The internet began to emerge in the late 1980s and early 90s. However, the infrastructure supporting it has been around since 1839.

Today most of our Internet traffic is carried via submarine cable systems from Europe and the United States.

A submarine communications cable is a laid on the seabed between land-based stations to carry telecommunication signals across stretches of ocean. Before internet, however, submarine cables were used for other types of communications, for example telephones and telegraph.

After the introduction of the telegraph in 1839, establishing a submarine line across the Atlantic Ocean became the next challenge. Samuel Morse accepted this challenge and in 1842 he succeeded in sending a telegraph through a wire insulated with tarred hemp and Indian rubber, which was submerged in the water of New York Harbour.

Laying an undersea cable in Cape Town (Photo credit: Telkom)

The first submarine cable system in South Africa was launched in on 27 December 1879 and for the first time we were directly connected to Europe. This was done via Durban and Zanzibar to Aden with the East Coast cable of the South African Telegraph Company.

Today’s cables use optical fibre technology to carry digital data, which includes telephone, Internet and private data traffic.

“Modern cables are typically about 25 millimetres in diameter and weigh around 1.4 kilograms per metre for the deep-sea sections which comprise the majority of the run, although larger and heavier cables are used for shallow-water sections near shore.” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Submarine_communications_cable)

Over the past 15 years four submarine cable systems have been installed in South Africa for telecommunication – SAT-3/WACS, Seacom, WACS, and EASSy.

The most recent addition was made in May 2012 with the West Africa Cable System (WACS). The 17 200 km fibre optic submarine cable starts at Yzerfontein on the west coast and ends in the United Kingdom. (More about the WACS launch)

[SOURCES: www.mybroadband.co.za & https://en.wikipedia.org]

Die internet het sy opwagting gemaak in die laat 1980s en vroeë 90s. Die infrastruktuur wat dit ondersteun is egter al sedert 1839 beskikbaar.

Vandag word ons internetverkeer hoofsaaklik gefasiliteer deur ondersese kabelstelsels vanaf Europa en Amerika.

ʼn Ondersese kommunikasiekabel word op die seevloer tussen stasies op land gelê, met die doel om telekommunikasie seine oor gedeeltes van die oseaan stuur. Voor die internet is hierdie kabels gebruik vir ander tipes kommunikasie, byvoorbeeld telefone en telegramme. 

Lê van `n ondersee kabel in Kaapstad (Foto krediet: Telkom)

Na die ontwikkeling van die telegraaf in 1839, het die moontlikheid van ʼn ondersese lyn oor die Atlantiese oseaan na ʼn sterk moontlikheid begin lyk. Samuel Morse het in 1842 dit reggekry om, onderwater in New York se hawe, ʼn telegram te stuur met ʼn draad geïsoleer met teer-hennep en Indiese rubber.

Die eerste ondersese kabel in Suid-Afrika is op 27 Desember 1879 van stapel laat loop en vir die eerste keer is Suid-Afrika direk verbind aan Europa. Die verbinding is moontlik gemaak deur die East Coast cable of the South African Telegraph Company via Durban en Zanzibar na Aden. 

Vandag optiese vesel tegnologie gebruik om digitale data te versend en dit sluit telefone, internet en private dataverkeer in. 

Moderne kabels is gewoonlik ongeveer 25 millimeter in deursnee en weeg ongeveer 1.4 kilogram per meter vir die gedeeltes diep onder die see, wat die grootste deel in beslag neem en groter en swaarder kabels vir die vlakwater gedeeltes naby die strand.

Die jongste toevoeging tot ons telekommunikasie infrastruktuur is gemaak in Mei 2012 met die aanlê van die West Africa Cable System (WACS). Die 17 200 kilometer vesel optiese kabel begin by Yzerfontein aan die weskus en eindig by die Verenigde Koninkryk. (Meer oor die WACS-stelsel)

[BRONNE: www.mybroadband.co.za & https://en.wikipedia.org]