Undersea Communications Technology

Abstract

This introductory paper has two objectives. The first is to offer a high‐level overview of AT&T's undersea cable technology, applications, products, and services, including installation and maintenance. This includes a relative historical cost analysis (dollars per Gbits/s per mile), as well as other high‐level growth and deployment projections to the year 2000. The second objective is to provide an overview of the articles in this theme issue on undersea communications. Here, the reader will gain an understanding of the topics and their importance to undersea communications, as well as their placement within this issue.

Multiple Access Techniques for Fiber-Optic Networks

“…International undersea fiber systems planned for 1997 will contain branching points where traffic can be added or dropped [4]. These branching units provide multipoint network connectivity between the various landing points in the undersea system.…”

“…Node 2 can transmit on either 3 or 4 . Since there is a direct single-hop connection from node 2 to node 7 on 3 , node 2 will use 3 to send its packet directly to node 7.…”