Private telecom and technology companies own and operate nearly all submarine internet cables, which carry 99% of global internet traffic. These companies invest heavily in laying and maintaining the vast network of fiber-optic cables that connect continents and enable international. Google alone owns six active submarine cables. This represents a big shift from the past when these cables were mainly owned by telecom companies and consortiums. When we first published this list in 2017, we had 20 cables listed. Fast-forward to today, and our list has grown to over 60—a sizable markup. Few telecommunications industry trends have been as impactful in the past. According to OceanIQ, a company affiliated with the Global Marine Group and a key player in the process, the work goes through several stages - route planning, sea survey, securing permits, designing the cable system, manufacturing, laying it under the sea, and finally, activating it.
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