The global internet works through cables under the ocean. In fact, more than 99% of internet traffic between countries goes through these undersea cables. To make this work, the cables need special spots to reach land and connect to local networks. Basically, a cable landing station joins undersea cables to land fiber networks. Without it, internet data cannot get to people on land.
The submarine cable industry has grown a lot in recent years. According to TeleGeography’s 2024 Submarine Cable Map, there are now 559 cable systems and 1,636 landing points that are active or being built. From 2023 to 2025, a $10 billion cable boom added 78 new systems with over 300,000 kilometers of cables. This increases the need for more dark fiber to connect cable landing stations to data centers and users.
What is a Cable Landing Station?
A cable landing station is a building where undersea cables connect to land networks. Also, these stations have machines to receive signals from the undersea cables and send them through land networks. It also protects the machines and gives power to the cable system. Inside, there are repeaters, amplifiers, and other devices that keep signals strong over long distances.
Because of this, modern cable landing stations can handle a lot of data. For example, big companies like Google and Meta put money into submarine cables. The 2024 Submarine Cable Map shows that Google has 26 cable systems and Meta has 15. This means these companies need dark fiber connections from the stations to their data centers. So, these stations are important places where international internet enters a country and joins local networks.
How Deep Can Undersea Cables Go?
Undersea cables can go as deep as 8,000 meters, but usually they stay on the ocean floor at different depths. Some are in shallow water, while others go very deep. The Atlantic Ocean is about 3,650 meters deep, so cables usually follow the seabed at this depth. In 2024, the Italian company Prysmian made a record by putting a power cable 2,150 meters deep for the Tyrrhenian Link project between Sicily and Sardinia, connecting to a cable landing station onshore.
Cable depth can also change depending on the place. Near the shore, cables are buried to keep them safe from anchors and fishing. In deep water, they just lie on the seabed. Also, cable routes avoid deep ocean trenches. Operators choose paths that balance depth and distance. When cables reach a cable landing station, they move from the ocean to safe buildings, where dark fiber carries the data on land.
What Happens If Undersea Cables Are Cut?
If undersea cables are cut, internet traffic goes through other cables automatically. Luckily, modern networks have backups for failures. Submarine Network shows that about 199 cable faults happen worldwide every year (2010–2024). Because of this, most companies use more than one cable landing station or system to avoid total outages.
Still, cable cuts can cause problems. For example, cuts in the Red Sea stopped 25% of data traffic between Europe and Asia in 2024, based on UN insights. Most of the time, fishing and anchoring caused the faults. This shows why having many dark fiber routes from cable landing stations to data centers is important. Then, multiple fiber paths can act as backup when submarine cables fail, and landing stations with these connections are stronger.
How Long Does It Take to Fix an Undersea Cable?
Repairing undersea cables usually takes 1–2 weeks, plus time for ships to reach the site. Ghana’s National Communications Authority, 2024 says repair ships need 2–3 weeks to travel from Europe to West Africa and get spare parts. Total repair time from the nearest cable landing station can be 5 weeks or more.
Repair time depends on location and depth. Deeper cables are harder to fix. Submarine Networks says repairs cost $500,000 to $1 million per incident. Some take longer. In 2023, the longest repair took 947 days. These long repairs show why reliable dark fiber and well-managed cable landing stations are needed to keep data flowing during cable problems.
Building Reliable Networks for the Future
A cable landing station is very important for the internet. It connects undersea cables to networks on land. With 559 submarine systems planned or active, this station is needed more than ever. Dark fiber networks carry the connection from the station to data centers and users in different areas. Together, the undersea cable and fiber routes make a strong network for growing internet needs.
ARNet operates a large dark fiber network in Southeast Asia. It provides dedicated fiber in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia. ARNet owns over 10,000 kilometers of fiber connecting 60+ data centers. The network includes long-haul routes between cities, metro fiber in urban areas, and last-mile fiber to facilities. This infrastructure supports major companies and hyperscalers in the region.
ARNet has several advantages. It controls its network from planning to deployment, ensuring faster and more predictable results. It promises over 99.99% uptime with real-time monitoring. The network spans multiple countries and offers diverse routes, protecting against cable cuts. ARNet also holds all needed licenses as the only single-entity provider in Southeast Asia. For companies needing reliable dark fiber from a cable landing station to data centers, ARNet provides the infrastructure and expertise to keep operations running smoothly.
About the Author
Nabila Choirunnisa, Digital Marketing Executive at ARNet