From coaxial to fiber: the optical revolution in submarine cables (1970–1995)

1. Bell Labs and partners commit to transatlantic fiber

   Jan 1, 1978Labels: Bell Labs, STC, TAT-8 project

   • Wired

2. First deep-sea fiber system trial in North Atlantic

   Aug 31, 1982Labels: Bell Labs, Simplex SL, North Atlantic

   • Atlantic Cable

3. ITU begins standardizing single-mode fiber

   Jan 1, 1984Labels: ITU-T, G 652, single-mode fiber

   • ITU G 652

4. OPTICAN-1 live island test system deployed

   Jan 1, 1985Labels: OPTICAN-1, Canary Islands, submarine testbed

   • Atlantic Cable
   • Wired

5. UK–Belgium No. 5 enters service

   May 4, 1986Labels: UK Belgium, English Channel, optical cable

   • Atlantic Cable
   • Optica

6. TAT-8 installed across the Atlantic

   Sep 1, 1988Labels: TAT-8, transatlantic cable, undersea reliability

   • Bell Labs

7. TAT-8 enters service with optical repeaters

   Dec 14, 1988Labels: TAT-8, optical repeaters, transatlantic service

   • Bell Labs
   • Wired

8. TAT-9 enters service with flexible branching

   Jan 1, 1992Labels: TAT-9, branching multiplexer, undersea switching

   • TAT 9

9. ITU approves G.652 (03/93) single-mode fiber recommendation

   Mar 12, 1993Labels: ITU-T, G 652, single-mode standard

   • ITU G 652

10. CANTAT-3 enters service with multi-gigabit capacity

    Jan 1, 1994Labels: CANTAT-3, multi-gigabit cable, Canada Europe

    • CANTAT 3
    • Atlantic Cable

11. SEA-ME-WE 2 begins service linking Europe and Asia

    Oct 18, 1994Labels: SEA-ME-WE 2, Europe Asia, multinational system

    • SEA ME WE

12. By 1995, fiber displaces coaxial as the main new-build choice

    Jan 1, 1995Labels: fiber adoption, 1995 milestone, submarine shift

    • Bell Labs
    • Atlantic Cable