About
Submarine Cable Status shows which undersea internet cables are damaged, which are being fixed, and when they are expected back, from public sources. Every claim links to where it came from.
What you are looking at
Almost all internet traffic between countries travels through cables on the sea floor. The lines on the map are those cables. When one is damaged, it turns red on the map; when a repair is under way, it turns blue. Click a cable or an incident to see what happened, what is being done, and the sources.
What the colours and words mean
- Damaged
- The cable’s owner, operator or a regulator has confirmed a fault, and no repair is booked yet.
- Being fixed
- A repair is booked or under way: a repair ship is getting ready, on its way or on site.
- Reported
- News or other reports say there is a problem, but nobody authoritative has confirmed it yet. It may be withdrawn.
- Fixed
- The owner or a reliable source says the cable is back in service.
ETR (estimated time to restore) is when the cable’s operator, or a regulator, expects it to work again. We copy it exactly as they give it: a date, a range like “16 to 26 October”, or just “mid-October”. If they change it, the earlier date stays listed on the incident page, so you can see how it moved.
Why most people don’t notice a cable fault
Most countries are connected by several cables, and networks are built to move traffic to another cable when one fails. Usually that happens within seconds, so most people notice nothing, or a little more delay on some sites.
The impact is bigger where there are few cables: some islands and smaller countries rely on one or two, and a single fault can slow or cut their connection until it is repaired. Repairs need a specialist ship and calm weather, so they usually take days to weeks.
The Network page shows how long data takes between major cities, so you can see when traffic is taking a longer path.
Who runs it
Submarine Cable Status is a personal, non-commercial project run by one person. It has no advertising and no tracking. A person checks every incident against its sources before it is published; software only helps find leads.
Corrections and tips are welcome: email [email protected] or see Contact. You can also get email alerts about the cables you care about.