C&C-EGS Subsea Geosciences, Singapore
Developing Standardised Procedures for the Planning of Secure Subsea Telecommunications Cable Systems.
Abstract
Experience has shown that for submarine telecommunications cable systems to meet their expected design life and life cycle maintenance budgets, system planning, survey and installation procedures play a vital role.
This paper provides a set of standardized procedures that have been developed to guide the telecommunications engineer involved in the planning of submarine cable systems in underdeveloped regions, through the critical phases of initial conceptual design, feasibility study, desk top studies and route survey, to installation and maintenance.
Each procedure is briefly described with examples of the impact of each procedure on system survivability potential. Emphasis is placed on procedures that examine the political and cultural constraints that can impact on subsea cable route planning and security in developing regions of the world, in addition to the constraints that can be imposed by the physical environment along the route.
The paper continues with a discussion on route survey specifications and the application of optimum route survey technology. In conclusion, the paper emphasises the critical role of the route survey in providing adequate and accurate information necessary for the definition of the most appropriate installation solutions for the system.