According to various experts, the consequences of cable breaks in the Red Sea in 2024 will account for 25% of traffic loss in Europe and Asia. RETN ‘s research shows that the actual disruption of data traffic is underestimated and amounts to 70%.
After analyzing the Internet traffic flow of the world’s largest operators, analyzing the company’s own extensive network, and the main consumers of Internet service providers in Southeast Asia, RETN came to the conclusion that real traffic disruptions reached 70%. The results and details of the study are published in a new report Building the networks of tomorrow: Engineering reliability for long-term success.
Not just cable breaks
While the problems in the Red Sea and Asia-Pacific were mainly caused by submarine cable breaks, there are many other reasons to pay attention to the reliability of operators’ networks. Over the past decade, natural disasters have displaced 24 million people worldwide each year – 92% were caused by weather-related disasters, half of which were flood-related.
In addition, the millions of displaced citizens as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine are having a significant impact on the region’s Internet infrastructure. This demonstrates the need for a diversified and resilient infrastructure that can keep people connected during disruptions.
The industry does not meet current requirements
“To be perfectly frank, the industry is often not up to speed with current global connectivity requirements. With war, natural disasters, cable breaks, architecture flaws, cybersecurity attacks and supply chain shortcomings, we really aren’t too far away as an industry from entire countries becoming digitally inaccessible when one or two cables connecting them fail,” says Tony O’Sullivan, CEO of RETN.
He calls on his telecom colleagues, all network operators, to plan ethically, logically and, most importantly, long-term. The company prioritizes sustainability, innovation and ensuring that the network being built today meets the requirements of tomorrow.
At RETN, we prioritize sustainability, innovation, and ensuring that the network we build today meets the requirements of tomorrow
Insufficient routes
In addition to cable breaks, a lack of diversity in routes is also contributing to the connectivity problem, the report says.
Currently, connectivity between Asia, Africa, and Europe relies heavily on two major submarine cable systems that run through Egypt. In the event of a disruption in Egypt, the consequences for the global Internet could be critical.
In addition, disruptions in the global supply chain, including shortages of semiconductors and high-voltage cables, delay the deployment of new infrastructure, increasing the network’s vulnerability.
