Who Cut The Undersea Internet Cable And Disrupted The Internet

The internet connection of Ghana and some African countries was disrupted due to the cut of the undersea internet cable. What might have caused this? Who cut this and disrupted the internet.

The recent disruption of internet services caused widespread concern and inconvenience among citizens. This article aims to delve into the root causes of this disruption, the significance of undersea cables in global communication networks, and the efforts underway to restore internet services.

The internet outage on March 14 sent shockwaves across Ghana and some parts of Africa, affecting various sectors such as banking and telecommunications. Reports quickly surfaced, attributing the outage to damage sustained by submarine cables near Abidjan in Côte d’Ivoire. Major undersea cables impacted include the West Africa Cable System (WACS), the Africa Coast to Europe (ACE), MainOne, and SAT3, leading to downtime across West and South African countries.

Undersea cables play a pivotal role in global communication, serving as the backbone of the internet. Unlike satellites, which have limitations in reaching certain areas, submarine cables facilitate high-speed data transmission through fibre-optic technology. With trillions of dollars in daily transactions and global information exchange relying on these cables, they are vital for the functioning of the global economy and connectivity of people worldwide.

Causes of Damage

Preliminary investigations by MainOne, a digital infrastructure provider, point to an “external incident” resulting in a cut on the submarine cable system offshore Cote D’Ivoire. While human activities such as fishing and anchoring near shorelines are common causes of cable damage, the depth of the cables at the point of fault rules out such possibilities. Speculations arise regarding deliberate sabotage, with Yemen’s Houthi rebels implicated due to recent attacks on Israeli-linked freighter ships in the Red Sea.

Potential Consequences

The deliberate destruction of undersea cables poses significant threats to global internet connectivity and the economy. While natural causes or accidents can lead to cable ruptures, purposeful sabotage can have far-reaching effects, disrupting international data traffic and communication networks. The recent incidents highlight the vulnerabilities of undersea cables and the need for enhanced security measures.

Efforts to Restore Services

Efforts are underway to repair the damaged undersea cables and restore internet services. MainOne estimates a repair timeline of five weeks, involving the retrieval of spare cables, vessel transit, repair work, and cable splicing. MTN Group and its partners are also working on repairing the damaged cables, albeit without providing a specific timeline. Despite progress in some affected regions, full restoration of internet services remains contingent on successful repair efforts.

The recent disruptions to undersea cables and subsequent internet outages underscore the critical role of these cables in global communication networks. As efforts continue to restore services and investigate the causes of damage, stakeholders must prioritize security measures to safeguard against future disruptions and ensure uninterrupted connectivity for communities worldwide.