A submarine cable is a bundle of fiber-optic wires laid on the ocean floor to transmit data between continents. These cables form the backbone of global internet connectivity, carrying over 95% of international data traffic, including internet, telephone, and private data. Submarine cables are engineered to withstand harsh underwater conditions and are essential for rapid, reliable communication across vast distances. They are owned and maintained by consortia of telecommunications companies and are a critical, yet often unseen, part of the world’s digital infrastructure.