Describes the successful laying of a cable across the Atlantic Ocean in 1866, exploring the physical, financial, and technological challenges of the project and assessing the impact of the cable on the course of twentieth-century history.

The story of the laying of the trans-Atlantic cable and some of the brilliant men who helped Cyrus Field realize his absurd dream.

In our "wireless" world it is easy to take the importance of the undersea cable systems for granted, but the stakes of their successful operation are huge, as they are responsible for carrying almost all transoceanic Internet traffic. In The Undersea Network Nicole Starosielski follows these cables from the ocean depths to their landing zones on the sandy beaches of the South Pacific, bringing them to the surface of media scholarship and making visible the materiality of the wired network. In doing so, she charts the cable network's cultural, historical, geographic and environmental dimensions. Starosielski argues that the environments the cables occupy are historical and political realms, where the network and the connections it enables are made possible by the deliberate negotiation and manipulation of technology, culture, politics and geography. Accompanying the book is an interactive digital mapping project, where readers can trace cable routes, view photographs and archival materials, and read stories about the island cable hubs.

Published in association with the Radio Society of Great Britain.

Reproduction of the original: The Story of the Atlantic Cable by Charles Bright

There are many things and services in our everyday life that we take for granted, and telecommunications is one of them. We surf the internet, send emails to friends and colleagues abroad, talk to family members in foreign countries over the phone, book airline seats and make banking transactions without actually realizing and appreciating the sophisticated technology that enables us to do so. This report covers the history and nature of cables, their special status in international law, their interaction with the environment and other ocean users and, finally, the challenges of the future. It is an evidence-based synopsis that aims to improve the quality and availability of information to enhance understanding and cooperation between all stakeholders. UNEP-WCMC in collaboration with the International Cable Protection Committee and UNEP has prepared this new report to provide an objective, factual description of the sub-marine cable industry and the interaction of submarine telecommunications (which route 95% of all international communications traffic) with the marine environment. This important report seeks to focus and guide deliberations and decision making on the wise conservation and protection of the oceans in concert with their sustainable management and use.

This text presents the history of the development of fibre optic technology, explaining the scientific challenges that needed to be overcome, the range of applications and future potential for this fundamental communications technology.

DescriptionThis book provides a detailed overview of the evolution of undersea communications systems, with emphasis on the most recent breakthroughs of optical submarine cable technologies based upon Wavelength Division Multiplexing, optical amplification, new-generation optical fibers, and high-speed digital electronics. The role played by submarine-communication systems in the development of high-speed networks and associated market demands for multiplying Internet and broadband services is also covered.Importance of This TopicThis book will fill the gap between highly specialized papers from large international conferences and broad-audience technology review updates. The book provides a full overview of the evolution in the field and conveys the dimension of the large undersea projects. In addition, the book uncovers the myths surrounding marine operations and installations in that domain, which have remained known so far to only very few specialists.