Third Undersea Telecom Cable Cut

Technocrat

Third Undersea Telecom Cable Cut

Michael Smith

Fri Feb 01 13:08:47 -0800 2008

Computers

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A third undersea cable has been cut in the Middle East. This is a cable segment between the United Arab Emirates and Oman. It has been cut 56 km from Dubai in the Persian gulf.

Communication lines are sized to support just slightly more than the expected load, so that when a line is lost, service is degraded. But undersea cables can be broken by an anchor or landslide so problems for users are inevitable.

Another article talks about running a new cable from Egypt to France. Maybe it is time to start thinking about factoring in some serious overcapacity.

Third Undersea Telecom Cable Cut

GuyFawkes

Fri Feb 01 13:45:43 -0800 2008
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Dude, THREE undersea cables to the same region cut one after another....
Trust me, everyone with a clue in that region will have their GPS units out, stationary, just watching the displayed data.
As soon as stationary GPS units start telling you you're doing 80 knots west, no, wait, 45 knots nor'east, no, wait, 94 knots sou'sou'west, DUCK!

Third Undersea Telecom Cable Cut

rubycodez

Fri Feb 01 14:04:40 -0800 2008
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note Iran stats

Third Undersea Telecom Cable Cut

d47xeiwP

Fri Feb 01 16:40:44 -0800 2008
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What is Iran generally at for packet loss? Is 0 an aberation?

if you're not joking

rubycodez

Fri Feb 01 18:26:26 -0800 2008
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that's 100% packet loss, traffic index of 0 (response time now compared to average over 7 days); their internet access has been cut off. their normal packet loss is %0 like most places even if reponse can get mediocre (50%)

either that or...

zogger

Fri Feb 01 15:58:37 -0800 2008
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...screwing with the markets, the trades that need to be done *fast* using those data lines. The world markets and currencies are in a state of "nervous flux" right now... That was my first guess. But..your GPS tip is great! I don't own one so it never crossed my mind, thanks! It is clearly one or the other,war or economic sabotage (or both), because three in a row is way past odds of it being "accidental".
And dang it, I needed a few more months to finish off some additional preps I was planning....this sucks really. Guess I'll be looking for some strange market weirdness and/or some "incident" or other indicator.

Third Undersea Telecom Cable Cut

Uncle Entity

Fri Feb 01 16:01:08 -0800 2008
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Maybe it's the 'terrorists' trying to get rid of western ideas...

But if Dubya was to invade Iran without a congressional mandate that's pretty much the end of the world as we know it (and I feel fine?).

Third Undersea Telecom Cable Cut

Lucifer

Fri Feb 01 20:09:36 -0800 2008
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Er, mind explaining why a stationary GPS unit might tell you you're doing 80 knots west or whatnot? Besides the possibility of a GPS satellite falling out of orbit...

Third Undersea Telecom Cable Cut

rubycodez

Fri Feb 01 21:10:56 -0800 2008
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the U.S. military has the option of screwing with GPS signalling (including No Signal of Any Kind for J00, NyahNyah) in a variety of ways for theater warfare, depending on the probable capabilities of a foe. For Iraq it was an option they kept open, for Iran it's a certainty.

Third Undersea Telecom Cable Cut

KlaymenDK

Sat Feb 02 05:08:33 -0800 2008
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Dude, THREE undersea cables to the same region cut one after another....

Where have I heard of this before? Ah, here we are: James Follett's "Ice"! ;-)

"between the United Arab Emirates and Oman"

Julian Brookes

Sat Feb 02 03:51:24 -0800 2008
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Those countries are on the same side of the Persian Gulf, and have a land border. Maybe they could be connected instead by a cable on land?

Third Undersea Telecom Cable Cut

Roisin

Sat Feb 02 11:56:53 -0800 2008
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The Internet is a great technology, if one line is cut, traffic can just be re-directed. In this case through the United States. I wonder will this "spy satellite" be falling in the zone affected by these "cable cuts".. and if so, what the hell is on that thing that is worth the billions of affected business from India to Egypt.