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Internet cables break?

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Three cables, as thick as your arm, have been severed in as many days in and around the Middle East. The cables are submarine high speed Internet cables which are essential to a developing economy such as India. The disruptions have caused massive interruptions to business in India as well as affecting countries like the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

Curiously, a website which monitors Internet traffic around the globe now has Iran ominously showing a 100% drop in usage, is this evidence of an Internet blackout in Iran?

How did three of these huge cables, which are re-enforced with armored steel, snap inside such a short period of time?

Internet traffic has now been re-routed around East Asia and over the pacific to get to the United States and Europe. Repair crews are being sent and normal service might not be back until as far off as the 12th of February. Does anyone have any thoughts/opinions on what is going on?

UPDATE

The Khaleej Times Online is reporting that no ships were in the area over the cables at the time that they broke, the area is said to be a no go zone for ships. 12 hours of video before and after the incident were monitored showing no ships being in the area.

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/theworld/2008/February/theworld_February77.xml&section=theworld&col

Sources:
http://www.internettrafficreport.com/asia.htm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7222536.stm
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/02/01/internet.outage/
  • added February 02, 2008
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4 responses // Internet cables break?

  •  
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnJQZzPc2WU

    I believe it was the noted philosopher Kurtis Blow that said it best: "These are the breeaaaaks" (especially when you're part of the 21st Century Axis of Evil!)

    Watch out Kim Jong Il, you're next. Your access to all that free porn is coming to an end!

    bobdobalina
  •  
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiHL-GBSn_M

    I find another rhyme by Kurtis Blow to be quite illuminating in this situation:

    "Dantley and Wilkins are on the scene,
    And Ralph Sampson is really mean"

    that's right, I think someone really mean may have cut the cable - someone really mean and really tall and really desperate. Can anyone account for Ralph Sampson's whereabouts over the past couple of days?

    jogglef
  •  

    4 cables now. Too many coincidental accidents. Iran is cut off completely, and the rest of the traffic is rerouted through more reliable connections. Very interesting. It would appear that something is going to happen before those cables can be repaired.

    abcdef
  •  

    Could it be to disrupt the start-up of Iran's Oil Bourse. Iran's oil bourse could cause damage to our petro dollar and our economy. Iran was due to start it February 11th, but I have read it will be put off until February 19th.

    Conniepae

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