Transatlantic Cables: Telegraph to Fiber (1858–2000)

1. First transatlantic telegraph cable completed

   Aug 5, 1858Labels: Valentia Island, Trinity Bay, Submarine cable

   • IET Archives
   • History com

2. First official messages sent over 1858 cable

   Aug 16, 1858Labels: 1858 cable, Inaugural messages

   • IET Archives

3. 1858 cable fails after weeks of operation

   Oct 20, 1858Labels: 1858 cable, Cable failure

   • IET Archives
   • History com

4. 1865 Great Eastern attempt loses cable mid-lay

   Aug 2, 1865Labels: Great Eastern, Cable loss

   • Science Museum
   • Wikipedia

5. 1866 transatlantic telegraph link established

   Jul 27, 1866Labels: Heart s, Transatlantic link

   • Science Museum
   • Wikipedia

6. First transatlantic telephone cable inaugurated (TAT-1)

   Sep 25, 1956Labels: TAT-1, Scotland-Newfoundland

   • Science Museum
   • Wikipedia

7. Second transatlantic telephone cable enters service (TAT-2)

   Sep 22, 1959Labels: TAT-2, France landing

   • Atlantic Cable
   • Wikipedia

8. TAT-3 links New Jersey and England

   Jan 1, 1963Labels: TAT-3, Tuckerton-Widemouth Bay

   • Wikipedia
   • Science Museum

9. TAT-5 expands capacity via Spain (and MAT-1)

   Jan 1, 1970Labels: TAT-5, MAT-1

   • Atlantic Cable
   • Wikipedia

10. High-capacity TAT-6 begins operation

    Jan 1, 1976Labels: TAT-6, Repeaters

    • Wikipedia
    • Atlantic Cable

11. TAT-8 enters service as first transatlantic fiber cable

    Dec 14, 1988Labels: TAT-8, Fiber optic

    • Wired
    • Nokia Bell Labs

12. PTAT-1 turns on as first privately financed transatlantic fiber cable

    May 1, 1989Labels: PTAT-1, Private financing

    • Wikipedia
    • Wikipedia

13. Columbus-III enters service in the late-1990s fiber boom

    Dec 1, 1999Labels: Columbus-III, Consortium

    • Wikipedia
    • SubmarineNetworks