Intercontinental telecommunications did not appear out of nowhere, since the evolution of the global Internet It has taken years to get to the point where it is today, with high-quality WiFi routers or Ethernet cables with powerful and stable connections.
While you browse the web in Chrome, send messages on Instagram or WhatsApp, or make video calls from Discord and Microsoft Teams, The original infrastructure remains “forgotten” under thousands of meters of water.
This is the TAT‑8, the first transoceanic fiber optic cable of the world that, in the beginning, marked a before and after, but today it is obsolete and is being removed from the bottom of the sea to be recycled after serving its purpose for decades.
Nowadays, everything is taken for granted and that is why knowing a little more about the importance of this event It is necessary to continue technological development.
If you’ve ever wondered how humanity went from campfires and caves to WiFi, trust me, this information is going to open your eyes.
The first fiber optic cable to connect continents marks the end of an era
Where does the Internet come from? Have you ever asked yourself that question? Not everything revolves around the operator or the giant servers of large companies, but rather an infrastructure that goes beyond, and are The cables that connect countries to the Internet are under the sea.
Yes, as you read, these are strategically positioned in maritime parts of the planet so that international Internet can be used. The history of the submarine cable network that cross all the oceans began with the Transatlantic Telecommunications Cable No. 8 (TAT‑8) in 1988.
Your installation It was essential to connect the United States with Europe across the Atlanticbecoming the first transoceanic fiber optic system.
Hose-thick copper, steel and polyethylene cables were positioned kilometers deep, stretching out to generate a kind of “global marine spider web.”
Supported by companies such as AT&T, British Telecom and France Telecom, The main idea of the project was to make way for the modern Internet, since they work with light pulses in thin glass filaments that transmit high speeds and allow a more advanced connection.
Literally, the world’s Internet depends on them, so you would not have video calls, online games, financial transactions, social networks or other actions that you normally do on a daily basis today.
Perhaps that is why China wanted to cut the cables to paralyze global connections. However, a report from Wired magazine indicates that it has come to an end and this network It is going to begin to be retired because it stopped working in 2002 and it is only taking up space on routes that would serve for other connections.
TAT-8 recycling is a recovery operation as complex as it is fascinating
The team of Subsea Environmental Services is the one who is in charge of carrying out this operation. The objective is recover the underwater cables using the ship MV Maasvliet.
With this technology, it is possible to locate the main lines with the help of a specialized anchor that allows you to slide along the entire connection to hook it.
This is going to be one of the most complicated stages, because after more than 20 years in the depths, it may have moved from its initial position or that it is sunken under the sand, so it is like finding a “lost treasure”, especially since it is located in sections.
However, once it is achieved, it will be brought to the surface to begin extraction by hand. When the work is completed, it will make way for a modern network of fiber optic cables that is more efficient.
In turn, TAT-8 will be sent to South Africa for final recyclingfrom which it is planned to obtain copper, steel and other valuable materials that could be used in other technological areas.