Intelligent intelligence - go beyond the numbers! From Terabit Consulting

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Stephen Nielsen arice ltd., a system owner based out of Iceland, recently experienced Number of Systems Upgraded Per Year a problem that is common in the F 16 submarine telecoms industry: ever increasing demand. As technology has 14 improved there has been an exponential 12 increase in demand for bandwidth. 10 For companies like Farice, this meant 8 an effort to find the best and most cost effective way to increase their systems’ 6 capacity. 4 2 “We needed to upgrade our capacity 0 because there has been quite a lot of increase lately in bandwidth demand 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 to Iceland…” explained Orn Jonsson, Chief Technology Officer of Farice. “Of course, we both looked into the original ltd. upgraded both of their systems: still be done. “It looks like we’ll be able supplier of the system, what they could FARICE and DANICE. squeeze even more into the cables than do, and at the same time we checked on originally expected.” According to Jonsson, the use of a third pricing from the other vendors... There’s party company like Ciena was a good According to Michael Guess, VP of Net- a huge difference in what the original decision. Aside from the lower cost than work Architecture for Infinera, the use suppliers are offering and what you can if they had used the original system proof third party upgrade companies like get on the, so to speak, open market.” vider, the product has been worth the Ciena or Infinera itself instead of com- For their most recent upgrade, the price money. plete system providers is the more com- difference was close to a factor of four, mon practice and for good reason. according to Jonsson. “We did not see any problems,” Jons- son said. “What Ciena did, they did “The general direction of the business “We looked quite extensively at that extensive modeling of our systems be- since 2009 has been not to go to the market, what’s available and so on,” fore they came and started installing. So incumbent turnkey provider for up- Jonsson said. “Of course there’s a big they knew what they were up against.” grades,” Guess explained. “That’s been fight in that market, price wise. Every- triggered by economics mostly, but also body claimed they had the best product, Shortly, Farice will be receiving a re- entry of new people into the business.” like always.” After comprehensive report from Ciena on the performance Prior to that time, system owners didn’t search, Farice eventually settled on Ci- of the upgrades and the possible im- have an alternative. Since then, there ena, a company that specializes in cable provements to the system that could have been a number of new compa- 9 upgrades. Using this company, Farice nies that compete specifically in the up- Along with preventing the greater ex- diagrams for the system: so fiber type, grades market, complicating business pense of replacing a cable, upgrading distances, amplifiers, amplifier noise for less specialized companies. has a fairly simple process that takes figures, amplifier spacing.” relatively little time. In the last year, there have been fifteen Using that data, the company would systems upgraded. With increasing According to Guess, from the initial or- then model the upgrade. demand, the reason for this is obvious. der for an upgrade to when it’s greenlit, “The cable owner has two choices: he the process takes as little as ten to twelve “It’s a computer model and actually can upgrade or he can build a new ca- weeks. This begins with the collection it’s very time and processor intensive.” ble,” said Guess. of data to customize the upgrade. Guess explained that this is because the model has to account for signal degra- “Upgrades are by far the most impor- “Assuming the system was new to us, dation issues. “Those accumulate over tant element of putting new capacity and since we don’t construct cable our- time and distance. When you have a on,” Guess said He explained that be- selves, we always rely on a cable owner large system with a wide amplifier band, cause of the new 100 gig technologies, to provide us technical data,” Guess modeling out how that light propagates the need for replacing cables has been said. “We would ask the owner for a down the fiber is a complex calcula- delayed for longer than could have been set of data that would help us model tion that can take hours to days to run expected. the performance of the system. In the on a high end system.” The completed ideal case we would get the straight line model would show the optimal way to upgrade the system, including the maximum capacity that can be achieved. System Upgrader Ac0vity What follows is the installation of the upgrades. Guess explained that there Alcatel-‐Lucent are many nuances of technology used to 11% model an upgrade to the system’s specific qualities, however “really, one kind Xtera of overarching technology serves all up- 30% grades.” This is in the case that the up- Ciena grades are for the same bandwidth. The 25% technology can varies more between upgrades for 10 or 100 gigs. Mitsubishi According to Jonsson, Farice’s instal- 6% Inﬁnera 26% Huawei lation was done in no time. “It (in- 2% stallation) was very simple on the DAN- ICE system as we had unlit fiber-pairs 10 regardless. “It probably varies a bit by Upgrade Technology geography,” said Guess. “There are some areas in the world that are pret- 100% ty substantially built, like the Atlantic 90% quarter. There is a massive amount of 80% untapped capacity in the already exist- 70% ing cable.” Other areas, where there’s 60% 100G less untapped capacity or older cables, 50% possibly with less extensive systems, it 40% 40G would still be more cost effective to re- 30% 10G place the cable outright. 20% 10% “I see upgrades taking 80-plus percent 0% of the market in terms of bandwidth,” 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 said Guess about the coming years of the industry. “There’s just a lot of cables out there with a lot of capacity still on there”, Jonsson said. “So you could say nal equipment at the cable stations like them and it’s always, always less capi- it was almost less than a week to build before we are now extending our net- tal-intensive and faster. up, turn everything on, and do some work to our POPs (Points of Presence) testing. For the FARICE system it was in Iceland. That means for our DANICE Stephen Nielsen is a freelance much more difficult as we had traffic systems we are extending it about 200 writer in the Washington running and we were fitting this on the kilometers along terrestrial routes and D.C. area. He has same fiber-pair.” Despite that, the pro- our Farice system around 800 kilome- published articles and done cess still only took a couple of weeks. ters along terrestrial routes. Without editorial work with several any regeneration or anything like that.” publications including Submarine Telecoms With the upgrades completed, there has Forum. Also, he has been a speaker for the been a substantial increase in the systems’ Despite these benefits, the changing Popular Culture Association / American capabilities, according to Jonsson. “The climate of the economy could mean a Culture Association National Conference. FARICE system was originally designed drop-off of buyers in the upgrades mar- as 360 gigs per fiber-pair and we can prob- ket. Companies again able to afford ably at least go ten times that now.” the cost of installing new cable with the newest technology may spell the end for The addition of the technology has also the boom in upgrades. had additional benefits. “One of the bo- nuses you could say is that instead of Guess, however, thinks that there will having our transponders and the termi- continue to be a market for upgrades 11 The Road to Upgrades

12 Olivier Courtois espite strong capacity growth adding new traffic channels to the non-disruptive and cost-effective path to over the past decade, many unused spectrum, taking advantage of expand capacity. Dexisting cable systems are still newer technologies when they become less than 20% utilized. The is due to available throughout system life. The manyfold meanings of “Upgrade” the technological jump from 10Gb/s Submarine system design evolves over and Enabling Technology to 100Gb/s dense wavelength division the years: repeater design, spacing There are different ways to perform an multiplexing (DWDM) technology and bandwidth have varied since the upgrade: delivering growth of potential capacity of introduction of long haul DWDM installed systems. While improvements systems in the late 1990s, and system • Straight addition of waves in DWDM technology can greatly design capacity has rapidly increased • Elaborate traffic operations to increase a system’s design capacity, from the initial designs supporting 8 x optimize the system capacity a limiting factor is that the fiber type 2.5Gb/s or 16 x 2.5Gb/s per fiber pair. In • Network configuration changes. and repeater bandwidth of the legacy recent years, with a reduction of channel long haul systems are not optimized spacing from 50GHz down to 30GHz or Any WDM amplified system is originally for today’s leading DWDM design 25GHz and transition to new modulation designed to be upgradable from its first capabilities. Despite this, older systems formats, the design capacity of the long installed capacity to a so-called design can still benefit greatly from the adoption haul systems increased significantly capacity, by adding channels. This design of current terminal technology, to both allowing more value to be extracted from capacity assumes the use of technology dramatically increase ultimate capacity the wet plant. which is existing or foreseeable when per fiber pair and to allow the delivery Another factor to be taken into account the system is implemented. However, of new services enabling systems to when looking at capacity upgrades is the over years, the availability of new keep pace with market demands. already installed SLTE technology. The technologies has allowed the possible Optimization of dry plant is thus a cost- marginal cost of adding capacity may maximum capacity on the installed effective way to extract maximum value well be affected by the need to replace cable to be progressively increased, from the wet plant assets. existing SLTE technology in addition made possible by using higher bit rates to the cost of adding new transmission and closer spacing between waves. In The Drivers capacity for additional sales. Therefore short, better spectral efficiency, which A submarine system consists of fiber pairs the ability to have the next generation corresponds to the capacity transported which are typically not fully loaded with of DWDM technology operate alongside in a given spectral slot. traffic on day one. The unused spectrum the older versions of transmission on each fiber pair enables capacity to equipment is an important factor in Since the system bandwidth is fixed by be added as and when needed until upgrade planning. For example, it is the repeater amplifiers, the improvement the available spectrum is filled. In fact, often important to be able to deploy of the achievable capacity is obtained the submarine line terminal equipment new 40Gb/s and 100Gb/s technology by the combination of the bit rate (SLTE) in the landing stations provides alongside the existing 10Gb/s channels. transported by each carrier and by the easy accessibility for progressively This leads to a strong requirement for a spectral spacing between these carriers. 13 The spectral efficiency has increased The main enablers for increasing the bit With a constant technology, the cable over time as shown in Table 1 with some rate per channel and packing them closer system margin which would be necessary combinations of bit rate and channel are listed below: to upgrade to a larger bit rate would spacing. linearly grow vs. the targeted bit rate. • New modulation formats have evolved However, due to numerous technology Carrier bit rate Carrier spacing Spectral Efficiency over time to be able to mitigate the improvements, the actual requested (Gbit/s) (GHz) (bit/s/Hz) impairments. Phase modulation margin is actually lower and, therefore, 10 50 0,2 formats (with constant amplitude) the extra margin observed after the 10 33.33 0.3 40 50 0,8 and smart polarization multiplexing original implementation can translate 40 33.33 1.2 are now commonly used to minimize into a significant increase of the design 100 100 1 100 80 1.25 the non-linearity occurring within the capacity. This is illustrated below. 100 50 2 optical fiber. 100 40 2.5 • The advent of coherent detection, combined with advanced digital processing, Table 1: Spectral Efficiency of several • Benefits of introduced with 40Gbit/s channels, Requirement without • Technology • • Improvement transmission solutions Technology Improvement has been a tremendous revolution •

in the recent years. This technology Soft Decision FEC However, the quest for better spectral provides high performance and high Coherent transmission efficiency has been quite greedy in robustness against transmission Super FEC Line Performance Requirement Performance Line

terms of optical performance margin. to be compatible with a Bit Rate

impairments. In particular, the • • Indeed, increasing the bit rate increases tolerance to Polarization Mode

the Optical Signal to Noise Ratio Dispersion is quite beneficial for an 2.5 10 40 100 Gbit/s (OSNR) requirement in a linear way. installed system to be used for very Bit Rate per Carrier Similarly, packing the channels closer high bit rate. Figure 1: Upgradability of installed means larger non-linearity which has • New generation of Forward Error systems thanks to technology to be compensated by some margin. Correction (FEC), beyond the improvement Closer spacing may also mean the use turbo-code which brought large of modulation formats with closer improvements in the last decade Topology Upgrade towards PoP to PoP modulation states (Quadrature Phase for 10Gb/s systems. The electronics Another way to implement additional Shift Keying (PSK) vs Binary PSK for is now able to feed FEC with optical pass-through is to remove the example), which also has a performance digitally sampled detection, which electrical regeneration in the cable cost. Let us briefly review the drivers to allows for a soft decision involving landing stations so that a PoP (Point obtain these better performances out of probabilistic algorithms for high bit of Presence) to PoP transmission is an existing cable. rate transmission. achieved, as shown in Figure 2. Again, that requires optical margin to allow for the additional terrestrial transmission. 14 PoP Cable Landing Station 6600km – a capacity exceeding that of configuration or traffic loading. Since the most advanced commercial undersea these systems may be heavily loaded Fiber Pair 1 Terminal Terminal

Terminal cables today by a factor close to four. This with traffic, this again underlines the Terrestrial Terrestrial Submarine B&W was achieved with a span - the distance importance of a tight collaboration Fiber Pair 2 Terminal Terminal Terminal between amplifiers over the entire length between the upgrade vendor and the Terrestrial Terrestrial Submarine - of 100km. The researchers were able system owner to prepare smooth and

Fiber Pair 1 to achieve the highest-ever capacity for efficient operational procedures. Amplification Terminal

Submarine undersea data transmission on a single

Fiber Pair 2 fiber. The experiment leveraged Bell The Atlantic Route Amplification Terminal Submarine Submarine Labs’ pioneering work in 400Gb/s data If we consider the Atlantic route, only channels. At such speeds and distances 15% of capacity in the Atlantic is lit and Figure 2: Moving to a PoP to PoP signal distortions and noise make data there is plenty of bandwidth remaining, configuration recovery very challenging. To counter it is not surprising that the cost per This modification of topology would this problem, in this new test Bell Labs “10Gb/s equivalent” remains the main require opening the whole WDM line researchers made use of innovative driver. In an environment such as the when the terminal of the cable station detection techniques and harnessed an Atlantic, where capacity has for some is replaced by an optically transparent array of technologies in modulation, time been priced based upon terminal scheme. To make it practically acceptable transmission, and signal processing equipment costs only, upgrades have the for the traffic availability, this is usually twinned with advanced error correcting ability to increase the capacity available performed on one fiber pair at a time coding. The experiment used 155 purely through addition of terminal and protection mechanisms between lasers over a 50GHz frequency grid to equipment. Offering the potential of the fiber pairs are used to restore traffic dramatically enhance the performance further increasing the design capacity during the operation. In short, elaborate of current DWDM systems, which are through higher channel rate technology planning is required. today being deployed with channel is important. This was one of the factors capacities up to 100Gb/s. evaluated by Apollo in their upgrade What’s next? strategy that is leveraging Alcatel- As operators cope with increasing demand Looking at the “upgrade” of the Lucent’s technology to scale to 100Gb/s. on their networks for data capacity network in a broad manner, this should The system consists of two highly and higher-speeds of transmission, also encompass the evolution of the advanced transatlantic fiber optic cables researchers are intensifying their efforts services. The asset of installed cables is - Apollo North connecting the United to develop new technology to transform quite valuable and the advent of new Kingdom to the US and Apollo South global data networks. An example is a technologies often allows them to be directly connecting France to the US. recent test carried out at Alcatel-Lucent’s used far beyond their original design, Innovation City campus in Villarceaux both in terms of capacity and in terms The Transpacific Route near Paris: researchers from Bell Labs of topology. That may however require Regional and international operators successfully sent data at 38Tb/s over stringent modification of their existing are moving to the most advanced ultra- 15 long reach technology with the highest ownership of smartphones and tablets, as Sources: SubOptic 2013 papers - “The spectral efficiency ever offered over a well as the increase in video applications Evolution of a Long Haul Submarine trans-Pacific distance. and the shift of enterprise activities to the System”, M. Summers (Apollo SCS), cloud. The first phase of the upgrade will P. Crochet (Alcatel-Lucent Submarine Increasing demand for access to ultra- increase the system capacity by 1Tb/s. Networks), G. Charlet (Alcatel-Lucent, Bell broadband services and technology This upgrade, using state-of-the-art and Labs); “Upgrade of submarine systems: new enhancements are leading the operators field proven submarine technology from operational aspects and opportunities of who are part of the Asia America Alcatel-Lucent, is a strategic move to network evolutions” – JP. Blondel, Alcatel- Gateway (AAG) consortium to increase expand the overall capabilities of trans- Lucent Submarine Networks. the capacity of their system to multi- Pacific communication infrastructures to terabit capacity. When it was launched benefit from a time-to-market advantage, in 2009, the Asia-America Gateway improved performance and better represented a breakthrough in delivering scalability. the first terabit submarine cable network between south-east Asia and the US, Olivier Courtois is the being designed for an ultimate capacity Director - Product strategy of 1.92Tb/s. The Alcatel-Lucent 1620 and management, Alcatel- Light Manager SLTE currently installed Lucent Submarine Networks in the AAG system will be upgraded He has been in charge of by adding new channels on some of product strategy for submarine networks for the fiber pairs. When fully equipped, 5 years now with the introduction of coherent the achievable system capacity with the technologies and R-OADM branching unit. new advanced coherent technology will be over 8Tb/s, more than 4 times the Previously, he has covered several roles in original design capacity. system design activities for WDM product development on 10/40/100Gb/s & repeater/ Over the trans-Pacific route, Alcatel- ROADM technologies during almost 10 Lucent is also carrying out a major years. He has published ~10 patents in upgrade of a 9,600km trans-Pacific digital Europe and US on WDM system and submarine cable system using advanced authored different papers for international coherent technology. The cable, owned conferences. He is Distinguished Member of by 5 major carriers, provides direct Alcatel-Lucent Technical Academy. connectivity from the Japanese east coast to California. The upgrade will deliver multi-terabit capability to cope with the explosion of data traffic driven by 16 Call for Papers

ICPC Plenary Meeting: • Choke points, route diversity and Prospective presenters are respectfully network resilience advised that papers that are overtly marketing 18-20 March 2014 inclusive a product or service will not be accepted, • Legal & regulatory challenges & however two marketing slides can be included The next Plenary of the International Cable solutions at the beginning or end of the presentation. Protection Committee (ICPC) will be held in Social, strategic and economic reliance Dubai and its theme will be: • NB: Commercial exhibits may be displayed on submarine cables adjacent to the ICPC meeting room by special Managing Critical Infrastructure in a Changing • New technologies and best practices arrangement. Please contact the Secretary for Natural and Socio-Economic Environment for cable protection and maintenance further details.

The ICPC therefore seeks presentations from • Helping new players to understand the Abstracts must be submitted via email to interested parties that help address the basics of cable protection [email protected] no later than 31 January commercial, legal, technical and operational 2014. challenges of protecting submarine cables. • Cables in new and extreme environments, e.g. Arctic, Rivers The ICPC will evaluate all submissions based on Topics could include, but are not limited to: content and quality. • Avoiding intentional damage, e.g. • Government & Industry working Terrorism, Vandalism, Theft, Piracy together Presentations should be 25 minutes long • Power cables: overcoming the including time for questions and, to ensure challenges of depth and distance clarity when presented, should be formatted in accordance with the guidance that will be • Science and Submarine Cables provided. Upgrading Cables Systems: An Opportunity to turn Point-to-Point Links into More Global Networks

18 Bertrand Clesca & Dr. Herve Fevrier ith CapEx constraints being in the field and can be considered in the assessing upgrade possibilities not only experienced in most parts of future. before the end of the warranty period the world and the continuous but sometimes even before the RFS date W Different Upgrade Approaches Inside decline in capacity pricing, upgrading of the system! In fact, it seems like the existing submarine optical assets to the Cable Landing Stations only existing reason why customers do maximize their capacity and extend Dry upgrades consist of replacing the not purchase the wet plant completely their lifetime has been more crucial than old Submarine Line Terminal Equipment separate from the dry equipment is that ever to cable operators. Because of the (SLTE) inside the cable landing station they have not found a way (yet) for the wet predominance of subsea cable systems with a new one. The Power Feeding plant supplier to guarantee performance for international connectivity, there is an Equipment (PFE) can also be upgraded and system capacity. persistent need to increase the transport in order to benefit from more reliable and Xtera has been working on the upgrade of capacity of the submarine backbone more compact equipment. networks so that cable system operators submarine cable systems since 2001 and can effectively address the skyrocketing Where only the SLTE and the PFE are carried out its first commercial upgrade need for bandwidth. In parallel to this involved, the benefits of upgrading project in Q1 2006. The major benefits need for increased capacity, there is also existing subsea cable infrastructures for cable operators from this relatively a need to increase the availability and are presently well known and accepted recently created upgrade market are more resiliency of subsea cable networks. by the community. When compared to competition, more advanced technology at new builds, upgrades offer a lower cost the terminal level and lower incremental In 2001, Xtera introduced the concept of because no CapEx is required for laying price for new capacity. Upgrading SLTE upgrading an existing system and went new subsea cables, a shorter lead time in the cable landing stations typically on to pioneer the upgrade market, later that is mostly driven by the supply of the requires a procurement and installation followed by other equipment vendors. new Submarine Line Terminal Equipment cycle of less than 8 months, compared with In the past decade, upgrading a subsea (SLTE) to be connected to the cable, and no an average of 3 years for building a brand cable system corresponded to upgrading permitting issues making the availability new long-haul cable system (depending the transmission equipment in the Cable date for the new capacity more predictable. on the size). Landing Stations (CLS) to enable higher capacity inside the cable at a lower unitary Historically, this has not always been the When the equipment in the cable landing cost. In the last few years, subsea cable case. Initially, the original suppliers of station is upgraded, there is the possibility system upgrades have introduced more the existing systems happily supported to either keep the original Line Monitoring variety, including the opportunity to the notion that connecting an SLTE from Equipment (LME) or to switch to the LME change the architecture of the submarine another vendor would not work – or at equipment from the vendor supplying the network itself. This allows the evolution least was not a good idea technically, new SLTE (provided of course that this of a system from a simple point-to-point or it could impact the system warranty, vendor has the capabilities to monitor the configuration to a more complex one. or it could even cause some intellectual submerged equipment from the original property concerns for the cable operator. cable system supplier). This article explores the different upgrade Currently, the situation is quite different approaches that have already been applied The older the cable system is, the more 19 – with subsea cable system operators impressive the capacity increase enabled but also the increase due to multiple cable cable landing station, and the subsea cable by upgrade is. For subsea cable systems cuts/repairs if any) for unrepeatered is electrically terminated at the PFE level. that were originally designed in the 90s systems, and the noise generated along with a single 2.5 or 5G channel, the capacity the system as well as the fiber’s chromatic When the line capacity that can be increase can reach, in some cases a factor, dispersion map and reaction to increased supported by the subsea cable is increased, of 100! The new system design capacity optical powers (nonlinear performance) higher capacity needs to be offered on the is typically governed by the characteristics for repeatered systems. terrestrial backhaul network that connects of the line which largely consists of the the cable landing station to the PoP. This optical fiber cable and repeaters. The Moving to the Point of Presence can be achieved in different ways: key characteristics that may limit the Very often, the Point of Presence (PoP), • The traditional approach is to upgrade maximal system capacity include: optical which is the access point of capacity for separately the terrestrial backhaul with attenuation (not only the original figure customers such as data the deployment of higher-capacity centers, is not located TLTE; this approach keeps the back- Figure 1: to-back connection inside the cable inside the cable landing Evolution to landing station and requires a total station but further inland. PoP-to-PoP of 6 line card interfaces for each new SLTE in the cable landing connectivity. wavelength to be added to the subsea station therefore imposes a cable system (assuming one terrestrial physical demarcation with backhaul at each end of the system); back-to-back connection to Terrestrial Line Terminal • A more disruptive approach has been Equipment (TLTE) without attempted on some occasions with such a demarcation need the subsea cable (and its associated repeaters) traveling on land directly existing from connectivity or to the PoP; this tactic raises several the end user’s perspective. technical challenges (like the The installation of SLTE temperature control of the repeaters in the cable landing that are designed to operate at the station leads to optical, sea bottom with a narrow and low mechanical and electrical temperature range) and operational discontinuities in the PoP- issues (the subsea cable supports high to-PoP connectivity: optical voltage for remotely power feeding signals are terminated before the repeaters all along the path and is being fed to the terrestrial therefore very sensitive to any physical network, the subsea cable aggressions); is mechanically terminated • A third approach has become more at the beach manhole level popular in recent years: it consists of before joints to a land cable terminating the electrical system with going from the beach to the PFE still in the cable landing station 20 Figure 2: Terrestrial backhaul networks with protection routes.

and bypassing the wavelengths in built with the addition of short subsea legs Compared to 2.5, 5 or 10G technologies, the optical domain to reach the PoP connecting a pair of cable landing stations 100G channel rate with PM-QPSK with no more optical-electrical-optical on each side of the ocean. In the example modulation format (PM: Polarization conversion inside the cable landing depicted below, ROADMs route the optical Multiplexing; QPSK: Quadrature Phase station; the optical bypass is enabled wavelengths onto the subsea or terrestrial Shift Keying) with digital coherent by simple Optical Distribution Frames links depending on their availability to detection offers the transmission (ODFs), or Fixed or Reconfigurable reach the nearest PoP. Access to the traffic Optical Add Drop Multiplexers performance boost that can enable new (FOADMs or ROADMs). is offered typically only in the inland PoPs. PoP-to-PoP configurations on existing If access to part of the traffic is also required cable systems. Because optical transport These three approaches are depicted in in the cable landing stations, ROADMs along an optical fiber is essentially a Figure 1. can locally drop the needed wavelengths highly analog process with much potential that will be terminated and connected to degradation that can impair the optical Moving to Interconnected Cable Systems terminal equipment. Figure 3 illustrates a signals, thorough simulations and tests ROADMs obviously bring flexibility in simple example where physically-diverse are required on a case-by-case basis to the optical connectivity between the cable routes are available on both subsea and land check the actual feasibility of PoP-to-PoP landing stations and the PoP or other parts of the PoP-to-PoP network, enabling configurations. With further incremental Network Elements (NEs). multiple protection and restoration improvements to come on today’s 100G scenarios for higher global resiliency with technology, it is expected that more One example of flexible connectivity respect to multiple faults in the network. and more existing cable systems will be enabled by ROADMs in the cable landing candidates for PoP-to-PoP configuration stations is the switching in the optical Of course, to be in a position to move the during their upgrade. domain from working to protect route terminal equipment inland and optically Moving from SIE in Cable Landing when two physically-diverted routes bypass the wavelengths through the cable Stations to OTN Switch in PoPs are available in the backhaul network as landing stations during the upgrade of illustrated in Figure 2. existing cable systems, high-performance transmission technologies must be used Traditionally, SONET/SDH Interconnection Equipment (SIE) was When two long subsea legs are available, in order to extend the reach from the connected to SLTE inside the cable landing i.e. two transoceanic cables, more robust original CLS-to-CLS distance to PoP-to- stations. SIE is based on standard SONET/ 21 and fault-tolerant configurations can be PoP distance. Figure 3: ROADMs in cable landing stations, OTN Terrestrial switches in PoPs and 100G interface cards backhaul for the optical wavelengths supporting and subsea OTN frames and traveling throughout the networks network. Whatever the complexity of the multiple network configuration and the diversity protection of physical routes, both terrestrial and routes for more submarine, the objective is the same: restoration ensure end-to-end connectivity within a possibilities. SDH transmission protocol and allows OTN switching equipment is the preferred unified network with the smallest number interconnection to terrestrial networks, way to deliver and manage new services of demarcation points or at least with no system protection and grooming of and enable more meshed network impact on the transmission distance. The capacity to optimize system usage. With architectures with enhanced protection/ higher the number of routes available in the terminal equipment moving inland restoration functionalities. the network, the higher the resiliency with to PoP, the natural location of SIE is now respect to multiple cable cuts or equipment inside of the PoP. Bringing together ROADMs, 100G failures. In order to enable fast and reliable and OTN switching technologies leads protection/restoration, different options In parallel to this “geographical” evolution, to the following implementation that for the control plane are proposed by the there are also evolutions of standards and enables an efficient and resilient PoP-to- equipment vendor. Meshing multiple products with the advent of the Optical PoP connectivity. This implementation terrestrial and subsea routes to offer Transport Network (OTN) concept. minimizes the number of interface cards to resilient unified PoP-to-PoP connectivity OTN is designed and standardized be added to the network for new PoP-to- is key for capacity consumers, especially to provide support for high-capacity PoP capacity, allows protection/switching in areas that are sensitive to earthquakes optical networking using Wavelength routing at the optical wavelength (like south east Asia) or that forms some Division Multiplexing (WDM) unlike levels in the cable landing stations and kind of geographical bottlenecks (like its predecessor SONET/SDH that was offers capacity efficiency, resiliency and Egypt). standardized to support lower-capacity, flexibility to handle any type of service single-channel signals (practically up to inside the PoPs. Figure 4 symbolizes Wet upgrades 10 Gbit/s, corresponding to OC-192/STM- the implementations of these recent Only dry upgrades, leaving untouched 64 standards) and lower granularity (e.g. technologies in the case of a simple PoP- the wet plant, have been considered so far OC-3/STM-1 at 155 Mbit/s). Electrical to-PoP connectivity. in this article. Upgrading the wet plant, switch handling OTN signals presently however, and not just the equipment in the offer more efficient and resilient utilization For configurations based on different cable landing stations or PoPs, can be very of the capacity resources throughout the subsea routes, like the one depicted in effective in improving cable systems from optical network and the possibility to Figure 3, or more complex configurations capacity and connectivity perspectives. handle any type of service at any rate. involving multiple cable landing stations and multiple subsea routes, the same basic 22 equipment will be used: multi-degree The simplest wet plant reconfiguration Conclusion Bertrand Clesca is Head of is the insertion of a Remote Optically Global Marketing for Xtera Pumped Amplifier (ROPA) into an existing In conclusion, upgrading existing subsea and is based in Paris, France. unrepeatered cable system. While carefully cable systems can be achieved at different Bertrand has over twenty assessing the commercial and operational levels and applied to virtually all the cable years’ experience in the optical types and generations. The advent of high- telecommunications industry, consequences, more complex wet plant having held a number of research, engineering, reconfigurations including: replacement performance transmission technologies, like coherent 100G, enables relocation of marketing and Sales positions in both small of faulty/underspecified units, insertion and large organizations. Bertrand joined Xtera of branching units, addition of spurs, or the optical wavelength termination point in 2004 where his responsibilities included redeployment of decommissioned cable from the cable landing stations to further marketing, customer interactions, and business systems, can be carried out. Some of inland PoPs. This offers the possibility development for both submarine and terrestrial these wet upgrades will increase the cable to unify terrestrial and submarine links high-capacity networks in EMEA area before capacity while the insertion of branching in order to build end-to-end, PoP-to- moving to his current Global Marketing units and addition of spurs will impact PoP connectivity. ROADMs and OTN position. Bertrand Clesca holds an MSC in Physics and Optical Engineering from Ecole the network configuration and enhance switches, implemented inside cable Superieure d’Optique, Orsay (France), an MSC its connectivity. Wet upgrades require landing stations and PoPs respectively, in addition to the associated control plane, in Telecommunications from Ecole Nationale not only a strong experience in building Superieure des Telecommunications, Paris become the crucial equipment to build and managing projects that can be more (France), and an MBA from Sciences Politiques, complex than the deployment of a new a global network with high resiliency Paris (France). cable system, but also the capabilities of a against multiple faults. full supplier for offering all the products Dr Herve Fevrier joined Xtera in 2000 and serves as the and services that are necessary. With its Executive Vice President and innovative repeater that successfully Chief Strategy Officer. He completed two sea trials (in deep and provides the strategic leadership shallow waters), Xtera can offer multiple that leads to the acquisition of wet upgrade options new customers, development of new products, Figure 4: partnerships with vendors, and developers of Combining complementary technologies. Prior to Xtera, Dr ROADMs, Fevrier spent more than 17 years with Alcatel 100G and OTN in a wide variety of responsibilities including switching Director of the Photonic Networks research unit, technologies to Sr Director for DWDM Product Development build efficient Worldwide, VP & GM Optical Networks Alcatel and resilient USA and VP Network and Product Strategy PoP-to-PoP Alcatel Optics. Dr Fevrier received his doctoral degree in Physics from the University of Paris connectivity. and he holds a Physics engineering degree from the Ecole Centrale de Paris. 23 The Power of Submarine Information Transmission

There’s a new power under ocean uniting the world in a whole new way. With unparalleled development expertise and outstanding technology, Huawei Marine is revolutionizing trans-ocean communications with a new generation of repeaters and highly reliable submarine cable systems that offer greater 24 transmission capacity, longer transmission distances and faster response to customer needs. Huawei Marine: connecting the world one ocean at a time. The Boracay and Palawan Submarine Cable System: Extending the Super Highway in the Philippines

25 Peter Liu (Liu Bo) & Jas Dhooper he Boracay and Palawan Submarine Cable System T(BPSCS) connects the islands of Mindoro and Palawan, Boracay and Panay was deployed for Globe Telecom. The total length of the submarine cable spans 322 kilometers, connecting some of the most beautiful islands in the Philippines.

The successful completion of the system represents a critical milestone for the Philippines’ National Broadband Network construction and IT development. It provides outlying districts with multi- gigabit communication capacity, as well BPSCS project connects Mindoro and Palawan, Boracay and Panay as national and international broadband PROJECT SETTING 800,000 visitors and will exceed the one access. Palawan (Taytay and Coron): An idyllic million mark in 2014. This will increase tropical paradise, Palawan’s glorious demand for communication services and The project aimed to positively impact scenery provides endless fun-filled in turn drive network construction and the growth and development of the outdoor opportunities for residents expansion in the region. islands, and consequently support and visitors. Previously undiscovered economic expansion and social by tourists, the islands are now gaining wellbeing within the region. worldwide recognition for their beauty.

In a recent “World’s Best Islands” The BPSCS turn-key project survey, Palawan and Boracay were was deployed for Globe nominated as the top two best island destinations to visit in 2013. (www. Telecom (Globe) by Huawei travelandleisure.com/articles/worlds- Marine Networks (HMN) best-islands-2013/1) connecting Mindoro and Palawan, Boracay and Panay The tourist industry in Palawan is expected to grow by 25% in 2013 to around 26 Palawan Island Philippines, located off the coast of remain important given the regional Luzon. The southern coast of Mindoro demand for mobile services including forms the northeastern extremum of demand from tourism. The real the Sulu Sea. The economy of Mindoro value for Globe Telecom (Globe) is in is largely reliant on fishing, agriculture creating more advanced services such and tourism. as the activation of LTE, internet based services and servicing the demand for Like other regions in the Philippines, bandwidth in an expanding region. The the economic development in Mindoro demand for small networks together is expected to expand quickly in the with the wider rollout in this region, years ahead and drive government makes clear how critical this submarine A great place for diving in this region investments. network platform becomes, particularly Boracay: The island of Boracay is located when integrated with Globe’s wider Coron Island, Palawan, is a popular off the northwest corner of Panay Island, strategic programs. diving destination and well known for and belongs to the western Visayas its clear lakes, numerous coral reefs, island-group of the Philippines. The dog- The BPSCS project is an extension of the and underwater shipwrecks. These bone shaped island is approximately existing superhighway built by Globe natural resources attract tourists from seven kilometers long with the narrowest that will further enhance connectivity all over the world, boosting the local spot less than one kilometer wide, and in the region. The cable system will also economy year by year. covers a total land area of approximately ensure that the platform in this region 10 square kilometers. is future-proofed and able to serve Mindoro(San Jose): Mindoro is the heavy demand of mobile traffic, the seventh largest island in the PROJECT BACKGROUND internet services and bandwidth- Network demand hungry applications. It is well documented within various studies that telecommunication infrastructure plays a critical part in Submarine cable systems are often a country’s gross domestic product at risk from potential threats such as or GDP. The rollout of network anchor damage, fishing and seismic infrastructure coupled with local activities. For the customer, utilizing national connectivity, provides a the latest marine technology and platform for telecom revenue growth. expertise to minimize such risks This offers inhabitants a great deal played a key part in the success of more than simple internet and basic the project. 27 The stunning white beach in Boracay telephony services. However, these piping together with driver support, to make good use of the challenging conditions and protect the picturesque coral reefs.

PROJECT INSTALLATION The DTS and Survey Operation In an area renowned for its beaches, selecting the landing sites for BPSCS was challenging. With the exception of an existing cable landing at Mindoro, most of the vessels had to meander between rock outcrops and tourist dive sites in order to minimize environmental and social damage on approach.

CS Retriever en route to Coron Island’s landing site Due to prevailing conditions, it was The BPSCS system consists of three • Installation (including CLS necessary to augment the standard high-quality marine geophysical and segments, five shore ends and installation) geotechnical survey with a special one branching unit to utilize 10G • NMS integration • System testing Doppler sonar current survey, between technology with 40G capability. • PAC Panay and Boracay. • Hand over THE BPSCS DESIGN PROJECT CHALLENGES With the support of Globe Telecom, One of the biggest challenges of the and under turnkey supply, the project project was the cable route design and objective was to provide a total solution installation. Characterized by coral that included: outcrops, especially at the inshore sites, cable burial installation required • System design careful consideration. The team used • Full permits their expertise to provide a solution • Survey which included the use of articulated 28 • System cable Cable protected at Boracay shore end Cable Manufacturing and Loading Cable manufacturing started in May 2012, and following factory acceptance testing, the completed cable was transported to Batangas by freighter. As part of this operation, many quality assurance checks were implemented. Each stage of the cable transfer process was accompanied by technical cable measurements. The final process involved loading the cable onto the CS Retriever, shown above.

This took place under the watchful eyes of the skilled team responsible for this critical operation. A key consideration throughout the delivery was migrating risks, so continuous cable testing took Cable loading onto the CS Retriever place to ensure the established transfer process met strict requirements as and route clearance (RC) operations. posed a potential threat to the cable. defined within the technical delivery The aim of this was to clear the route With careful design, the application procedures. ahead for cable installation. With of cable armoring helped reduce such minimal problems observed during external threats. System Installation this activity, the seabed appeared to be The Huawei Marine installation was free from surface debris. Clearing the In this region, 20% of cable faults are implemented in four phases: route enabled a smoother operation due to fishing, compared with 7% and avoided placing expensive marine caused by anchorage faults. Education • Boracay to Panay assets at risk. One regional-specific thus formed an important part of • Taytay pre-lay shore end aspect consideration found during the engagement process in order to • Taytay to San Jose (with branching installation relates to fishing, which communicate with local communities unit streamed end to Coron) remains an important source of income and fishery agents to help protect the • Branching unit to Coron in the region and a major source of system. food and employment. While this is of A key part of the program was associated great importance, the fishing vessels 29 with pre-lay grapnel runs (PLGR) System Shore Ends With adverse environmental conditions in this region and the need to protect the cable system, particularly those near the shoreline, advanced installation methods were used to run the cable under the beach to a beach manhole. Horizontal directional drilling (HDD) was the preferred installation method and a leading organization was employed to carry out the operation as shown below. As the survey advised, drilling began from the shore end.

The pre-lay shore end (PLSE) at the Taytay site was implemented using a barge in November 2012. In Cable landing at Coron, Palawan order to reach the beach manhole, a environmental protection as required protection. An iron two-piece pipe was HDD solution was used to cross an by the local government. The main assembled around the shore end existing seawall thus maximizing cable installation from Taytay to San cable, creating an outer iron jacket and Jose took place in January 2013 and provided additional cable protection. was completed one month later. As shown above, this method was extended from the beach out into the Operations began with the PLSE pick sea water, providing near shore cable up, and cable testing. A heavier protection against external threats. cable was often used within the shore end and near the shore regions with articulated piping to add further 30 HDD operation at Taytay Below is a photo of the installation, showing the application of the beach articulated pipe and the depth of the burial.

Cable protected by articulated pipe in Boracay

Once the pipe was applied to the cable, further cable testing was carried out to ensure all quality aspects were maintained The landing celebration required team work ahead of the sand back fill. The technical including the current sea conditions. It is meeting to ensure nothing was left to chance. cable performance testing required quite common for the vessel captain to assistance from multiple parties including stop operations if the weather deteriorates. In this deployment, a passive branching the vessel and beach teams. The shore end works also took place under unit was deployed to a water depth of the supervision of a skilled team who were around 345 meters. As the teams progressed with the main responsible for maintaining the vessel lay a plough was used to bury the system position after the shore end cable was laid cable. While such a process is normally and cable testing was conducted. considered routine, many factors were considered when deployment took place BU Installation including the current sea conditions. It is As the team progressed towards San Jose quite common for the vessel captain to island and into the region of Coron, it was stop operations if the weather deteriorates, time for the branching unit to be deployed. as to ensure the safety of the system and crew. While such a process is normally Such operations, along with detailed considered routine, many factors were handling and deployment instructions, considered when deployment took place formed part of the pre-operations review 31 Branching unit deployment manage all aspects for maintenance and For Globe, the completion of future growth. the Submarine Cable System With today’s combination of wet enabled HMN to support and terrestrial networks, there are the Nemesis roll out for the clear advantages of an integrated management system to simplify the Boracay and Palawan areas. process of provisioning services and reduce operational overheads. Having a single platform solution can make a Equipment Installation real difference in the cost of ownership With the marine segments complete, associated with running state-of-the- the team ran parallel operations to art networks, like this one for Globe. install and commission the Submarine Line Terminall Equipments. Limited Closing Remark space and the need to reduce operating The BPSCS project was successfully expenses, were some of the challenges completed in Q2 2013. It brought together related to such landing stations. The a great team, who demonstrated the industry has witnessed a reduction ability to manage and deliver turnkey of capacity or footprint so once again submarine cable systems, despite the the 1,600 Submarine Line Terminall challenges of the project. Equipments was ideal to service this requirement and provide a system that This significant project marks another could be upgraded from a 10G to a 40G successful delivery for Huawei Marine capacity. From a service delivery view Networks and Globe Telecom in point, employing local staff to work the region, and we look forward to as customer touch points during such strengthening the partnership in the installation, was essential to help role- future. play and provide explanations when the system was handed over.

Once installed, the whole network was integrated to the U2000 NMS, a single platform that enabled the Globe NOC to not only provision end-to-end but 32 Compact SLTE Jas Dhooper has over 20 Peter Liu (Liu Bo) has five years experiences in the years of experience within Submarine and Submarine the Submarine Cable & Telecom Sectors and Installation and Service currently serves as Vice Provider sectors, currently President of the Service Delivery Office for serving as Project Manager of Huawei Huawei Marine Networks in China. Marine’s Service Delivery Office in China. During this time, he has gained significant He has gained significant management experience in submarine cable installation experience in setting up global capabilities and project service delivery of optical to deliver large-scale multi-million dollar submarine systems. telecommunications projects and building multi-cultural teams within Asia, the Mr. Liu joined HMN in 2011 and was Middle East and European regions. involved in several submarine projects such as Batam-Dumai-Melaka Cable System, He gained early expertise whilst employed across the Melaka strait connecting the by STC Submarine systems in the late countries of Indonesia and Malaysia, and 1980s (consolidated into Alcatel Submarine the TSE-1 project across the Taiwan strait Systems in the 1990s) and delivered connecting Taiwan to China. many projects, including transatlantic cable systems. Mr Dhooper has also held Mr. Liu served as Project Manager for the a number of senior management and BPSCS project. technical positions in operations, working for Cable & Wireless (now Vodafone), Global Marine Systems and Interoute Communications since the mid-1990s.

Mr. Dhooper holds a Masters of Business Administration (MBA), an Engineering Honour’s degree from London University and has published several papers in the field of telecommunications. Mr Dhooper is a Chartered Engineer, fellow of the IET and member of the Institute of Directors in 33 the UK. Challenges & Successes Upgrading Trans-Pacific Cables with 100 Gb/s

34 Colin Anderson & Anup Changaroth What’s the Big Deal ?

What is the difference between upgrading a trans-Pacific submarine cable with 100 Gb/s technology, and upgrading any other submarine cable in the world? It’s not a trick question - after all, most submarine cables utilise much the same technology - don’t they?

It’s a bit like the difference between a gentle sail around San Francisco harbour on a sunny day, and what Norwegian ethnographer and adventurer Thor Heyerdahl and a crew of 5 others did in 1947. They sailed for 101 days in their balsa-wood raft “Kon-Tiki” (named after the Inca sun god) to travel 8,000 km across the Pacific from Peru to the Raroia reef in Polynesia. And that was only half-way across the Pacific.

100 Gb/s coherent transmission is a demand across the Pacific. Even as 205,000 km, which is about 20% of the total leading-edge technology, and transmission additional local content has softened the length of all in-service submarine cables across trans-Pacific distances of 10,000 km demand for Internet connectivity between worldwide, were deployed at an initial or more, on submerged plant deployed Asia and USA the growth rate in the cost of approximately US$ 8.7 billion, more than 10 years ago is challenging. Just region 40%, according to recent data from which represents about 23% of the total a few years ago few in the industry would TeleGeography. invested in submarine cables worldwide have considered it possible. in that period. Two Categories of Existing Trans-Pacific For years the Atlantic Ocean was the focus Submarine Cable The cables were deployed between 1996 of submarine cable activity, but in recent and 2010, so their ages range from 3 to 17 years the emerging Asian economies with Based on publicly available data and years. However, because of the hiatus in their tremendous growth in both fixed estimates, there are around 10 active cable production after the dot-com bubble and mobile Internet access and the need submarine cables in the Pacific Ocean, burst they can be categorised into two for high-speed Internet connectivity to with a total of 15 cable segments crossing main age groups: the USA has driven strong bandwidth the Pacific. They have a total length of 35 • 5 cable systems with average age of per fp, and some used “+D/-D” the economics of these routes particularly 12 years - so about halfway through (dispersion slope managed fibre) complex. their original design lifetime. The for dispersion compensation. technology used in these systems Those built in the 2000-2001 period are was initially 8 or 16 x 2.5 Gb/s or 16 Why Upgrade? only halfway through the design lifetime x 10 Gb/s per fp, and the cable used of their wet plant, but using the SLTE conventional “NZ-DSF” (non-zero Capacity growth worldwide has slowed (submarine line terminal equipment) dispersion shifted fibre) dispersion in recent years, but a compound growth technology of their original design these compensation techniques. rate of around 40% still means a doubling cables would have been upgraded to their every two years. Carriers need more full capacity long ago. • 4 cable systems with average age capacity on their cables - while at the same of 4 years - so about 15% through time international bandwidth prices are It is the ‘connected everywhere’ society their design lifetime. They were declining. Of course, this trend is affecting that we live in, with smartphones, typically designed for an ultimate other geographical areas as well, but the tablets, smart TV’s and social media, capacity of around 96 x 10 Gb/s length and cost of Pacific cables makes driving bandwidth demand. Many of the hardware devices used for these services are only possible due to advances in semiconductor technology over the past decade - Moore’s Law continues. Fortunately the same semiconductor technology is an important part of what makes new SLTE functionality technically and economically possible. It allows us to implement digital signal processing of the signals at both the transmitter and the receiver, to implement sophisticated modulation and demodulation schemes, as well as compensate for dispersion and non-linear impairments.

New SLTE Technologies

This year marks 25 years since the introduction of the first optical fibre transoceanic submarine cable system, TAT-8. The introduction of Erbium Doped Fibre Amplifier (EDFA) amplifier technology 36 to the submerged plant in the mid 1990’s trans-Pacific distances of legacy wet plant. The limiting factors will be different for revolutionised wet plant design. On the BPSK (binary phase-shift key) modulation each cable, and will depend upon the other hand, the introduction of coherent 40 is essential to travel these spans. specifications and technical parameters Gb/s and 100 Gb/s technologies to have of the wet plant. Typically the repeater revolutionised the terminal equipment Forward Error Correction bandwidth and non-linear impairments design, and hence the capacity that we can FEC (forward error correction) has due to the type of fibre used are the key equip on legacy wet plant, even halfway advanced significantly over the past limiting factors. through its design life. There are many decade, but the introduction of Soft- differences between networks across the Decision FEC for 100 Gb/s coherent Legacy Traffic Pacific: the types of fibre & dispersion systems in 2013 has been a breakthrough For most submarine cable networks, compensating fibre map, types of repeater, for ultra-long systems. In simple terms, upgrade to 40 Gb/s or 100 Gb/s is possible wet plant monitoring techniques, etc, but Soft-Decision-FEC can be thought of as a while retaining some or all of the legacy essentially they can all be upgraded with kind of ‘fuzzy logic’ version of FEC, where traffic waves (for example N x 10 Gb/s). coherent technology. the demodulator decides upon “0” or “1” However if such legacy waves use ASK based on probabilities of error, rather than (amplitude modulation) technology rather a fixed threshold. than PSK (phase modulation) they usually interfere with and impair the performance Dispersion Compensation & PMD of the coherent transmission to some Compensation extent. So for optimum upgrade of trans- Advanced silicon chip processing now Pacific upgrades it is strongly advisable makes compensation of CD (chromatic to remove legacy traffic from a fibre pair dispersion) and PMD (polarisation mode which is being upgraded to 100 Gb/s. dispersion) possible by digital signal processing (DSP), which also allows compensation for many of the non-linear What has Been Successfully Achieved? impairments that occur in an optical transmission system. Within 2012-2013 we have successfully Critical Technologies upgraded trans-Pacific cables with N x 100 Optical Power Management Gb/s coherent technology. The longest Among the many technologies involved in The repeaters in a submarine cable segment was over 10,000 km long, and coherent optical transmission, there are a system operate in ‘constant output typical increases in ultimate capacity of few very key technologies for ultra-long- power’ mode, and the power level of 100 between 7 and 15 times the original design haul trans-Pacific Systems, these include: Gb/s coherent transmission is critical capacity could be achieved when using to error-free performance and ultimate the latest coherent 100 Gb/s SLTE with Modulation Schemes capacity over long spans. The design and transmit & receive DSP and powerful Soft- QPSK modulation used on some trans- implementation of optical idler technology Decision FEC. Atlantic cables cannot be used on longer within the SLTE is of critical importance. 37 Future Trans-Pacific Cables But the extreme length of trans-Pacific of hardware and software and mass segments means that the SLTE will need production. While the successful upgrade of legacy to compensate for dispersion of more than trans-Pacific cables has significantly double the amount expected on future The upgrade of existing trans-Pacific extended their lifetime, there is still trans-Atlantic segments, so the DSP for cables with coherent 100 Gb/s WDM growing demand and a need for further trans-Pacific SLTE will need to be of a has increased the life of these cables, and geographical redundancy. At least two higher specification than conventional has allowed carriers to provide higher new cable systems for the Pacific are in SLTE. capacities at lower cost per bit. The the planning for RFS in 2015 or later. timescale for introduction of new trans- They will certainly cost much less than Pacific cables has been slowed by a year or the approximately US$ 1 billion that some two, but as capacity continues to grow, we of the 1999 ~ 2001 trans-Pacific systems will see new cables across the Pacific and cost. However, they will still represent an these will undoubtedly be designed for investment of several hundreds of millions 100 Gb/s technology from the beginning of dollars in new wet plant. of their lifetime.

It is likely that new cables will utilise latest Colin Anderson is Business Large Effective Area optical fibre, without Development Director, Global dispersion compensation built into the Submarine Systems for Ciena. submerged plant. The “large effective area” of the new fibres helps to minimise non-linear impairments to the optical Conclusion signal. These impairments are currently 100 Gb/s upgrades of legacy trans-Pacific difficult to compensate for using terminal cables with 10,000 km segments, originally Anup Changaroth is Director equipment technologies. designed for N x 2.5 Gb/s or N x 10 Gb/s - Portfolio Marketing, Asia technology was unimaginable just a few Pacific for Ciena. The “uncompensated” fibre map for years ago, but is now a successful reality. the submerged plant minimises Self- Phase Modulation (SPM) and Cross- There are many technical challenges and Phase Modulation (XPM) impairments each cable has its own unique issues to within the submerged segment and the overcome. With significant technical resulting chromatic dispersion can now differences between individual cables, it be compensated for in the SLTE using is critical to have an SLTE solution with sophisticated DSP techniques, made the most intelligent and flexible 100 Gb/s possible by advances in semiconductor coherent transmission technologies to technology. allow successful upgrade of all cables while still taking advantage of commonalities 38 PACIFIC TELECOMMUNICATIONS COUNCIL Facebook/PTC.org @ptcouncil Pacific Telecommunications Council

NEW WORLD, NEW STRATEGIES 19–22 January 2014 Hilton Hawaiian Village® Waikiki Beach Resort Honolulu, Hawaii

Join us at PTC’14 for:

Submarine Cable Workshop: The Naked Truth about Submarine Cables TeleGeography Workshop Moderated by Paul McCann, Managing Director, McCann Consulting International, Moderated by Stephan Beckert, VP, Strategy, TeleGeography, USA Australia & Elaine Stafford, VP, The David Ross Group (DRG), USA Presenters: Paul Brodsky, Robert Schult, Tim Stronge

Executive Insight Roundtable 4: What Submarine Cables Can Do For You Topical Session 5: Submarine Cable Moderated by Julian Rawle, Managing Partner, Pioneer Consulting, Australia Moderated by John Hibbard, CEO, Hibbard Consulting Pty Ltd, Australia Presenters: Jerry Brown, Brian Lavallee, Anuj Malik

The 36th annual PTC conference is getting close. PTC’14 will be held in the usual place, Hawaii in January, and again we have a very significant submarine cable segment. With SubOptic having been held last April, there has been time to reflect on what emerged from there, and now is the time to further discuss those issues along with any new developments that have occurred.

From conference registrations so far, there is going to be a significant segment of the submarine cable fraternity there, ready to debate issues either in the conference rooms, at the various functions, or in the Tapa Bar with mai tai in hand as the palm trees gently sway overhead. What a great way to do business. John Hibbard Board Member & Former President Pacific Telecommunications Council 40 PTC’14 will again feature the popular Submarine Cable from the supplier, owner, and user segments to ensure a Workshop on Sunday morning (19 January). Paul McCann broad cross-section of dialogue. from McCann Consulting will be the overall coordinator and, in conjunction with Elaine Stafford from the David Ross Tuesday’s session, which I will moderate, will include a Group, has put together an exciting package titled “The Naked number of presentations on sub cable issues not hitherto Truth about Submarine Cables,” which will really fire you up for addressed in the PTC’14 program. The intent of the program the rest of the week, whether in conference sessions or in is to provide comprehensive coverage of our business across your business meetings. the conference while at the same time leaving adequate time for those all-important business meetings. The first half, themed as the “The Bare Facts,” will have a number of executives review developments over the past It is all making for a very exciting few days. Where better to year and outline what is coming up around the regions and in enjoy interesting topics and do business than in Hawaii in the different facets of cable initiatives, regulatory, and O&M. January? Once again, PTC’14 will be a great opportunity to catch up with Wayne, Kristian and the Sub Tel Forum team. The second half, prepared by Elaine for SubOptic and titled Those of us from the PTC team look forward to seeing you “For Real? Buying and Building New Undersea Systems Naked!,” there. will engage an august panel of buyers and suppliers with the audience in a vigorous discussion about the emerging ways to buy submarine cable systems as well as merits and issues associated with those approaches such as buying the marine plant separately to the terminal plant. The diversity of our PTC membership across the many facets of our industry has ensured the continued attraction On Monday, following the success of last year, we will of the conference. Of course, being located in the beautiful have another Executive Insight Roundtable (EIR), which setting of Hawaii has certainly helped contribute to annual is being coordinated and moderated by Julian Rawle from attendance. There is surely no better place to hear challenging Pioneer Consulting. The theme of this session will be presentations, renew acquaintances, negotiate business deals “What Submarine Cables Can Do for You.” The EIR sessions and make a toast than in the hub of global telecom networking are designed as a roundtable for active involvement by for this special week in January at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. the audience. We saw a lot of that in the pilot at PTC’13 and I expect the Q&A aspects to be similarly active and stimulating. Julian has selected a number of participants 41 PTC Submarine Cable Workshop

42 Elaine Stafford TC’14 is around the corner. When global ISPs, entrepreneurial project TAT & TPC networks), this usually was SubOptic, who is sponsoring a developers), suppliers (traditional and accomplished with some degree of supplier Pportion of PTC’s annual Sunday new system suppliers, upgrade suppliers), technical cooperation. The suppliers jointly morning Submarine Cable panel, asked and consultants. Not surprisingly, their developed integration specifications and me to support it, I enthusiastically agreed. opinions were diverse, across the board, and executed a broad integration test program They suggested that the panel focus on a to a degree, even within a specific market before the network was built. Technical topic not only interesting and timely, but segment. Five of them will participate in the cooperation was considered a prerequisite also on something that would be a follow- PTC’14 panel. What follows is a consolidation to any mixed-supplier network solution. up to discussion at SubOptic’13. It didn’t of the input I heard. I thought it would be In recent years, projects employing such take me long to pick the topic- “Really? worthwhile to share this perspective with integration have been scarce. Instead, turnkey Buying (or Building) Networks Naked” you prior to PTC. I hope it will whet your solutions, with the end-to-end system design (i.e. without SLTE1 and having all fibers appetite to attend, and encourage you to responsibility assigned to a single supplier dark). Yes, I know it has been touched upon ask insightful questions of the panel in (perhaps with a subcontractor for a portion of before in public forums, with analogies to Hawaii. Note, I’ve promised those with cable or repeaters) have been more the norm. either ‘buying a car with 3rd-party tires’ whom I spoke that all information and Market dynamics have limited supplier or ‘buying a car with a 3rd-party engine’ opinions shared would remain anonymous; technical integration and cooperation, which (depending on your viewpoint). However, therefore, no individuals or company names was more usual 20 years ago. However, it is as I’ve recently heard increasing levels of are identified herein. noteworthy that today, it is quite common purchaser interest, combined with disparate to upgrade existing, in-service undersea views on the matter, I believe it is now an Before looking at the practicality of naked networks with 3rd-party SLTE. Most often even more interesting and worthwhile topic networks, let’s step back a bit in time. in such a circumstance, the upgrade supplier than when it was introduced earlier. I’m Conceptually, provisioning SLTE from a 3rd- and cable owner agree to demonstrate the hopeful attendees will find that they’re glad party supplier on a new undersea segment is upgrade solution on the network prior to they chose to attend, rather than enjoy the not a new idea. In the past (e.g. early optical any purchase commitment or production. scenic alternatives on a beautiful Sunday Some people feel these 3rd-party upgrades morning in Hawaii. Please come January 19, are very much like the ‘naked network’ at the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Honolulu. concept- in some ways, this is true. However, the requirement of (and commitment To get prepared for PTC, I embarked to) technical ‘proof of capability’ before on some research by speaking to many installation, defines a distinct difference respected submarine-cable industry between upgrading an existing network with executives across the globe, with the goal of 3rd-party SLTE and buying naked. With a understanding their views on this concept. naked network, the purchase commitments My ad hoc research included discussions to independent suppliers (wet and SLTE) with representatives from a cross section are presumably made before the parts are of service providers (incumbent carriers, built and tested together; hence there’s no 1. SLTE (Submarine Line Transmission Equipment) is the DWDM equipment on opportunity to gain confidence in the end-to- one end of an undersea cable, which lights the cable with transmission signals, and receives these signals on the other end - interfacing with an inland terrestrial com- end solution (unless there is R&D cooperation munications network. Sometimes, I refer to this as “dry” equipment, compared to the in a system test lab). 43 “wet” undersea plant. Nonetheless, purchaser confidence in What Attracts Cable Purchasers to Naked some 3rd-party (terrestrial) suppliers mixed-supplier solutions is increasing. This Solutions (and 3rd-party SLTE)? enjoy, compared to the smaller undersea confidence has come, in part, through their SLTE market volume. To some, this successful experience of upgrading with So, why are some purchasers intrigued by SLTE price delta is inconsequential in 3rd party SLTE. Confidence has also grown and attracted to this concept? Anticipated the context of the price-tag of a new as purchasers gain familiarity with ways cost savings, shorter delivery intervals, undersea network - especially when to accept a new network with a fraction of network homogeneity, product features, buying a very large network. Some the total number of fiber pairs dark. Nearly OA&M simplicity and efficiency are purchasers believe that any potential all of the large, global-network owners frequent answers. Which of these items is equipment savings accrued by buying with whom I spoke expressed interest most important varies by cable owner, but 3rd-party SLTE may be offset by the cost in the possibility of buying SLTE of the each of these motivations was expressed by of additional wet-system design margin same product family as deployed in their several individuals as a potential reason for (i.e. extra repeaters), which may become company’s terrestrial network. Some stated buying a naked network. The most-frequent necessary as risk-mitigation in a mixed- quite clearly that their intention is to never first answer I heard was saving money. supplier solution. Others feel that the again buy a new undersea network which Sometimes this meant first cost; sometimes separation of wet and dry will stimulate is lit at initial service by an undersea-system it meant lifetime cost. The second most- even more supply competition, and drive supplier’s SLTE. Rather, they intend to light frequent answer was, essentially, network prices down. Thus, there are numerous their undersea networks, new or otherwise, homogeneity, and all the advantages that go opinions on whether the net price of a only with their company’s preferred DWDM along with that. naked network’s two separate contracts supplier’s equipment. Others were more (wet and dry) will be lower than that for skeptical that they’d ever go naked, despite Let’s further examine the “why’s” motivating a single, turnkey system supply contract. the conceptual attractiveness of the idea. some prospective cable owners to consider Even if the naked solution yields a lower Thus, what varied amongst cable owners naked networks. cost, several purchasers with whom I was not whether the idea of naked networks 1. Cost-Savings: As indicated above, spoke who are planning a new, very had virtue, but whether the hoped-for low-cost was the #1 reason which I heard long point-to-point undersea network, benefits were worth the risks. from purchaser representatives explaining commented that such savings are why they would contemplate (or are insufficient justification to buy naked, contemplating) naked networks. Others given the risks they see. But when a cable (both purchasers and suppliers) challenged has many cable landings, or is relatively the notion that naked systems will save short, this SLTE price differential can be purchasers money - at least initially. Possible more meaningful in the overall purchase savings will be determined by several decision. factors, including: b. Duplicate Contracting Costs: a. Initial Equipment Savings: SLTE Presuming the 3rd-party SLTE is procured from a system supplier can often be and contracted separately from the more expensive than 3rd-party SLTE. naked undersea network, there will be Lower prices are a natural consequence additional purchaser overhead associated of the larger market volumes which with managing two procurement efforts 44 and implementation programs - one for the wet segments, and one for the SLTE. Such added costs would offset some of the initial equipment savings accrued by purchasing lower-cost SLTE from someone other than the undersea system supplier. c. Cost Avoidance associated with Potential Future Change of SLTE Supplier When Upgrading: Every time a new SLTE supplier is introduced into a network, there are some new “common” costs. Typically, this includes things like duplicate spares, inefficient use of floor space and power, a second suite of “common” equipment, etc. If a cable owner anticipates they will be upgrading later with a 3rd-party SLTE, they can avoid this duplication of cost if they provision their network at RFPA with the same equipment they are likely to use for those future upgrades. d. Cost Avoidance of Duplicate Each of the items above looks at cost party SLTE, either on a first-cost basis or Recurring OA&M Service Fees: Post- from the perspective of ‘How much money on a life-time cost basis, some purchasers warranty service fees, for services like am I spending to buy, operate, and maintain may prefer to purchase somewhat more technical support and circuit-pack the SLTE?’ More than one cable-owner I expensive, but more capable, undersea- return and repair, add up over time. spoke with looked at the ‘cost’ question supplier’s SLTE. I do not mean to imply Often a network owner secures better quite differently. To them, the absolute here that all wet-system suppliers’ SLTE unit-pricing for these services when cost meant nothing without the context is more capable than 3rd-party SLTE. That the agreement covers large volumes of of capacity. That is, they measure the may, or may not, be true, depending on equipment. Bundling service of undersea cost-effectiveness of the SLTE solution the cable and supplier. Rather, I simply SLTE within their service contract for by the answer to the following: “What want to state that some purchasers look terrestrial DWDM may be advantageous. unit cost of capacity am I achieving with at the SLTE cost in terms of the unit In other words, as with (c) above, there this new network and SLTE?” If a wet cost of capacity when deployed on the may be cost-efficiency post-warranty, system provider promises more spectral network. of having just one provider of OA&M efficiency per dollar using their own services for a composite undersea/ SLTE, than can be achieved with a 3rd- Thus, the ‘cost equation” is not at all 45 terrestrial network. black and white. Nor is the definition provided by the product (integration to management platforms) or the networking features. When this was mentioned, it was often, in fact, a network homogeneity issue. 4. SLTE Flexibility for Fiber Pair and/ or Spectrum Purchasers: It is increasingly common for cable developers, especially private cable developers, to construct their new undersea network with the intent of selling dark (unlit) fiber pairs and/or spectrum to customers, who have unique preferences for SLTE. This, by itself, does not mean that the system must be purchased naked. However, some people equate this model with naked networks, as both share some similar technical and commercial challenges and possible solutions. 5. Latest Technology: Network owners often have a preference for “the latest and of “lowest cost” the same for everyone. Equipment homogeneity across terrestrial greatest” technology (i.e. moving to 40G, Which is better depends upon how a and undersea segments also facilitates 100G, etc. from 10G). In my experience, it company defines and measures their an operator’s ability to sell PoP to PoP is rare that an undersea network purchaser financial and cost reduction priorities. services with straight-forward service-level is willing to accept a dated generation agreements (SLAs). Some of the staunchest SLTE, unless the option of upgrading with 2. Network Homogeneity: Many advocates of naked networks expressed this newer SLTE is impractical, as this new SLTE purchasers indicated that homogeneity of as an important motivator. However, a small cannot perform efficiently on their existing equipment solutions across their network number of indicated that homogeneity is network. Thus, I found it interesting and (wet and dry) is a goal for their companies. not a major issue for them; rather, they’ve insightful when one purchaser remarked, Those who did generally inferred that a developed methods and procedures “If I separately purchase the undersea wet-provider’s SLTE uniqueness precludes which enable them to effectively manage a equipment from the SLTE, I can purchase it from naturally meshing into their broader diversity of equipment platforms in their the SLTE at a later date and be assured that global-network equipment platform. As large, expansive networks. I’ll get the most-current product.” This view discussed above, there’s a cost-aspect to the stems from the fact that for large undersea homogeneity issue, but equally-important 3. Product Features: Some of the networks, the construction interval (from for some, homogeneity is also an issue purchasers indicated that the reason they contract signing to service date) can be of operational simplicity, efficiency, and might prefer SLTE from a 3rd party was quite lengthy - often on the order of 2 years. response/delivery interval for services rooted in the SLTE feature set. Usually, this This is largely driven by the wet plant which they provide to their customers. had to do with either the OA&M features 46 timeline - marine survey, permits, wet plant manufacture, marine installation, etc. When RFPA. The most straightforward thing to essence, if an owner has figured out how to one looks at an overall project schedule do then is buy the upgrade from the same confidently buy their new network naked, of a network inclusive of SLTE, the SLTE supplier who is providing SLTE to initially there will be little difference between this and production often starts many months after light the network. However, some cable buying an upgrade before RFPA. Restating a turnkey-network contract is signed. (The owners I know who found themselves this point differently, if a cable owner is not SLTE production/delivery interval is short, in this situation were unhappy with the comfortable buying a network naked, and compared to the wet-plant production/ price-point and delivery intervals offered they instead prefer to first light their new delivery interval. Moreover, if a 3rd party by their turnkey wet-system supplier. (In network with their wet-system provider’s SLTE were to have been contracted, its recent years, prices for upgrades have been SLTE (even if they plan to move to a 3rd- production/delivery interval may be even declining rapidly, and original contract prices party SLTE provider later), they should be shorter.) for upgrades were no longer competitive prepared to buy their first upgrade from when the upgrade needed to be ordered.) that same wet system provider, especially It is generally true that the pace of SLTE Therefore, if these cable-purchasers had had so if the implementation interval is large (18 product evolution is quicker than the pace a choice, they’d rather have purchased the to 24 months) or somewhat complex from a for wet-plant product evolution, and new upgrade from a 3rd party. networking standpoint. SLTE may become available during an undersea network’s construction interval. This predicament is a variant of the ‘naked Will all these reasons to buy naked be with Therefore, it is possible that a turnkey network’ dilemma - ordering SLTE without a us forever? No supplier is sitting still. 3rd- network might go into service with SLTE network in place on which the SLTE provider party SLTE providers continue to enhance that is not the latest and greatest. In my can test/demonstrate their solution. In their product portfolios to better serve experience, though, this is a bit unusual- both their primary terrestrial and their and it may be a result of unanticipated new undersea markets. For the undersea construction delays which postponed RFPA market, this means ultra-long reach optics, beyond the originally forecast. Usually, wet- new modulation schemes, soft-FEC and system providers will have a technology digital signal processing to compensate roadmap that extends beyond the planned for dispersion and other impairments. Wet service date of any newly-contracted system providers also continue to make network, and cable-system purchasers will dramatic strides in closing price, delivery, negotiate to get the best SLTE planned to be and feature gaps between their SLTEs and available at the time their network goes into those of the 3rd-party alternatives. Even if service, even if qualification of that SLTE is the price, delivery and feature gaps between not complete until after the supply contract various suppliers’ SLTEs are closed, for those is signed. purchasers who value product homogeneity across their global mesh networks, which 6. Ease of Pre-RFPA Network may be dominated by terrestrial segments, Upgrades: The majority of upgrades to the simple desire for compatible DWDM/ undersea networks occur after RFPA. But, SLTE product throughout the network may some cable owners find themselves needing give 3rd-party SLTE suppliers an edge in to unexpectedly order an upgrade for their any undersea-lighting purchase decision. 47 new undersea network before it reaches Why Buy “Not Naked”? Or, What Attracts unlikely to become commonplace, but also Cable Purchasers to Turnkey Solutions? I believe such commercial arrangements These questions must also be answered. essentially make the supply arrangements Clearly, naked networks have not yet gained turnkey, as the supplier(s) have an end-to- practical popularity; there must be some end performance obligation to the cable reason (or reasons) why. What advantages purchaser. Thus, I view who owns the do the wet-system supplier’s SLTE have “risk” of end-to-end performance as the over the terrestrial supplier’s SLTE? And, critical differentiator between “turnkey” why would a purchaser not want to buy a and “naked”. network naked? Some purchasers believe that through a The most frequent answers to these questions combination of their buying power, their start with: (1) risk avoidance, (2) possible negotiating skill, and competitive supply lower unit cost of capacity, and (3) efficiency pressures, they can succeed in securing of procurement and project implementation. contract arrangements defined by either (a) Items (2) and (3) have already been discussed or (b). If so, they succeed in avoiding the briefly earlier. I’m not sure there’s much risk, and instead keep it with the system more to say about either. supplier(s). In the near term, I’m not so sure. It would require a very significant technical The “risk” issue is the reason most worthy and commercial commitment by the system of further discourse, and is consistently supplier (and the 3rd –party SLTE provider), the #1 reason why many cable purchasers not to mention some serious sharing of still prefer turnkey solutions. Please note, intellectual property, for the suppliers to the discussion of risk below will make one enter into such a contract arrangement important assumption. That is, a “naked” with comparable levels of risk to what they network includes neither a network built: current undertake.

(a) by a system supplier, who takes • From a commercial perspective, imagine responsibility to assure and warrants if (as part of case (a) above), the 3rd – that a purchaser-prescribed 3rd-party party SLTE provider had a problem SLTE delivers the required end-to-end which delayed network RFPA, and as a performance, nor result, the system supplier was liable for (b) according to a joint and several system liquidated damages. These damages are supply contract, entered into by the linked the system’s total contract value purchaser(s) and both that wet-system and therefore could exceed the value of supplier and a 3rd-party SLTE supplier. the SLTE. Who would pay these LDs? • From a technical perspective, it is one That is because, at this point in time, not thing for a system provider to provide a 48 only do I think these scenarios are relatively customer with design specifications on to have the system suppliers scrutinize the wet segments (presumably inclusive their wet plant, such as OSNR, repeater their equipment so completely, given of power, and possibly also supervisory output power and gain, spacing, that the system suppliers also make their equipment2), and one for the SLTE. The dispersion, etc. and allow the customer own SLTEs. I can envision the possibility most-cited naked-network technical risk is to share these specifications with a that a system supplier allows a 3rd -party transmission performance; a less-significant 3rd-party SLTE/upgrade provider. SLTE provider to test their SLTE in the technical concern is the supervisory It is another matter for the system system-supplier’s lab, but I find it harder system performance. This discussion provider to take responsibility for to envision the possibility of the system will concentrate on achieving requisite assuring the performance of 3rd-party supplier taking commercial and technical transmission performance. Will the channels SLTE, both on a stand-alone and end- responsibility for a 3rd party SLTE, work as promised end-to-end? Will as many to-end performance basis. Providing without some unique arrangements. I’ll channels work as were promised? (i.e., will guarantees of this sort would probably talk more about this later. the full capacity potential be delivered?) require the system supplier to invest in And, how will this be proven at acceptance? a significant qualification program with With those assumptions, let’s look at the From a commercial standpoint, the corollary the 3rd-party provider. Additionally, 3rd- various aspects of risk to the cable owner worry is that if the network performance party SLTE providers may prefer not of two entirely separate contracts - one for doesn’t meet expectations, how does a cable owner discern, prove, and assign commercial liability?

In my discussions, most frequently it was the technologists who were most concerned about achieving the requisite transmission performance. Individuals with a more commercial bent tended to have confidence - “We always get more margin than we’re promised. Even if we buy a naked network, we’ll still end up with extra margin.” When I discussed this concern in a bit more detail with the technologists, usually their concern did not come down to an “all or nothing” situation, i.e. all channels work or no channels work. Rather, the concern seemed mostly to be one of “will all the channels work?”. At least, this seemed to be the

2. The undersea supervisory system is conceptually most closely linked to the wet plant, and thus the presumption is that the wet-plant supplier provides the undersea management system in the terminal. The difficulty, however, is that the access to the undersea plant is via the optical path, managed by the SLTE. For this reason, the best solution for a naked network’s undersea management system supply is somewhat debatable, and too lengthy a debate to document in this white paper. It is, however, something very important to examine closely when contemplating buying a naked 49 network. answer for relatively short, simple networks. and service turn-up. To be specific, even entail. For that reason, privately-owned For longer networks (e.g. Transpacific), or if some of the channels work, resolving networks may be able to better deal with complex networks (e.g. one with multiple these problems could readily delay a cable- such risk. OADM BUs), the concerns were somewhat owner’s ability to earn on their investment. broader. Not surprisingly, 3rd-party SLTE Not a pretty picture. One very experienced If a performance shortfall does occur, my providers were generally quite confident and savvy purchaser was very clear in guess is that it will be very difficult to their solutions would perform as promised stating, “Even though I’d like to use the discern and prove which supplier, if either, over the entire spectrum, if they were same terminals as my terrestrial counterpart, is responsible. The suppliers who compete contracted to light simple naked networks, it is simply not worth the risk of a problem in this industry are all very capable, and so long as they had adequate system design occurring and delaying RFPA. I need to most often, deliver equipment that meets information. The problem is, right now, get that network into service ASAP.” This or exceeds specifications. It is possible there are no comprehensive standard same cable-investor astutely remarked that both the network and SLTE suppliers specifications which unequivocally assure that a consortium, with all of its inherent deliver product which meet their respective the two will work together. management complexity, tries its best to contractual technical specifications, yet the At least for the simpler systems, the risk push risk onto the supplier - which is quite end-to-end performance is not what was seems to be confined to a small portion of the the opposite of what a naked network might expected, as the specifications themselves transmission band. In real terms, if there is a performance shortfall which is not overly severe, depending on your viewpoint, the commercial value of this shortfall may similarly not be terribly severe. Take the case where perhaps 10% of the band does not perform consistent with purchaser’s expectations on an end-to-end basis. This portion of the band may, in fact, not need to be provisioned for service for many years to come. History has shown that technology evolution often makes what was previously impossible (in terms of capacity), possible. Thus, it is not unrealistic to think that even in such cases, there may well be a technical solution to the problem in the timeframe when that solution is needed (from a network capacity standpoint).

However, if there is a technical shortfall, it is usually not an easy issue to solve commercially, and such a problem could readily get in the way of system acceptance 50 of technical expertise in the purchaser community. I think many people agree that some of the technical expertise that purchasers had years ago has been lost and not replenished. Thus, purchasers may not uniformly be in a good position to manage this situation alone. It is the suppliers who typically have the best end-to-end system design expertise. That puts us back to purchasers depending on suppliers to support the naked-network purchase model. Will they?

What’s in it for System Suppliers, and What Mechanisms Might Help Naked Networks?

To make this concept work, wet system suppliers will need to first accept the paradigm. Some people who’ve thought about this imagine that it will be tough for the system suppliers to accommodate. What’s in it for them? Why should they be were incomplete or inadequate. There is the purchaser assume this responsibility supportive of this arrangement, and if they currently no standard set of wet-dry interface when they chose to enter into separate are, how might they go about it? What new specifications. In the undersea industry, contracts? Did they find a way to write tools or methods would make the end result where purchasers invariably require their separate contracts with specifications palatable for purchasers and suppliers alike? networks to transport the ultimate capacity that were foolproof? Are they willing to I hope to hear the system suppliers speak to which is technical achievable, any such commercially accept naked wet segments, this at the PTC Panel, but as a prelude, here interface specification would likely be based on proof that they’ve met their stand- are some thoughts on the matter. unique to the network for which it was alone contractual specifications, and accept devised, and thus such specifications would SLTE based on proof that it has met its I’ve heard more than one person comment, need to be developed on a case-by-case stand-alone contractual specifications, even “If system suppliers didn’t have to develop basis3. if the combined performance is not all that SLTE, they could invest their limited R&D was hoped for? I don’t know the answer funds better towards improving the wet This leads back to the question “who to these questions, and I’m not sure anyone plant.” I must confess I’ve had this same assumes end-to-end responsibility?” Did does, until faced with such a real dilemma. thought myself. Old friends of mine in the

3. This begs the question, why does this separation work in terrestrial networks? The At SubOptic’13 in Paris, there were public system-supplier community frown at me answer to that is possibly that terrestrial networks do not stretch the system-design expressions of concern about the decline when I ask them, “Why would you want to 51 envelope in the same way undersea networks do. need to be able to provide the terminal optics. Let’s take a step back, though. You may have After all, the capacity is determined by the noticed that my words above were carefully combination of the amplifiers, fiber, and chosen. I did not say that the system suppliers terminal optics - not just one of these alone. needed to develop the SLTE to make the end- In recent transpacific procurements which to-end system work. Rather, I said they need I’ve supported for cable owners, achieving to manage the transmission path. To me, it is the huge amounts of desired capacity over conceivable that a win-win solution for both 10,000 or more kilometers was clearly a owners and system-suppliers is to have the challenge for the system suppliers. They’ve system design managed by the system supplier, invested substantial R&D in recent years in who develops the “optics” of the SLTE, but both wet and dry technologies to make it not necessarily the whole SLTE. Could this possible. Personally, I’d not recommend work? Are the transmitters, receivers, DSPs, to a client today that they buy a transpacific etc. all somewhat separable from the SLTE system with 100 x 100G via two separate as a whole? Could the undersea terminal contracts - the technology is simply too new equipment simply be a 100G transceiver, as and the challenges are far too great. I don’t opposed to a full terminal? If they were, would think I’m at all alone in this view. this accomplish the purchasers end goal? Alternately, could components be developed Thus, system suppliers feel that SLTE by the undersea suppliers (with the help of products are a “must have” in their product their component suppliers) and licensed to portfolio. Even if they can imagine that 3rd-party SLTE providers? Could these same very short, simple naked networks are transceivers become standard test sets that are practicable, if they’re developing SLTE for used to accept the naked undersea networks? the longest, complex systems- they’ve got it Again, it would take the terminal technologists for the shorter ones, too. And, once they’ve to answer this question. Over the last many invest the R&D in SLTE, anyway?” Especially invested in SLTE, they want to sell as much years, SLTEs have evolved back and forth from now, it is hard for me to imagine that system of it as they can. It is understandable that basically undersea transmission interfaces, suppliers accrue any significant profit system suppliers may lack total confidence to multiplexers with the undersea optics, to rd from this part of their product portfolio. that 3 -party SLTE suppliers will develop more sophisticated terminals supporting a Construction of the wet plant is where the SLTE technologies which allow undersea variety of transmission interfaces. All of this their technical and financial interest lies. network solutions to evolve at the pace they was in response to purchaser demand for Superficially, I think that system suppliers expect to deliver. Terrestrial suppliers may more sophistication. Might we be at the point might be better off if they were not obliged believe that now that they’ve captured a in time where simpler is better? If so, would to develop feature-rich SLTEs that compete large share of the upgrade market, they’re everyone (system suppliers, purchasers, and rd with terrestrial 3rd-party alternatives. in the undersea market for good, and can 3 party providers) all think so? Another However, that view is overly simplistic. To be counted on for future generations. That approach would be a long-term cooperative sell the wet plant profitably, and especially to makes sense, but, if you were a system strategic relationship between a system sell the longest, big-revenue systems, system supplier, would you count on it? supplier and one or more terrestrial terminal suppliers. 52 suppliers understandably believe that they Changing a paradigm in a manner like any technology evolution would slow down. possibilities would affect purchasers and of the hypothesized solutions described Not everyone felt this was necessarily a bad suppliers somewhat differently, so how one above is tricky. If it is good for everyone, the thing. There were some suggestions that views the specific possible impact depends a first supplier to figure out how to do it, and refocusing development efforts on cost- bit on where one sits. support the concept, might benefit most. If reduction, reliability, and undersea OA&M the ideas (or others) are not so good, suppliers features, rather than winning a capacity race, One purchaser remarked that even if there may be playing a game of chicken, betting on might not be a bad thing. Some worried that are some potential long-term downsides, who will cave first to purchaser demand. naked networks would encourage further the short term gain, in their view, is well erosion of system design expertise in the worth the long-term risk. In his view, What Might Naked Network Mean for the industry and create a somewhat precarious inevitably, smart people figure out how to Future? situation for the market as a whole. Others solve whatever problems they face down expressed concern that this might accelerate the road. This may be true. But, getting Most people I asked this question of were commoditization of the supply market and through performance problems (both unsure where this might lead. Most felt this would further erode suppliers’ ability technically and commercially), if and when that if naked networks started to become to make profit- eventually threatening they occur, can prove painful. Some cable an option, the pace of undersea network undersea system reliability. Each of these owners and suppliers know this all too well. The essence of this whole debate is, “who carries the system design responsibility?” Even system suppliers cannot guarantee perfection, and as we all know, they (and 3rd-party SLTE providers) have each experienced some problems. But, when one company is responsible for turnkey supply, and has the end-to-end expertise, most often if something goes wrong, the turnkey supplier will find a way to fix it, and make it right.

Summary and January 19th’s PTC’14 Panel

Until a year or so ago, when David Ross Group’s clients (prospective cable owners) asked me whether I thought it was a good idea to buy a system naked, my answer was, “One wavelength on one fiber pair is a good, reasonably-inexpensive insurance policy, even if you want a different terminal provider over the long term.” Now, I answer their question with another set of questions, 53 On Sunday, January 19th, the PTC’14 panelists will include a combination of service providers and suppliers. I’ll be asking the cable purchasers to comment on why they might want naked networks, and what risks they’re willing to take to achieve that end goal. I’ll be asking the suppliers to comment on what risks they see, and whether they might support naked networks, and if so, how? I hope they’ll all comment on what naked networks might mean to the future of the industry. If you’ve got questions you’d like to hear discussed, please send them to me at [email protected]. Or, ask them there!

Elaine Stafford, Vice President at The David Ross Group (DRG), has been involved in the development, planning, engineering and implementation of undersea cable system projects worldwide since the early 1980s. Elaine has served DRG clients starting with “What do you want longer term, until some standards evolve or supplier- with feasibility studies, business plans, due- and how complex is your network?” In other cooperation increases substantially), the diligence support, partnership development words, in my view, the answer is somewhat owner will need to take some risk, and the and agreements, procurement and project less black and white than before. I’m not a huge chosen suppliers will need to cooperate more implementation support, most recently PCCS, fan of naked networks. Yet I believe someone than today’s norm. SEACOM and TEN. Prior to joining DRG, will take the first step, and find a way to make Elaine held executive positions within Tyco this work. Whether it is 2014, 2015 or later, I’m Only time will tell whether or not system Telecom, AT&T Submarine Systems and not sure. But, I think it will happen, one step suppliers develop new, creative means to at Bell Laboratories with responsibilities at a time. My guess is it will first happen on enable naked networks to be deployed spanning business development, sales, network a short system, where the risk/reward ratio without major risk to their customers. I am engineering, and R&D (system design and test, works in the purchaser’s favor. This probably not hopeful that common specifications (or and terminal equipment development). Ms. means a network without OADM BUs that standards), in any foreseeable timeframe, Stafford holds a BSEE from Union College and is only a few thousand kilometers long, or will become the answer. Our undersea an MSEE from Stanford University. less, which doesn’t demand huge amounts community has not excelled, in recent years, of capacity. But, the first time this is done, at cooperating to develop industry-wide 54 and the second, third and fourth time (i.e. standards. Order Form Where to Order action Code: Submarine Cables 50601 action Code: The HandbookPlease send of me Law the and following Policy title: 35% Submarine CablesDiscount 50601 Edited by Douglas R. Burnett, Book Orders Robert C. Beckman, outside the Americas Theand Handbook Tara M. Davenport of m Law Submarine and Cables Policy 35% The Handbook of Law and Policy Discount BRILL Edited by Douglas R. Burnett, Edited by Douglas R. Burnett, c/o Turpin Distribution • November 2013 Robert C. Beckman, • ISBN 978 90 04 26032 0 / e-ISBN 978 90 04 26033 7 Robert C. Beckman, Stratton Business Park • Hardback / Electronic and Tara M. Davenport • List price EUR 143.- / US$ 185.- and Tara M. Davenport Pegasus Drive • Imprint: Martinus Nijhoff Biggleswade Submarine fiber optic cables are critical telecommunications systems. Submarine communications infrastructure for States Cables: The Handbook of Law and Policy Bedfordshire SG1 8 8TQ around the world. They are laid on the seabed, provides a one-stop-shop of essential are often no bigger than a garden hose, and information relating to the international United Kingdom transmit immense amounts of data across governance of submarine cables. The T +44 (0) 1767 604-954 oceans. These cables are the backbone of the Handbook •is Novembera unique collaboration 2013 between internet and phone services and underpin international lawyers and experts from core State interests, such as the finance the submarine• ISBN cable 978 industry. 90• 04 ItN provides ovember26032 0 / e-ISBN2013 978 90 04 26033 7 F +44 (0) 1767 601-640 sector, shipping, commerce and banking a practical •insight Hardback into the /law Electronic and policy [email protected] industries. Without the capacity to transmit issues that affect the protection• I SBNof submarine 978 90 04 26032 0 / e-ISBN 978 90 04 26033 7 • List price EUR 143.- / US$ 185.- and receive data via submarine cables, the cables, as well as the laying, maintenance• Hardback and / Electronic economic security of States would be severely operation of• Imprint:such cables. Martinus In addition, theNijhoff law compromised. Despite the fact that 95 per and policy issues in relation to• otherList specialprice EUR 143.- / US$ 185.- Book Orders in the Americas cent of all data and telecommunications purpose cables, such as power• cables,Imprint: marine Martinus Nijhoff between States Submarineare transmitted via fiber submarine optic scientific cables research are cables, critical military cables, and telecommunications systems. Submarine cables, there is little understanding of offshore energy cables, are also addressed. how these cablescommunications operate. As a result some infrastructure for States Cables: The Handbook of Law and Policy BRILL States have developedaround policies the and world.laws that TheyMore informationare laid and on details the at seabed, provides a one-stop-shop of essential undermine theDiscount integrity of international code: 50601www.brill.com/submarine-cables (please mention this code for discount) P.O. Box 605 are often no bigger than a garden hose, and information relating to the international Discount applies to individual orders only and no additional discounts apply. Herndon, VA 2017 2-0605 transmit immense amounts of data across governance of submarine cables. The TaBle of ConTenTs USA oceans. These cablesPART are IV: PROTECTINGthe backbone CABLESHIPS AND of SUBMARINE the Handbook is a unique collaboration between Introduction - Why Submarine Cables? Douglas CABLES T (800) 337-9255 Burnett, Tara Davenport,internet Robert Beckman and phone servicesChapter 9 – Protecting and Cableships underpin Engaged in Cable international lawyers and experts from Operations. Mick Green, Douglas Burnett (toll free, US & Canada only) PART I: BACKGROUNDcore State interests, Chaptersuch 10 as – Submarine the finance Cables and Natural Hazards. the submarine cable industry. It provides Chapter 1 - The Development of Submarine Cables. Lionel Carter Stewart Ash sector, shipping, commerceChapter 11 – Protecting and Submarinebanking Cables from a practical insight into the law and policy T +1 (703) 661 -15 85 Chapter 2 - The Submarine Cable Industry: How Does Competing Uses. Bob Wargo, Tara Davenport it Work? Mick Greenindustries. Without Chapterthe capacity 12 – Protecting Submarine to transmit Cables from issues that affect the protection of submarine F +1 (703) 661 -15 01 Intentional Damage: The Security Gap. Robert PART II: INTERNATIONALClientand no.receiveLAW ON SUBMARINE data viaBeckman submarine cables, the cables, as well as the laying, maintenance and [email protected] CABLES Chapter 3 – Overvieweconomic of the International security Legal ofPART States V: SPECIAL would PURPOSE SUBMARINE be severely CABLES operation of such cables. In addition, the law Regime GoverningFirst Submarine Name Cables. Douglas Chapter 13 – Power Cables. Malcolm Eccles, Joska M / F Burnett, Tara Davenport,compromised. Robert Beckman DespiteFerencz, the Douglas fact Burnett that 95 per and policy issues in relation to other special Last Name Chapter 14 – Marine Scientific Research Cables. Lionel Or contact your Library Supplier PART III: CABLE OPERATIONScent of - LAWall ANDdata PRACTICE and telecommunicationsCarter, Alfred H.A. Soons purpose cables, such as power cables, marine Chapter 4 – The Planning and Surveying of Chapter 15 – Military Cables. J. Ashley Roach Submarine CableJobbetween Routes. Title Graham Evans,States Monique are transmittedChapter 16 - Submarine via Cables submarine and Offshore Energy. scientific research cables, military cables, and Page Wayne Nielsen, Tara Davenport For General Order Information Chapter 5 – The Manufacturecables, and there Laying of is little understanding of offshore energy cables, are also addressed. Submarine Cables.Organization Keith Ford-Ramsden, Tara PART VI: APPENDICES AND KEYWORD INDEX and Terms and Conditions Davenport how these cables operate.Appendix 1 -As Timeline a result of the Submarine some Cable Chapter 6 – Submarine Cable Repair and Industry Maintenance. AddressKeithStates Ford-Ramsden, Homehave Douglas developed / Burnett Work Appendix policies 2 - Overview and of the Majorlaws Submarine that More information and details at please go to Chapter 7 – The Relationship between Submarine System Suppliers (1850 –2012) Cables and the Marineundermine Environment. Lionel the Carter integrityAppendix of3 - Excerpts international of Most Relevant Treaty www.brill.com/submarine-cables Chapter 8 – Out-of-ServiceCity / State Submarine Cables. Provisions Zip code Douglas Burnett Keyword Index brill.com Country E-mail flyer_Burnett_v2b.indd 1 TaBle of ConTenTs 23-08-13 15:48 Telephone PART IV: PROTECTINGFax CABLESHIPS AND SUBMARINE Introduction - Why Submarine Cables? Douglas CABLES Burnett, Tara Davenport, Robert Beckman Chapter 9 – Protecting Cableships Engaged in Cable Operations. Mick Green, Douglas Burnett m SendPART I:me BACKGROUND an invoice Chapter 10 – Submarinem Charge Cables andmy creditNatural card Hazards. CardChapter no. 1 - The Development of Submarine Cables. Lionel Carter Exp. date: / Stewart Ash Chapter 11 – Protecting Submarine Cables from CVCChapter Code 2 - The Submarine Cable Industry: How Does Competing Uses. BobCr Wargo,edit card Tara type Davenport it Work? Mick Green Chapter 12 – Protecting Submarine Cables from VAT no. ||||||||||||||||Intentional Damage: The Security Gap. Robert| SignaturePART II: INTERNATIONAL LAW ON SUBMARINE Beckman CABLES Chapter 3 – Overview of the International Legal PART V: SPECIAL PURPOSE SUBMARINE CABLES Regime Governing Submarine Cables. Douglas Chapter 13 – Power Cables. Malcolm Eccles, Joska Burnett, Tara Davenport, Robert Beckman Ferencz, Douglas Burnett Subscribe to Brill’s Electronic Bulletins and stayChapter fully 14informed – Marine Scientific on new andResearch forthcoming Cables. Lionel titles, newsPART and III: CABLE special OPERATIONS offers! Visit- LAW ourAND websitePRACTICE brill.com/email-newslettersCarter, Alfred H.A. Soons and subscribe to the Email Chapter Newsletters 4 – The Planning of your and Surveyingchoice! of Chapter 15 – Military Cables. J. Ashley Roach Submarine Cable Routes. Graham Evans, Monique Chapter 16 - Submarine Cables and Offshore Energy. Page Wayne Nielsen, Tara Davenport Chapter 5 – The Manufacture and Laying of Submarine Cables. Keith Ford-Ramsden, Tara PART VI: APPENDICES AND KEYWORD INDEX Davenport Appendix 1 - Timeline of the Submarine Cable Chapter 6 – Submarine Cable Repair and Industry Maintenance. Keith Ford-Ramsden, Douglas Burnett Appendix 2 - Overview of the Major Submarine Chapter 7 – The Relationship between Submarine System Suppliers (1850 –2012) Cables and the Marine Environment. Lionel Carter Appendix 3 - Excerpts of Most Relevant Treaty Chapter 8 – Out-of-Service Submarine Cables. Provisions Douglas Burnett Keyword Index

flyer_Burnett_v2b.indd 1 23-08-13 15:48

AvH - CZ - Jul 2013

flyer_Burnett_v2b.indd 2 23-08-13 15:48 Next Generation in Power Feed Equipment (PFE)

Paul Treglia &

56 Clive McNamara Photo Courtesy of Global Marine Systems, Ltd. Background Gen4 PFE to unify the Ethernet communications amongst all the internal elements of the A submarine cable system is fed power PFE, as well as externally, to a Network from Power Feed Equipment (PFE). Management System for remote The PFE supplies constant current to diagnostics and monitoring. Also within the fiber optic repeaters. There are long- this bay are the sophisticated PFE- standing, historical requirements for specific functions for output monitoring, PFE including; stable output (constant protection, configuration, and polarity current), high reliability (even through setting. an earthquake), safety, and high levels of control/diagnostics provided. In the years of “recovery” after 2002, there were other requirements added; low-cost, and less complexity (smaller footprint). Fast forward to 2006 where the first Spellman- designed, Single-Bay complete PFE (Gen3) started shipping out to sites. The need for more

The Gen3 system is rated for 5kV, which limits the length of cable that can be powered. It is not suitable for longer cable runs (>2000km). Increasing needs for long cable runs drives the voltage Figure1 – Gen4 PFE requirement higher, and advancements Figure 2 – Output Monitor Unit (OMU). Part of PFE Output/Control Bay in repeater design drive the current The Gen4 PFE has a nominal rating of higher. The higher current for the 15kV, 1.5A. This is a substantial increase repeaters then increases the PFE voltage in voltage (3x), current (1.5x) and power Converter Bay - Contains 6 identical requirement even further because (4.5x) as compared to Gen3. The Gen4 High Voltage Power Converters in an this increases the cable losses (voltage PFE is a 3-cabinet design. n+1 configuration. Only 5 Converters are drop). Based on those needs, the next needed for full voltage/current. If less The 3 cabinets (from left to right) are as than that is required, less converters are generation of PFE, Gen4, was designed follows: to provide higher voltage, higher current needed to satisfy the requirements. and higher power for long-haul systems. PFE Output/Control Bay– Contains the Test Load Bay – Contains a mixture of Local Control Unit (LCU) and Network 1 Active Test Load (ATL) module and Switch Unit (NSU) which work together 57 4 Passive Test Load (PTL) modules. The ATL is a variable electronic load Similar to the Gen3 PFE, most of the critical connection to Ocean Ground utilizing an array of MOSFET transistors Field Replaceable Units (FRU) within (OG). The current is monitored in operated in their active region. The the PFE are blind-mating which allows both OG connections. Normally, PTL is comprised of fixed resistors, quick replacement in case of failure. those currents should be equal. If they combined with high voltage relays. The aren’t, it likely indicates a connection ATL provides the fine control and the Additional features issue on one of them, which alerts the PTL provides the coarse control. These During the design process, it is often user that service is required before it modules work together to provide a the time to consider additional features affects operation of the PFE. variable load capable of dissipating based on customer requests in previous 22.5kW continuously. • Configurable for multiple voltage versions. Below are some features added ranges- The Gen4 PFE has a during the Gen4 PFE design. These Figure 3 – Passive maximum voltage of 15kV, but it Test Load (PTL) features are not available in the Gen3 can be configured (at the factory) PFE: for lower voltage, while keeping the • Data Acquisition – The Gen4 PFE same current rating (1.5A). Options is constantly recording critical of 6kV, 9kV, 12kV, in addition to 15kV parameters; PFE Voltage, PFE Current, are available. This is accommodated Ocean Ground Voltage, Station simply by installing less Converter Ground Current, every 10ms. The and Passive Test Load (PTL) modules LCU integrated within the PFE has the ability to plot this data locally or it can be sent upstream (externally) to the Figure 4 – Active Network Management Test Load (ATL) system. The internal memory within the PFE allows a rolling queue of about 1 week of data.

• Redundant Ocean Ground connections- More and more customers are requesting this option. It allows redundancy in the 58 Figure 5 – LCU Data Acquisition Graphical Interface (1 converter and 1 PTL less for each • PFE Output Module - The output of 3kV reduction). The system always the Converters power the submarine contains 3 cabinets. Covering from cable via sophisticated monitoring 6-15kV picks up nicely from where and protection devices. Cable access the Gen3 PFE leaves off (at 5kV) and termination (shorting or opening) is also being provided at the PFE Gen3 Gen4 output point. This access point can # of cabinets 1 3 be used to insert other ancillary cable Converter 2n n +1 testing devices into the cable path. Redundancy Due to the dangers of High Voltage Voltage 5kV 15kV being present, significant safety features need to be incorporated at Current 1.0A 1.5A Power 5kW 22.5kW this point, and throughout the PFE. Data Acquisition No Yes PFE for Cable Laying Ships Table1 – Gen3 to Gen4 PFE Comparison In addition to advancements in land- based PFE, there also have been some Gen3 PFE advances in ship-based PFE. The cable- The Gen3 PFE was designed to Figure 6 – Gen3 PFE laying by ships is a costly and time accommodate shorter cable runs at a consuming process in the deployment lower price, while still achieving high Starting at the top, we have: of a new or repaired cable and as such levels of safety, diagnostics, reliability it is important that the ship’s cable and availability. To date, over 65 Gen3 • Test Load – Variable Electronic engineers know that the cable they are PFE systems are in service, providing Load, capable of dissipating 5kW laying is operating correctly. This could reliable power to fiber optic repeaters all continuously. be powered from the land base PFE at the landing station, but this would be a over the globe. The Gen3 PFE has nominal • Converters (2) – 2n configuration, ratings of 5kV and 1A. This is adequate very hazardous for the crew on the ship where each converter can run at 5kV, for the repair as the control of when the for +1000km cable installations and 1A in case the other one fails. During many times is used to power cables that HV is on or off is not on the ship where normal operation, the converters the cable engineers and handlers could hop across several landing sites across are in series and share the total PFE the shores of neighboring countries. be exposed to the HV on the cable being voltage. deployed. • Local Control Unit (LCU) – PC, Ship board PFE is used to power the cable Keyboard, Monitor, Mouse, Ethernet during these operations whilst keeping switch. the control of the HV at the ship so the 59 Figure 8 – Photo The Ship Board PFE has a new System The Ship Board PFE can operate from Courtesy of Management Terminal (SMT) that allows the AC supplied from ship generators, Global Marine the parameters needed to be set and the and generally can use more “Off the Systems, Ltd. alarms and ramp rates for powering up Shelf” High Voltage power supply units. and down to be controlled safely. The (No need to carry all those batteries on SMT replaces the original System Control board and hopefully no seismic events Unit (SCU) which is now obsolete. while out at sea). But reliability is still paramount for the shipboard PFE, as a PFE failure out at sea would stop cable deployment until help arrives. Conclusion

Highly advanced PFE solutions have been designed and deployed and Figure 7 – Ship Board PFE have proved to meet and even exceed safety of the crew can be maintained. customer requirements and expectations. Due to the fact cable laying ships can With the Gen3 and Gen4 PFE systems, work on many difference cables the Ship most, if not all, land-based needs are met for powering Subsea Fiber Optic Board PFE is typically capable of around Figure 8 – Workers prepare for Cable laying 12kV at around 2A. communications around the globe. Future advancements and solutions are These shipboard PFE systems are func- in the works, which have the possibility tionally very similar to standard land of providing significantly smaller based PFE, only with reduced function- systems with higher voltage capabilities, ality and requirements, (and a substan- as well as low-cost, lower-voltage units tially lower price). (e.g. for branching power requirements).

Part of the similarity is the control for powering the cable up and down. The Paul Treglia is Director of Product cable is an enormous inductor and Development, Spellman High Voltage capacitor it needs to have the current Electronics Corporation changes controlled very slowly so as not to cause any transients or oscillations Clive McNamara is UK Regional Sales that could damage the repeaters. Manager, Spellman High Voltage Electronics, Ltd. 60 Figure 9 – Ship Board SMT Available Now

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If you are interested in advertising in any of our products, please contact Kristian Nielsen at +1 703-444-0845 or [email protected] Back Reflection by Stewart Ash The Father of Submarine Telegraphy? an artist and painter of miniatures. In 1831, a make the sale, John took the pictures away fire destroyed his studio, all his works and a to exhibitions in Baltimore and Charleston. rd th The 3 December will be the 150 Anniversary small collection of objets d’art. This fire was During 1835, John’s father wound up his of the death of a man that many (including the almost certainly part of the destruction reeked cabinet making business and established Times in 1855) have described as “the Father in the city of Bristol by the “Reform Riots” that himself as an art dealer in London’s Covent of Submarine Telegraphy”, John Watkins Brett took place from 29th October to 2nd November. Garden; he then travelled to join his son in the (1805 – 1863). John and his younger brother Although John continued to paint for pleasure, USA. Jacob (1808-1893) are synonymous with the from 1832 onwards, his profession was always first cross channel cable laid by the Goliath on stated as “picture dealer” and he appears to One of Brett’s major friends and allies in the th 28 August 1850 and the more commercially have developed a substantial upper class USA was the artist John Turnbull (1750-1843). successful cable of 1851, but little else has been clientele. Turnbull was, from 1817, president of the written about his life and untimely death. This American Academy for fine arts and, in 1833, is surprising give his contribution to the birth In late 1832, John embarked on a five year had single handily averted a merger with of the Submarine Cable Industry. tour of the USA with an exhibition of “Old the then newly formed National Academy Maters”. These pictures were shown with of Design. This earned him the perpetual John was the son of William and Elizabeth née great success in major galleries in New York enmity of its president, one Samuel Finlay Watkins. William ran a cabinet making and and Boston. Back in England, on 24th June Breese Morse (1791-1872)1. Whether Brett, in upholstery business, “William Brett & Sons”, 1833, another fire destroyed the premises of Morse’s mind, was tarred with the same brush in Bristol, in the South West of England. It William Brett & Sons. The following year, the as Turnbull is uncertain, but when their paths appears that John was somewhat of a child “Old Masters” were on display in Washington crossed cross again, in the submarine cable prodigy, with an aptitude for drawing and DC for six months, during which time Senator arena, the relationship appears to have been painting. After leaving school at the age of George Poindexter (1779-1853) proposed less than cordial. At the time, John hinted that 12, John was apprenticed, until the age of 21, that the United States Government should he had first met “his friend” in New York, in to a Bristol man, John Mintorn (1773-1870), purchase them for US$40,000. It appears from 1837. The Academy of Fine Arts, in New York, who ran a “revolving library and bookshop”, articles in the American papers that John Brett where Brett’s Old Masters were stored was also dealing in art and prints. John became a was holding out for US$60,000 but ultimately destroyed by yet another fire, on 23rd March drawing tutor, but by 1830 he was able to set Poindexter’s proposition was defeated in the 1837. Although many of the gallery’s own up his own house and studio where he became Senate, by 22 votes to 20. Having failed to 64 1. See Back reflection Issue 63 he displayed his pictures, drawings, coins and Then Jacob discovered telegraphy! It is clear curios in private viewings for the well to do. from correspondence from the period between John discretely conducted his dealership in July 1845 and July 1846 that Jacob was the pictures and other works of art from 2 Hanover member of the family that introduced and Square for the rest of his life. carried on the initial telegraphic business in Hanover Square. John Watkins Brett’s interest in submarine telegraph began in 1845, the same year that Jacob had become interested in the work of ‘Railway Mania’ took Britain by storm. New Yorker Royal Earl House (1814-1895) This was a twelve month period of massive the inventor of the first printing telegraph investment in joint-stock companies that and, through agents, bought the European dragged the moneyed classes (and many rights to sell the device. However, to exploit others less wealthy) into a spiral of speculation. this license he needed money that he did The Brett brothers were not immune to this not have and that meant involving his elder hysteria, and invested in the abortive Cork & brother John. A formal loan agreement was Waterford Railway Company, John subscribing drawn up between the two brothers and the £6,250, and brother Jacob subscribing £3,750; English Patent No 10,939 was secured on 13th Jacob subscribed a further £1,250 to the Goole November 1845. The inventor’s name was left & Doncaster Railway, and John £200 to the off the patent as was then allowed by English Newcastle-upon-Tyne & North Shields Extension law, but House did secure an agreement for Railway, he also purchased shares in the 50% of any profits that may accrue from the equally short-lived Lincoln & Grantham Direct sale of his instrument. Railway in 1845 and 1846. These investments were in addition to some discrete interests that In addition to the description of the House both brothers made in speculative continental telegraph, Jacob inserted a final clause in railways. Patent 10,939: “An ‘Oceanic line’ may be used in connection with the printing apparatus, in Brother Jacob lived in John’s house for well which the wires are varnished, bound with over twenty years and had acted as manager of waxed or sere cloth, platted with waxed or their art subscription scheme, during 1841. By greased twine, and around the whole a platted works were saved, John Turnbull’s private 1845, he had discovered an interest in things cable saturated in tar is formed; metal weights collection and Brett’s Old Masters are said to mechanical. How this came about is unknown; coated with bitumen and ballasted are attached have been destroyed at a cost to the city of but early in that year Jacob invested in a to the cable at intervals of a mile or more; tubes $50,000. Following this disaster John sailed patent with William Prosser Jnr, a mechanical coated with bituminous substances (having for England from New York on 30th October engineer, for a form of ‘atmospheric’ railway. openings fitted with water-tight coverings) 1837. This never came to anything, but, despite this are used to protect the cable on or near the Neither John nor his father operated their art set-back Jacob persevered and, during 1845, shore. The wires may be coated with various businesses from shops. John initially took took out two more expensive patents for colours to distinguish them.” As this method up residence in a house on Primrose Hill in improved ‘atmospheric’ railways without Mr of insulating copper wire was never used, the London, but in March 1841, he took a lease on Prosser’s assistance. Bretts’ claims linked to this clause were to a mansion house at 2 Hanover Square, where prove worthless when they were challenged 65 year, they drew up a plan for not only uniting on 16th June 1845 “to form a connecting mode England and France, but Ireland, and the of communication by telegraphic means from most distant colonies in India. At this point the British Islands and across the Atlantic in his discourse he said; “It has been stated Ocean to Nova Scotia, the Canadas, the by some that I had sought, or attempted Colonies and Continental Kingdoms”. This, to appropriate to myself, the honour of the as the Bretts frequently reminded people, was invention, of the submarine telegraph. I will the first electric submarine telegraph company here state, that my first idea of submarine provisionally registered in Britain. It got no telegraphs arose out of a conversation with farther than recording its grand objectives my brother early in 1845, when discussing with the registrar; although periodically re- the system of electric telegraphs, as then registered, not even a prospectus explaining recently established between London and how it was to achieve these ambitions Slough2; and, in considering the practicability objectives was ever published. of an entire underground communication, th the question arose between us, “If possible On 14 November 1846, the Bretts’ re-registered underground, why not under water?” and their company with the even more grandiose “If under water, why not along the bed of title of the General Oceanic & Subterranean the ocean?” The possibility of a submarine Electric Printing Telegraph Company, combining telegraph then seized upon my mind with a their geographic ambitions with their patent positive conviction; and I was ignorant until for the type printing telegraph. Once again three or four years since that a line across the this got no further than provisional registration Channel had been previously projected by that and was never an active concern. talented philosopher, Professor Wheatstone, To get their submarine telegraph projects off (who, it will be remembered, with Mr Cooke, the ground, John Watkins Brett sold a large first introduced the electric telegraph into number of his paintings at Christie’s auction this country,) and also of the experiments by house in King Street, St James’s, on 23-24th frictional electricity during the last century3 April 1847. These raised £6,788 towards their and to send a current across rivers.” 4 new enterprise. in the courts of law, although they were both In addition to acquiring the patent, the to maintain on numerous occasions that it In London, the same year, the Electric fraternal loan permitted Jacob Brett, engineer, demonstrated, at least, their moral priority Telegraph Company had come to an of 2 Hanover Square, London, and Alexander in introducing submarine telegraphy to the agreement with Charles Samuel West who, in Prince, patent agent, of 14 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, world. 1846, had laid an experimental India rubber London, as the promoters, to provisionally insulated cable in Portsmouth Harbour, th register the General Ocean Telegraphic Company On 20 March 1857, John Watkins Brett gave to construct an underwater circuit to join “a Discourse” to the members of the Royal England with France. However, the Electric 2. This is a reference to Cooke & Wheatstone’ telegraphic service between Padding- Institution, during which he explained how, ton and Slough open in 1843 Telegraph Company, incorporated in 1846, “over a cup of tea”, early in 1845, he and his 3. This probably refers to the work of Stephen Grey (1666-1736) in 1720 followed was in financial difficulty, its capital had been brother first discussed the possibility of shortly afterwards by Benjamin Franklin (1706-1788), although the first successful electrostatic telegraph was not demonstrated until 1816 by Francis Ronalds (1788- consumed in completing its extensive national an electric telegraph connection across the 1873) network from London to Edinburgh and from English Channel, and then in July, in the same 4. This is a reference to the work of Dr. Samuel Thomas Soemmerring (1755-1830 ) and 66 Baron Pavel L’Vovitsch Schilling (1786-1837) Liverpool to Norwich, and it had not enjoyed the revenues that they had forecast, because to Emperor Napoleon III of France. In the telegraphy had yet to catch the public’s political turmoil that followed, the Bretts imagination. Crucially the only telegraph line could not find the money or the will to further that the Electric Telegraph Company did not the project and were obliged to surrender the control was the one installed alongside the concession. However, the connection had London and Dover railway in 1846; this route been made with the French Government and had been licensed by Cooke & Wheatstone, Jacob Brett was able to negotiate a second the patentees, to the South Eastern Railway 10 year concession for the cross-channel Company. The railway refused to surrender monopoly, which was signed by Napoleon its rights and, what was worse for the Electric’s III, in Paris on 10th August 1849. A significant plans; it was investigating the possibility of clause within this concession required that a laying its own cable to France. This opened cable be laid between England and France, the door for the Bretts. and messages successfully transmitted within Eventually, £25,000 was subscribed, but with twelve months of its grant, otherwise it too the dead-line looming for the loss of the In the mid nineteenth century there was a would become void. significant difference between the “permission” concession a quick solution was required, of the British Government to land cables in the The concessionaires were Jacob Brett, John and so the famous Goliath expedition, of 28th UK and the “concession” of a monopoly by the Watkins Brett and Frederic Toché. These August 1850, was hurriedly implemented6. French authorities to land cables in France. The men did not intend to risk their own money With regard to the 28th August expedition, British parliament had no desire to intervene on constructing and working the cable; F C Webb, who later became an eminent in private business, and certainly would not such capital as they had available had been telegraph cable engineer, wrote a memoir of grant any form of monopoly, an anathema to sunk in procuring the rights. So, on 31st his experiences during that first cable-laying the politics of the time. However, in France the December 1849, la Compagnie du télégraphe voyage. In it he noted, with reference to Jacob matter was very different; King Louis-Philippe sous-marin entre la France et l’Angleterre, Brett, that; “Little Mr Brett came fussing about (1773-1850) the last of the Bourbon monarchs was established in Paris under government our men with such impracticable orders that was happy to grant monopoly concessions. charter. The company was known in England at last they deliberately entangled him in the Through the influence of Antoine François as the “Electric Telegraph Company between loose slack, so that he did not come there Passy (1792-1873), the first concession to land France and England”, and was set up to make again.” Finally Webb wrote; “When we got and operate an electric telegraph was obtained and lay the telegraph cables, but in addition off Cape Grisnez we anchored, and a type by Jacob Brett. The concession stated that, if to purchase Jacob Brett’s patent for the type- printing instrument was put in circuit in the the telegraph was built without cost to the printing telegraph apparatus. Despite its cabin. The instrument began to print off a French state, then the concessionaires could joint-stock structure it attracted very few jumble of letters, and Mr Brett tore the slip have a total monopoly of rights and revenues investors and struggled to find finance in up, although it was a record of the first signals between the two countries for a period of 10 either London or Paris. . Only £2,000 was across the Straits.” years. subscribed by the public and the project had to be rescued at the last moment by Thomas Before the cable failed the concessionaires were However, the Bretts were to be disappointed, Russell Crampton (1816-1888), a railway and able to convince the French Government that because in 1848 Louis-Philippe was deposed locomotive engineer, who provided virtually they had actually met the requirements of the by Citizen Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte (1808- 5 all of the necessary start-up money . concession. The concession was confirmed on 1873), who rapidly escalated his role from 19th December 1850, by an agreement between prime minister to Prince-President and finally 67 5. See Back Reflection Issue 54 6. See Back Reflection Issue 53 Alphonse Foy, the director of telegraphs, and Baronet and the Hon Frederick Cadogan (1821- the Société Carmichael et Compagnie, when Sir Jacob Brett, on behalf of the concessionaires. 1904), as well as the civil engineer Charlton James Carmichael became the figurehead of With the short lived success and the attendant James Wollaston (1820-1915). Together these this concern, and managing director of the publicity in England and France investors men personally owned the French concession Submarine Telegraph Company. In 1890, the were much easier to attract. The 1851 cable for the cross-channel cable. Alphonse Foy Submarine Telegraph Company came under the was to be based on Crampton’s cable design once again signed the document for the French control of the British General Post Office, by but the project ran into patent infringement administration. It is notable that Jacob Brett virtue of Benjamin Disraeli (1804-1881)’s 1868 problems with Robert Sterling Newall (1812- was entirely eliminated from this, the working Telegraph Act. 89)7. The armoured cable was finally laid concession. However, its representative by Red Rover on 25th September 1851 for the agents in London were still the firm of J Brett, While the risky works of 1851 were in progress Submarine Telegraph Company. Toché & Company. the Société de Mauley et Cie. did not rest idle, they approached the King of the Belgians for The Submarine Telegraph Company opened John Watkins Brett had severely over- a monopoly of electric telegraph cable landing for business from London though Dover rights in his country. This was granted to extended his capital in securing the concession and Calais to Paris, on 13th November 1851 and in establishing the Submarine Telegraph the Submarine Telegraph Company between with a revised nominal capital of 2,500,000 Great Britain and the Continent of Europe. This Company. To complete the project he had francs or £100,000 in 5,000 shares. Its route to allow others into the concession with the was yet another elaborate title, so common was by the submarine cable from Calais to to the Brett enterprises, and was formed to French, diluting his stake and that of his Dover. From Dover messages were passed to brother. However, the risk had been worth it. acquire public capital for the construction and the South Eastern Railway for telegraphing operation of the submarine cable. This was With the assistance of his new partners and by to its London Bridge Terminus, and then by mobilising his allies in the daily and financial a British company, incorporated in London messenger to the telegraph company’s office. and secured limited liability protection for its press the investing public were convinced of There is no evidence that Jacob Brett’s type- the viability and value of the submarine cable share-holders by means of a Royal Charter printing telegraph was ever used on this th and gradually bought shares in the joint-stock on 14 April 1851. The Belgian decree for the successful cable. The company, after trying st company. This investment enabled him to concession was finalised on 21 February 1852. Foy’s apparatus resorted to This cable, which copied the construction liquidate part of his holding, thus recovering using Cooke & Wheatstone’s his initial losses. of the French cable, was successfully laid instruments, which were by between South Foreland, Dover in England then out-of-patent. In order to install the 1851 cable, a further and Middle Kirk, Ostend in Belgium in May concession was required from Napoleon III and went into service on 20th June, 1853. and this was granted on 23rd October 1851 for This concessionary ten years. It was granted to a new partnership partnership was to change There were then three “Brett” companies under French law called Wollaston et Compagnie, its membership and title existing in parallel; the Submarine Telegraph in which John Watkins Brett was just a junior over the succeeding years. Company between France and England of 1849, participant. The partners to the concession for First, Charlton Wollaston Submarine Telegraph Company between Great the cable, Wollaston et Cie., were, in contrast withdrew and it became Britain and the Continent of Europe of April 1851 to some of John’s previous, more dubious, known as de Mauley et and European & American Electric Type-printing sources of finance, all titled gentlemen of good Cie; then the elderly Lord Telegraph Company of August 1851. These character. They were William Ponsonby, Lord de Mauley died in 1855 three companies came to a working agreement th de Mauley (1787-1855), Sir James Carmichael and for the rest of its for mutual cooperation on 19 August 1852, existence it was known as an agreement that was to last for two years. 68 7. See Back Reflection Issues 54 & 55 There followed a series of amalgamations with of its connections with the entire Continent metropolitan France with their colony of the companies competing with the dominant of Europe; even then it was a multi-million Algeria, across the Mediterranean. It was to be Electric Telegraph Company. The European pound enterprise. It was a far cry from his undertaken in co-operation with the Kingdom company was bought in 1854 by the British “showman” days in America in the 1830s, of Sardinia, whose realm then included Telegraph Company, which had circuits in the but now he was surrounded by professional Piedmont, with its capital in Turin. The north of England and Scotland, as well as its company directors, hard-nosed merchants from company that was formed for this enterprise own cable to Ireland. This in turn merged with London, Liverpool, Manchester and Glasgow was La Société du télégraphe électrique sous-marin the Magnetic Telegraph Company to form, in who understood the stock markets and keenly de la Méditerranée, pour la correspondance avec 1857, the British & Irish Magnetic Telegraph watched the value of their investment. His l’Algérie et les Indes. In London, it was known Company. The Submarine Telegraph Company influence in the telegraph industry was being as the Mediterranean Telegraph Company. The and the British and Irish Magnetic Telegraph diluted as his wealth increased. full capital of the company was 7,500,000 francs Company came to a monopoly agreement on (£300,000); the Government of France was to 12th April 1859 by which they would only use At a banquet given in 1852, to celebrate the guarantee interest of 4% on 4,500,000 francs, the each other’s circuits for foreign and domestic opening of the submarine telegraph between Government of Sardinia 5% on 3,000,000 francs. messages. In each of these alliances and England and France, John W Brett stated that mergers John Watkins Brett passed seamlessly “not only Paris and Vienna, but Constantinople, There were five elements to this complicated from board to board, acquiring larger and Calcutta, Peking, and America, will in a few project: [1] a cable of six cores from Capo Santa larger stakes in these domestic companies. years be next-door neighbours”. True to this Croces, near Spezzia in Piedmont, to Cap Corse promise the circuits of the European Telegraph on Corsica, [2] land lines across the island of When the British company absorbed the Company between London and Dover Corsica from Cap Corse to Bonifacio; [3] a cable European concern the ‘French’ and ‘Belgian’ and of the cable from Dover to Calais had of six cores from Bonifacio, Corsica, to Santa cable firms henceforth traded simply as the allowed for two extra cores to accommodate Theresa, Sardinia, [4] land lines from Santa Submarine Telegraph Company, trading from its communication with the Mediterranean. Theresa across the island of Sardinia to Cagliari original office at 30 Cornhill, City of London. and to Capo Spartivento (Capo Teulada), and The Company was to greatly expand its cable Due to the success of the Submarine Telegraph finally [5] a 125 mile long deep sea cable of six network in the later 1850s. It laid a long circuit Company, the Imperial French authorities cores from Spartivento to the coast of Algeria, from Cromer to Emden in Hanover, in Germany, were encouraged to grant John W Brett and and along to the frontier of Tunisia at Bone. The in November 1858, and an even longer one his partners a huge new concession to run Sardinians were to pay interest on the costs of from Cromer to the island of Heligoland and for fifty years from 2nd July 1853 – connecting parts 1, 3 and 4 once they were completed, the to Denmark in July 1859. Neither of these two lines lasted very long; war between Prussia and Denmark in 1863 disrupted both cables and they were abandoned. The Submarine Telegraph Company from then on relied on its connections with Belgium and France for its subsequent revenues. By 22nd April 1857 John Watkins Brett was a director of the second largest domestic telegraph company in Britain, with circuits throughout England, Wales, Scotland and 69 Ireland, as well as the company managing all the telegraph from Spezzia to Cagliari, a distance of 600 miles on 15th April 1855. This was a great achievement in more ways than one, given that Britain, France and Sardinia were at war with Russia, and, quite literally, all steam shipping was taken up with military transports to the Crimea.

After this success John convinced the French Government to increase its guarantee of interest to 5% on 17th July 1855, to attract further capital for the riskiest element of the project. The initial attempt to lay the 125 mile long cable from Sardinia to Algeria was started on 25th September 1855. The six core cable weighed 7½ tons per mile, in air, and was manufactured at Glass, Elliot & Company’s factory in Greenwich (now Alcatel-Lucent). It was coiled on board a sailing ship, the Result, which was towed by a steamer and escorted by the Imperial Navy’s Aviso and the steam yacht Tartare. The waters turned out to be far deeper than any that had previously been encountered when attempting to lay cable; this resulted in the cable parting and it proved French to pay interest similarly on the rest of half-brother and fixer-in-chief of the Emperor, impossible to recover. the lines. The six cores were divided: two for Napoleon III, these were all members of the France, two for Sardinia and two for public use board of the original Submarine Telegraph The Emperor of France was pleased to appoint by the company for projected circuits between Company. Interestingly, de Morny had a large Jacob Brett chevalier du Légion d’honneur during Britain and the Indies. and remarkably fine collection of paintings. November 1855 on the recommendation of the panel of judges of the Universal Exposition Profits were to be divided, according to the Jacob Brett and Gaetano Bonelli, the director for his work on the Channel cable. There provisions of the concession, 5% to a reserve of telegraphs in Sardinia, were appointed appears to have been some confusion as John or insurance fund not to exceed 500,000 joint engineers. Glass, Elliot & Company was Watkins Brett was present in Paris at the time francs in total, 19% to the managers of the commissioned to manufacture heavy duty and Jacob was not. It was John not Jacob concession, and 76% to the shareholders. cables for the submarine sections and the who was initially summoned to receive the The sole responsible manager or gérant was Mediterranean company took on the laying of award. Only at the last moment was the error John Watkins Brett, the conseil de surveillance the cables itself. discovered and the “right” Brett found. It was consisted of le Comte de Morny, John subsequently rumoured in France that it was Masterman, Samuel Laing, William Chaplin, Initially all went well: the first two six-core the failure of the Algerian cable that prevented Sir James Carmichael Bt and Ernest Bunsen. cables were laid in July 1854, and the land lines completed with little difficulty, opening John Watkins Brett receiving a similar honour. 70 With the exception of the Comte de Morny, the The operation was, once again, hopelessly mismanaged; by Newall’s own account his engineers confused kilograms and pounds weight of pressure, leading to the braking on the cable for the first half of the lay being inadequate and resulted in a massive loss of cable, as it ran away in a water depth of 1,500 fathoms. Once again the cable ran out short of the shore, this time at the Sardinian end. It was not until 30th October 1857, two months later, that Newall obtained the additional ten miles of cable and completed the connection to Sardinia. The second attempt to connect Cagliari with eight-foot diameter drum and had insufficient Africa, with a new cable, was commenced on holdback capability, leading to “runaways”. th However, only two of the four cores (or just 7 August 1856 using the ship Dutchman, once On one occasion, two miles of cable ran out one according to J W Brett) proved workable, again escorted by the armed yacht Tartare. in five minutes. During the second attempt these were taken by the French to fulfil the Money was now short and so Glass, Elliot the towing vessel, was driven of course by concession and Newall was forbidden by the & Company were commissioned to make a adverse currents which led to more cable being authorities from interfering further with the much lighter cable, weighing 4½ tons per mile paid out than was planned. The Dutchman ran cable. The Mediterranean company was left and containing just three cores. This number out of cable five miles short of the Algerian with no revenue earning circuits. Newall, was of cores was the bare minimum under the shore. She hung on to the end of the cable, subsequently severely critical of John W Brett; concession: two for the French government in 500 fathoms of water, whilst a desperate oddly blaming the cable’s subsequent failures and one for the Mediterranean company’s message was sent, by telegraph, to Glass, on the lack of land line connections at Capo commercial traffic. Elliot in London for thirty miles of additional Spartivento in Sardinia and at Bone in Africa, cable. However, after five days, the cable The mechanical arrangements of this, and the rather than his materials and management. broke in heavy seas and, once again, could not According to Newall there was, originally, first attempt, were in the hands of Jacob Brett be recovered. and proved totally inadequate. In addition, no only one telegraphic connection at Capo Spartivento and none at Bone, so temporary proper survey of the sea bed between Sardinia There was a third and final attempt by the land lines had to be rigged to complete the and Algeria had been undertaken for either Mediterranean company to lay a cable from system. When Brett presented to the Royal attempt. Without the benefit of a survey, the Cagliari to Bone on 7th September 1857. In Institution this third attempt had yet to take water depth proved to be far greater than had some desperation the Company turned to place, but he later claimed that the cable been anticipated, leading to serious problems R S Newall & Company. In return for a insulation was inadequate and Newall did not with the cable-laying operations. The laying promise of £50,000 Newall agreed to make allow sufficient mileage for contingencies; that operation for both cables had to be restarted and lay a smaller four-core, 3½ ton per mile Newall made “a very poor cable”. after commencing from Capo Spartivento. cable of his own specification and at his own The first attempt failed after 30 miles were risk. The cable was laid from the steamer In 1858, Newall was commissioned by the laid, the second after 17 miles. The first cable Elba with Gaetano Bonelli of the Sardinian Company to restore the Africa cable. The Elba was allowed to abrade on the laying vessel’s telegraphs and William Siemens (1823-1883), under-ran it from Sardinia for over 30 miles into bulwark and broke. The braking mechanism representing Siemens, Halske & Company, 700 fathoms water depth and made repairs. 71 which controlled the pay-out speed was an acting as electrical advisor to Newall, on board. Two wires in the Sardinia to Algeria cable were 1854, with a letter endorsing a provisional still working for the French Government in agreement on what was described as “Brett February 1860, and for a period of ten days in & Gisborne’s Atlantic Cable” in which Brett July 1860 the company contrived to get all four wrote reassuringly, “I neither wish to absorb cores working. They used Siemens & Halske’s between Europe and America from the very all the fame, or other than divide the profits”. keys, receivers and relays and twenty to thirty beginning of his interest in telegraphy. Brett was then appointed sole London director Daniell cells to work the long submarine of the New York, Newfoundland & London circuits. Under Newall’s control, the Elba Some might say that the title “Father of Telegraph Company. Molesworth went on to managed to recover a hundred miles of the Submarine Telegraphy” should go to Cyrus W describe how Field was to eliminate Gisborne 1855 and 1856 cables, including an enormous Field (1819-1892). However, it was ten years from the company on buying-out the previous number of kinks and one major mass of tangled after Brett developed an interest in telegraphy shareholders. cable, from the shore end at Capo Spartivento. that Cyrus Field changed the course of his Newall wittily termed this a ‘Gordian knot’; life and acquired an interest in the New York, In early 1855, while Field was progressing during the authors days at sea these tangles Newfoundland & London Telegraph Company. his ideas in New York, Brett was developing were more colourfully described as a “Bunch This change occurred in the spring of 1854, his plan with Gisborne and had launched of Buggers”. The Africa cable finally expired when he was introduced, by his brother, to a provisional or draft prospectus for the at the end of 1860. Frederick Newton Gisborne (1824-1892)8. European & American Submarine Telegraph Company for uniting Europe and America with To cover their outstanding costs the company a capital of £750,000 in shares of £5. This Field was a man of great dynamism and was compelled to launch an obligation or loan company was declared to be the legal successor enthusiasm and this often led to expensive of 1,250,000 francs (£50,000) in 100 franc notes to Brett’s original ‘General Ocean Telegraphic diversions. Like Brett, he had no technical redeemable at 125 francs through a sinking Company’ of 1845. The provisional board in knowledge and to correct this weakness he fund over twenty-five years between 1858 London was drawn from Brett’s allies in the engaged the services of Samuel Finley Breese and 1882, and on which they were to pay a successful Submarine Telegraph Company; the Morse (1791-1972), as his electrical advisor. fierce 7½ % interest per annum, indicating New York board was left blank. The office the risk the company was taking on. By 1860, In September 1859, a John Molesworth wrote to of ‘Consulting Electrician’ was pencilled- in an unusual turn of events, the registered the Times describing in considerable detail John in as “Professor Michael Faraday FRS” – an office of the Mediterranean Telegraph Company Watkins Brett’s long-held interest in the Atlantic appointment that history has shown should was moved out of the City of London to J W cable, quoting from Brett’s correspondence. definitely have been confirmed. Brett’s mansion at 2 Hanover Square. By the Brett had written to Frederick Gisborne, on Around this time there seems to have been following year, he had been eliminated from 12th July 1852, acknowledging receipt of his a breakdown of trust between the Brett its management and its board of directors, initial plans for a telegraph company. In a brothers. From 1855, Jacob Brett, the nominal which was then repatriated entirely to France. letter to Gisborne, dated 20th May 1853, Brett “engineer” to the Channel cable and for the insisted that, rather than relying on steamers From 1845 onwards, John Watkins Brett’s Mediterranean lines, scarcely features in any for the connection between Canada and telegraphic ambition had included the Atlantic; role. Even the last patent for the type-printing London, an epic cable between Newfoundland he had the knowledge and connections with telegraph was taken out in the name of J W and Ireland was the proper option. On 8th America, especially in New York. It was his Brett, not his brother. It is probable that the July 1853, Brett advised Gisborne to secure a forte to identify such opportunities and from expensive failure of the Sardinia to Africa cable monopoly for landing rights from the colonial there to gather and influence investors, often was the primary cause of this estrangement. authorities. This all came together on 21st April with subtle and discrete tactics. It is certain Whatever the case, by 1855 Jacob Brett had 72 that Brett was set on a submarine cable 8. See Back Reflection Issue 67 taken independent offices, and possibly even Field. This prospectus effectively combined assistance of the Submarine Telegraph Company’s residence, at 12 Pall Mall East, near Trafalgar the boards of the Newfoundland Company instrument maker, James Blunt. He also gave Square, London, as a “submarine telegraph and Brett’s provisional American Submarine Whitehouse access to the long subterranean patentee”. Company. and submarine lines, which his companies controlled, for two years of experiments. Cyrus Field took a steamer to Liverpool late Despite the massive superstructure the in 1854 and finally met with John W Brett in Atlantic Telegraph Company was and remained, Whilst physicists such as Michael Faraday London. On 22nd January 1855, the New York, for several years, effectively in the hands of (1791-1867) and George Airy (1801-92), as Newfoundland & London Telegraph Company, four promoters; Cyrus Field, John Watkins well as the engineers and electricians of formed by F N Gisborne and now controlled Brett, Charles Tilston Bright and Dr Edward the telegraph companies, were studying by Cyrus Field, having a monopoly concession Orange Wildman Whitehouse (1816-90). This the problem of retardation, Dr Whitehouse for landing cables on Newfoundland and quartet had it written into the company’s deed quickly proposed his own empirical solution. Labrador in North America, transferred its of settlement that they were to receive one-half He discovered, he said, that high-voltages rights to John Watkins Brett for £2,190 (10,000 of all profits above 10% for their efforts up to created by large galvanic batteries and dollars). This effectively gave John W Brett 1856. Subsequently, in 1858, this was altered to induction coils could be used with a small- the exclusive privileges for establishing the a sum of £75,000 in new shares in proportion diameter, and therefore much cheaper, copper Atlantic cable in London. that clearly illustrates their relationship, Field conductor for the proposed intercontinental receiving 37½%, Brett 37½%, Bright 16⅔% and cable. Whitehouse’s work was not particularly Over the next few months, Field was busying Whitehouse 8⅓%. original; he was deeply influenced by the work himself recruiting allies and technical of Professor Nicholas Callan (1799-1864) of endorsement for the Atlantic cable in Britain. It was John Watkins Brett who introduced Maynooth College in Ireland, inventor of the John W Brett introduced him to the youthful Whitehouse to the Atlantic Telegraph induction coil that was later commercialised and supremely ambitious Charles Tilston Company. Whether this was due to by Heinrich Ruhmkorff (1803-77). Whitehouse Bright (1832-88), engineer to the English & Irish some residual enmity with Morse (Field’s carefully patented his own new apparatus Magnetic Telegraph Company and the creator consultant) or because Brett’s felt he needed before demonstrating it to the promoters of of their successful cables between Scotland to have his own technical man in the project the Atlantic Cable over ever-longer lines of and Ireland. Bright’s precise contribution remains unclear. Whitehouse was a medical wire, including 1,125 miles of underground to the Atlantic Cable has been obscured by practitioner and scientific investigator in circuits on the Magnetic Telegraph Company subsequent events; few of the engineering many fields and had developed his own views in England, gaining the enthusiastic public specifications that survive bear his name and on telegraphic apparatus. On meeting John endorsement of the visiting “electrician” S F his influence in the crucial laying operations of W Brett in 1854, Whitehouse demonstrated a B Morse. According to Morse, the problem of the cable was insignificant. However, he was five-wire chemical telegraph system that he ‘retardation’ was solved. knighted by Queen Victoria in August 1858, on had developed; proposing that it be used to the completion of the successful Agamemnon & communicate verbatim passages of the House Nigeria lay, for his contribution to the project. of Commons proceedings to the press. Brett dismissed this idea, but was so impressed The prospectus for the Atlantic Telegraph by the man’s enthusiasm, that he challenged Company was launched in London and New him to solve the problem of sending electric York on November 1, 1856. It had a massive signals through long underwater cables, board of directors, comprising twenty-nine overcoming the effect known as ‘retardation’. people, they were a mix of American and Brett provided him with instruments and the 73 British, under the management of Cyrus Charles Tilston induction machines that generating the a series of questions allegedly unanswered Bright equivalent of 2,000 volts were introduced and, by the company’s board of directors. It was in most opinions, contributed significantly claimed that of the £75,000 raised for the to the destruction of the already-damaged Calais to Dover cable in 1851 only £15,000 had insulation of the small-diameter cable been spent on the works; of the £80,000 capital of the Ostend cable, just £33,000 had gone on Brett’s connection with Whitehouse may well its construction – the balance, ‘Shareholder’ have irreparably damaged his relationship claimed, had been spent by John W Brett on with the Atlantic Telegraph Company. The unexplained “concessions and preliminary history and final success of the Anglo-American expenses”. ‘Shareholder’ also stated that the Telegraph Company was to proceed without roles of sole gérant or manager, concession- much assistance from John Watkins Brett. In holder and contractor for the works of the the final few years of his life he was beset with Mediterranean Electric Telegraph Company a series of problems that distracted him from had been combined in Brett to the detriment this great work. of the French and British shareholders.

His directorship of the British & Irish Magnetic This outburst compelled the Submarine Telegraph Company led John W Brett into Company to reveal to the public its fragile another set of crises. In 1859, the Magnetic early finances, how the promoters had company promoted the London District surrendered much of their interest to attract Telegraph Company to provide 100 stations the minimum capital needed for the very first in the metropolis, intending to delivery cable and that the board, including John W telegrams anywhere in the city within a half Brett, had provided the entire capital for the In September 1858, John W Brett was to claim hour of receipt. It was not a major operation Belgian cable from their own resources as the that he had been dubious of Whitehouse’s but it was, it seems, cursed from the outset. public would not subscribe. The August 1861 claims, even hinting that he felt the doctor The decision was taken, based on cost, to build general meeting of the shareholders of the was demanding too much money for the overhead wiring above the streets of the city. British & Irish Magnetic Telegraph Company patent rights to his induction machines. Brett This approach was attacked by the public as all was another blow to Brett. His re-election as also claimed that it was Cyrus Field, who, previous urban circuits had been laid invisibly director, until then a formality, was rejected by having met with and been taken-in by their underground. In addition, the company a majority of thirty-three to three votes. apparent technical brilliance, insisted that both contracted for the installation works failed in Whitehouse and the young Charles Bright be the first year. There was also no great rush for In 1861, the French shareholders of the brought in as co-promoters of the Atlantic shares. Its company publicity promised a lot, Mediterranean Telegraph Company sued Telegraph Company. but in fact it delivered a slow and unreliable Carmichael et Cie., the concession holders, and service. In 1861, John Watkins Brett was tasked John Watkins Brett, the sole gérant (manager), John W Brett’s track-record in technical matters by the Magnetic Company to re-organise its for the equivalent of £80,000, claiming was not good; Cyrus Field’s even less so. Dr management and find efficiencies. negligence after the repeated failures to Whitehouse was very plausible in the new complete the cable to Algiers. This massive scientific field of electricity, especially as his By 1863, the spectre of financial disaster was law suit extended not just to the civil courts claims were accompanied by what appeared looming. An anonymous ‘Shareholder’ in the in France but to criminal liability in the person to be good empirical evidence. When the Submarine Telegraph Company wrote to the of Brett himself as gérant. This was on top of 74 cable was completed in 1858 the Whitehouse Times newspaper on 23rd April 1861, cataloguing the continuing problems with the failure of In early 1864, a small number of moving Pender (1816-1896). Field was undoubtedly the 1858 Atlantic Cable9. In addition, none obituaries were given by the Royal Geographic the driving force behind the Atlantic Telegraph of Brett’s speculations in the Mediterranean Society, the Journal of the Society of Arts that pushed the project forward through its Sea had done well; the long strategic circuits and the Telegraphic Journal, but curiously many trials and tribulations to a successful to Ottoman Turkey and Egypt were never none of the principle newspapers or the conclusion. Pender was a significant but less started; only the abbreviated Extension lines other major technical journals of the time heralded figure in the success of the Atlantic to the small, but politically-important islands included his obituary. At the half-yearly Cable, establishing The Telegraph Construction of Malta and Corfu were completed, and these meeting of the shareholders of the Submarine and Maintenance Company, before building were not huge revenue earners. Telegraph Company on Friday, 4th March 1864, the greatest submarine telegraph operating the chairman Sir James Carmichael Bt, the company of the age, The Eastern & Associate Apart from picture dealing Brett was left for then Chairman, made the announcement of Telegraph Companies10. He was dubbed the real income with his original, but still valuable, his death in which he stated that Professor “Cable King”, during his own life time. interest in the Submarine Telegraph Company Morse had called John W Brett “the father Despite the great achievements of these two and a less valuable participation in the newly of submarine telegraphy”. With an all too exceptional men, I can’t help but think that combined British & Irish Magnetic Telegraph typical demonstration of bad manners, Morse they stood on the shoulders of the Bristolian. Company. He was also, at that time, a director publically denied giving this accolade to Brett; Brett began living their common dream a of the Atlantic, Submarine and Mediterranean choosing rather to appropriate this title to full decade before the other two entered the Extension Telegraph companies. himself, as he tended to do with all matters arena and he was, clearly, the real trail blazer. relating to telegraphy. The meetings of the Whether this warrants bestowing the accolade On 3rd December 1863, John Watkins Brett died Mediterranean Extension and Atlantic Telegraph “Father of Submarine Telegraphy” on John at the Coton Hill Institution for the Insane in companies on 22nd January, and 15th March, Watkins Brett I will leave it to the readers to Stafford. This Institution, established in 1851, respectively, merely noted the need to replace decide. was close to the house of his sister, Caroline Brett on their boards. Jane Wileman, which was at Longton Hall, In preparing this edition of Back Reflection, Fenton, Staffordshire. Whether or not John John Watkins Brett had been a member of the the author is greatly indebted to the research succumbed to the pressure of all his business British Association for the Advancement of and writings of the late Steven Roberts. worries is unclear. The cause of his death was Science (from 1854), of the Royal Horticultural not made public; it was however described Society (1860), of the Royal Society of Arts & as an “illness” rather than, for example, an Sciences (1861), as well as the Art Union of accident. He was interred in the family vault London and the British Meteorological Society. in the churchyard of Westbury-on-Trym, None of these fine institutions chose to mark Bristol. his passing.

Although the criminal suit ended with his Through a colourful and relatively short life death, the series of existing, civil law suits John Watkins Brett was undoubtedly a major against the estate of J W Brett as the gérant of the contributor to the genesis of our industry. Mediterranean Submarine Electric Telegraph, Of the early pioneering entrepreneurs, there in France, for mismanagement continued for are probably only three men with the vision, several years, delaying the settlement of his courage and tenacity to be in the running for the will. accolade “Father of Submarine Telegraphy”; John Watkins Brett, Cyrus W Field and Sir John 75 9. See Back Reflection Issue 69 10. See Back Reflection Issue 60 .com

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78 by Kevin G. Summers

have friends all over the world and My uncle in New Hampshire sent me to say that I don't enjoy the occasional that wouldn't be possible without pictures of a 10 point buck that my aunt piece of real mail, but having the ability I submarine cables and unreliable 3G shot up in the Great North Woods. It was to communicate so easily, so quickly, has coverage from my cell phone provider. almost like I was there, except I didn't changed the world. have to help with the butchering. My best friend from middle school lives So, gentle readers, I'm challenging you in Boston, but we are able to talk about A young lady that I mentored is now to use this amazing technology for good. our kids or the new iPhone just as if we touring all over the United States in a Reach out to someone that you haven't still lived in the same neighborhood. professional production of Mama Mia. talked to in years, someone that might I'm able to keep up with her if she's in need a friend, and tell them that you care. I exchanged numerous emails with a Florida or Ohio or even the people's Tell them that someone in Amissville friend in Italy who helped with some of state of Michigan. or Paris or Honolulu or Cape Town is the content of this issue. thinking of them. It's amazing to think of how we can I met a new friend the other day, a communicate with people across town Do it now. fellow author who lives on a farm in or across the world now and we think Texas. We talked about raising hogs and so little of it. From my office in Virginia, writing over morning coffee from over a I can reach out and exchange ideas with thousand miles away. someone on the other side of the world.

I have another friend with whom I'd lost I just did. I sent an email to somone in touch after high school that has moved to China. China! I couldn't do that when I South Korea to teach English as a second was growing up. We wrote letters and language. We had a nice conversation hoped they wouldn't get lost in the mail the other day about old times. as we waited and waited for a reply. Not 79