The internet may feel wireless, but most of the world’s connectivity depends on cables running deep beneath the ocean. Vodafone’s short documentary 'Making Connections: Subsea cables' takes viewers beneath the surface, exploring the complex world of subsea cables that carry almost all of the world’s data traffic.
The film highlights how this invisible infrastructure keeps everything from social media and cloud computing to financial systems and video calls running smoothly. Despite the rise of satellites, fibre-optic cables laid across the seabed remain the backbone of international communication. Vodafone operates or partners on more than 70 subsea cable systems spanning over 100 countries, connecting more than 700 million people worldwide.
At Vodafone’s cable stations in Cornwall, engineers monitor and maintain multiple systems that land on the UK’s southern coast. Each cable carries vast amounts of data at the speed of light through glass fibres thinner than a human hair. The documentary shows how these operations combine technology, precision and resilience. When a cable is damaged, locating and repairing it can be an immense challenge, involving ships that cost tens of thousands of dollars a day to operate and weeks of work at sea.
Subsea cables have a long heritage in the UK. The first transatlantic telegraph cable was laid in the 1800s, connecting Ireland and Newfoundland. The same site in Cornwall where Vodafone operates today once belonged to the Eastern Telegraph Company, later Cable & Wireless, and now forms part of Vodafone’s global network. The industry has evolved from transmitting a handful of words per minute to streaming millions of 4K videos simultaneously across continents.
The film also features partners such as Alcatel Submarine Networks and Ciena, whose technologies underpin and scale Vodafone’s subsea systems. Modern cables use optical amplifiers and repeaters to boost signals across thousands of kilometres, while intelligent monitoring systems detect issues before they disrupt service. Recent advances, such as spectrum sharing and higher-capacity modems, are extending both performance and flexibility.
The documentary pays particular attention to the 2Africa project, a monumental cable system encircling the African continent and landing in dozens of countries. Led by Vodafone and its partners, it represents one of the longest and most ambitious subsea builds ever undertaken, designed to bring affordable and reliable connectivity to hundreds of millions of people.
Maintaining such systems comes with real challenges. Natural events such as mudslides and turbidity currents, as well as human activity like fishing and anchoring, can threaten cables. Engineers describe how they bury and armour cables near shore and collaborate globally to ensure resilience and quick restoration when damage occurs. They also work with researchers to study environmental effects and improve sustainability, including using sensors embedded in cables to monitor ocean conditions and detect seismic activity.
Beyond technology, Making Connections highlights the people behind this critical infrastructure. Vodafone’s engineers, apprentices and early-career professionals are shown learning and innovating together. With a small but highly skilled global workforce, the subsea industry is investing in developing the next generation of talent to sustain and grow this essential network for decades to come.
Subsea cables may be out of sight, but their impact touches every aspect of modern life. Vodafone’s documentary is a reminder that the strength of our digital world depends on the cables stretching quietly beneath the oceans—connecting continents, economies and people around the globe.
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