If the internet is primarily dependent on cables that run through oceans connecting different countries and continents. During a war, anyone can cut off a country’s access to the internet. Are there any backup or mitigant in place to avoid this? What happens if you cut the cable?
In: Technology
Depending on how you define it, the internet isn’t primarily reliant on international cables. You (usually) only use those cables for international routes. Most big services will have a ‘local’ presence or at least a cache in a data center within your region. Your in-country internet will largely keep running and even international routes will reroute via less efficient options – either longer routes, cross land border cables, terrestrial microwave,or even satellite backups for those with enough money to purchase them. That’s what the internet was primarily designed to do, by DARPA. It’s quite good at doing so.
Also, in most western countries at least, there’s a lot of cables. It’s not trivially simple job to cut them all & everyone would get very ‘excited’ by their loss…
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