Under the Sea

By admin NEARiX Jun 29, 2016 No Comments on Under the Sea

Just like in Disney’s The Little Mermaid, there are so many things under the sea that we are generally unaware of. We might not need a dinglehopper1 to brush our hair, but we heavily rely on the network of submarine cables responsible for a large portion of data communications.

Underwater cables, referred to as submarine cables, are strung throughout our oceans linking countries and transmitting vast amounts of data. Many of the cloud systems we so often heard about, are in fact, grounded by these cable systems. While satellites are used as well, these cable systems are more robust and reliable and transmissions are almost instantaneous. 

Interestingly, there are some restrictions and challenges that arise with this hidden system. Last year, the Safe Harbor agreement was overturned that allowed US firms to transfer data unrestricted between the US and Europe. The new agreement allows individual EU member countries to negotiate separate agreements with US firms for data transfer.2

However, as a nearshore solution, NEARiX does not face any of these struggles. There is direct data communication with the US mainland and no concern over issues with transatlantic transmissions or potential data restrictions with other countries. The immense network of cables that land in St. Croix (STX) is a testament to the island’s perfect location. Take a look at this map3 to get an idea of the massive spider web of cables surrounding STX. These systems help to make NEARiX a great option for a Caribbean nearshore hub for software and creative solutions. 

“We got no troubles
Life is the bubbles
Under the sea…”1

 

  1. The Little Mermaid. Dir. Ron Clements and John Musker. Walt Disney Home Video, 1989.
  2. Facebook, Microsoft and The Cloud Under The Sea. John Markman, Contributor. Forbes. June 13, 2016.  http://www.forbes.com/sites/jonmarkman/2016/06/13/facebook-microsoft-and-the-cloud-under-the-sea/#2ea8740a7e13 
  3. Submarine Cable Map. TeleGeography. http://www.submarinecablemap.com/#/landing-point/st-croix-virgin-islands-united-states

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