History of the Atlantic Cable & Undersea Communications
from the first submarine cable of 1850 to the worldwide fiber optic network

Cable Timeline: 1951-2000
by Bill Glover

Click on the Route links to see cable samples, the Company or Operator links for full descriptions, the ship name links to see descriptions or images.
Atlantic cables and their connecting systems are highlighted in green.
Please note that Timeline entries within each year are not necessarily chronological, as the exact date of laying is generally not known.
WFS = Withdrawn From Service

The table can be sorted by clicking on a column header. Clicking on the header a second time will reverse the sort sequence.
Clicking the "Top" button will return to the top of the page and reset the sort to the default.
Year Route Manufacturer Company or Operator Cable Ships Notes Bandwidth
1951 Dover - Audresselles Câbles de Lyon GPO ? System 23 nm.  
1951 Tradomari Niigata - Maura Sado, Japan ? Japanese Government ? System 48.7 km. 2 pair, telephone cable insulated with parragutta. Cable laid across Toyogo Straits in 1943 recovered and used for this cable  
1951 Mori - Muroran, Japan ? Japanese Government ? 8 pair, polyethylene insulated telephone cable. First use of such material in Japan  
1951 Cable laid across the Toyogo Waterway between Kanzaki and Yasuki ? Japanese Government

 

 System 46.6 km.  14 strand lead sheathed cable

 
1952 Seaford - Veules les Roses ? GPO ? 2 cables laid.  
1952 USA - Bahamas - Grand Turk - Dominican Republic - Puerto Rico Simplex Wire & Cable Co USAF Monarch (4) All repeaters were based on land. Pan American Airways maintained the system.  
1953 Recife - St Vincent, Cape Verde Islands ? Italcable Monarch (4)    
1954 Sicily - Malta Submarine Cables Ltd C&W on behalf of NATO Ariel System 61 nm. Taken over by the Italian PTT and named MED 1  
1954 UK - NORWAY 1: Aberdeen, Scotland - Bergen, Norway Submarine Cables Ltd GPO Monarch (4) System 307 nm. 7 repeaters. New type of repeater suitable for deeper water was used for the first time. Coaxial cable 0.935". WFS 1983.  
1954 Lowestoft - Scheveningen Submarine Cables Ltd GPO Ariel - Iris (2) - Poolster Two cables laid each with 4 repeaters  
1954 Manicouagan - Petit Métis (Across the St Lawrence River) Telcon British Columbia Electric Company Monarch (4) Four power cables were laid.  
1955 MED 1: Italy - Malta Submarine Cables Ltd Italian PTT ? System 54 nm.  
1955 TAT 1: Clarenville, Newfoundland - Oban, Scotland Submarine Cables Ltd 3534 nm - Simplex Wire & Cable Co 350 nm of shore ends - Southern United Telephone Co 80 nm landline. Western Electric supplied the repeaters. Includes entry below AT&T owned 50%; GPO 41% and COTC 9%

Monarch (4)

Clyde puffer Glenaray laid Oban shore ends.

 System 1942 nm with 51 one way repeaters. 48 telephone circuits
1956 TAT 1: Oban, Scotland - Clarenville, Newfoundland See above GPO - AT&T - COTC Monarch (4) System 1945 nm with 51 one way repeaters.  
1956 TAT 1: Terrenceville, Newfoundland - Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia Submarine Cables Ltd., 271 nm and 16 repeater housings. Standard Telephones & Cables 16 internal repeater units GPO - AT&T - COTC Monarch (4)

System 328 nm with 16 two way shallow water repeaters (GPO design). Overland line between Clarenville and Terrenceville

Video file from the CBC Digital Archives of a January 1957 interview with Douglas Bowie of the COTC

 80 telephone circuits
1956 Den Helder, Holland - Esbjerg, Denmark Câbles de Lyon, Cable: - La Compagnie Industrielle Des Telephones, Repeaters French PTT Ampere (3) System 210 nm.  
1956 Thisted, Denmark - Kristiansand, Norway Submarine Cables Ltd Norwegian PTT Ocean Layer System 81 nm.  
1956 Cape Canaveral - Puerto Rico Simplex Wire & Cable Co USAF Monarch (4) Same system as TAT 1  
1956 Port Angeles, Washington State - Ketchikan - Skagway, Alaska Simplex Wire & Cable Co. cable - Western Electric, repeaters AT&T: Port Angeles - Ketchikan cable. Alaskan Communication System: Ketchikan - Skagway cable Albert J. Myer - Basil O. Lenoir System, Port Angeles - Ketchikan 761 nm with 20 repeaters. Ketchikan - Port Angeles 740 nm with 19 repeaters + 346 nm. Same system as TAT 1 Port Angeles - Ketchikan. Single cable Ketchikan - Skagway, repeaters for this cable were land based. WFS 1977 144 + 144 kHz. 48 telephone circuits
1956 Sicily - Pantellaria - Tunisia Submarine Cables Ltd C&W on behalf of NATO Iris (2) System 64 + 23 nm. Taken over by the Italian PTT and named MED 2  
1956 Qelibia - Bou Ficha (Tunisian coastal cable) Câbles de Lyon French PTT Ampere (3) System 59 nm.  
1956 Qelibia - Pantellaria (Tunisian coastal cable) Câbles de Lyon French PTT Ampere (3) System 23 nm.  
1956 Vancouver Island - Mainland Canada W.T. Glover & Co Ltd British Columbia Electric Company Ocean Layer Five power cables were laid  
1957 France - Algeria Câbles de Lyon French Telecom - PTT Algeria Ampere (3) - Alsace - Emile Baudot System 478 nm. WFS 1994  
1957 Thule, Greenland - Cape Dyer, Baffin Island Simplex Wire & Cable Co USAF Albert J. Myer System 720, 720 nm. Same as TAT 1. Considerable problems were caused at Cape Dyer by grounding icebergs. The landing was bypassed in 1964 by Albert J. Myer.  
1957 HAW 1: Point Arena, California - Hanauma Bay, Oahu, Hawaii Submarine Cables Ltd 2030 nm - Simplex Wire & Cable Co - 2380 nm., and repeater housings. Western Electric supplied the internal repeater units AT&T - Hawaiian Telephone Co Monarch (4) - Ocean Layer System: Point Arena, California - Hanauma Bay, Hawaii 2197 nm with 57 repeaters. Hanauma Bay - Punta Arena 2210 nm., with 57 repeaters. Same as TAT 1. WFS 1989. Now used for scientific research. 48 telephone circuits
1958 Civitecchia, Italy - Golfo Aranci, Sardinia Pirelli Italian PTT Salernum System 130 nm. WFS 1993  
1958 UK - CI 3: Tuckton Bridge, Bournemouth, England - Greve D'Azette, Jersey Standard Telephones & Cables Ltd GPO Alert (4) System 131 nm. Coaxial 0.620" cable with 10 repeaters spaced at 13.4 nm intervals. Laying at Jersey completed 3 June and at Bournemouth one week later. WFS 1983 120 x 4 kHz channels. (2 Supergroups)
1958 UK - BELGIUM 1: Dumpton Gap, England - Middlekerke, Belgium Standard Telephones & Cables Ltd GPO - Belgian PTT Iris (2) System 76 nm. 3 Repeaters. Coaxial cable  0.935". WFS 1983  
1958 Marseille, France - Bizerta, Tunisia ? French PTT   System 1000 nm. WFS 1993  
1958 Vancouver Island - Mainland Canada W.T. Glover & Co Ltd British Columbia Electric Company Monarch (4) Two power cables were laid  
1959 TAT 2: Clarenville, Newfoundland - Penmarc'h, France Submarine Cables Ltd 1900 nm - Simplex Wire & Cable Co 600 nm - Norddeutsche Seekabelwerke 1000 nm - Cables de Lyon 1000 nm. AT&T - French PTT - German PTT

Monarch (4) - Ocean Layer - John W. Mackay - Ampere (3)

Ocean Layer caught fire while laying its section of the cable and became a total loss.

 System 2250, 2250 nm. As TAT 1 two cables were laid. WFS 1982 48 telephone circuits
1959 TAT 2: Clarenville, Newfoundland - Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia No. 2 Submarine Cables Ltd., cable and repeater housings. Repeater electronics by STC AT&T - French PTT - German PTT Monarch (4) - Ocean Layer - John W. Mackay - Ampere (3) System 338 nm with 16 GPO shallow water repeaters. WFS 1982 80 telephone circuits
1959 Strait of Georgia - Galiano Island - Trincomali Strait, Canada W.T. Glover & Co Ltd British Columbia Electric Company Ocean Layer The Galiano Island section was an overhead line. British Insulated Callenders (Submarine) Cables Ltd were reponsible for the laying and installation of the cables  
1959 PR 1: West Palm Beach, Florida - San Juan, Puerto Rico Simplex Wire & Cable Co 1200 nm. - Standard Telephones & Cables Ltd 715 nm - Norddeutsche Seekabelwerke. Western Electric supplied the repeaters. Includes entry below AT&T - Radio Corporation of Puerto Rica Monarch (4) System 1136 nm with 30 repeaters. Twin cable system as TAT 1. WFS 1984 48 telephone circuits
1960 PR 1: San Juan, Puerto Rico - West Palm Beach, Florida   AT&T - Radio Corporation of Puerto Rica Monarch (4) System 1117 nm with 29 repeaters. Twin cable system as TAT 1. WFS 1984  
1960 Marske by the Sea (Middlesborough), England - Gothenburg, Sweden Standard Telephones & Cables Ltd 538 nm GPO - Swedish PTT Monarch (4) - Ariel laid shore ends System 509 nm. 60 telephone circuits, 29 repeaters.
1960 Mielno, Poland - Bornholm - Avedöre, Denmark Norddeutsche Seekabelwerke Great Northern Telegraph Co Nordenham - C.E. Krarup (2) - Edouard Suenson    
1960 Baffin Island - White Bay, Newfoundland Simplex Wire & Cable Co USAF Monarch (4) System 1020, 1020 nm. Same as TAT 1.  
1960 Frederiksdal - Prinz Christian Sund (Greenland) Câbles de Lyon ? Edouard Suenson System 60 nm.  
1961

CANTAT A: Oban, Scotland - Hampden, Newfoundland

The complete system, comprising CANTAT A and B, is referred to as CANTAT 1 on other site pages

 Submarine Cables Ltd all cable plus 90 repeater housings. Standard Telephones & Cables Ltd 65 nm of cable laid overland, and 90 repeater internal units C&W - COTC Monarch (4) System 2072 nm. Ariel laid UK shore ends. Albert J. Myer Hampden shore ends. WFS 1986 240 + 240 kHz. 60 telephone circuits. The overland section had 120 circuits.
1961 CANTAT B: Corner Brook, Newfoundland - Grosses Roches, Quebec Submarine Cables Ltd 400 nm and 20 repeaters COTC Alert (4)

System 400 nm. Hadsund laid shore ends. WFS 1986

Audio file of the inaugural telephone call from the CBC Digital Archives

240 + 240 kHz. 80 telephone circuits
1961 SCOTICE: Gairloch, Scotland - Torshavn, Faroe Islands - Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland Standard Telephones & Cables Ltd. GPO - Great Northern Telegraph Co - Danish PTT Alert (4) - John W. Mackay System 284 + 401 nm.  
1961 ICECAN: Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland - Frederiksdal, Greenland - Hampden, Newfoundland Norddeutsche Seekabelwerke Great Northern Telegraph Co - COTC Neptun (3) - Edouard Suenson System 829 + 887 nm  
1961 Manahawkin, NJ, USA - Devonshire Bay, Bermuda Standard Telephones & Cables Ltd C&W - AT&T Alert (4) - Retriever (5) System 750 nm with 30 repeaters. Retriever (5) laid the USA and Bermuda shore ends. WFS 1990 240 + 240 kHz. 80 telephone circuits
1961 USA - US Virgin Islands ? AT&T - ITT ?    
1961 Holland - Denmark ? ? ?    
1961 Lydd, England - Bolougne, France British cable: - W.T. Glover & Co. Ltd - AEI. French cable: - Câbles de Lyon - Jeumont Forges et Ateliers de Constructions Electrique de Jeumont - Ste Alsaienne de Constructions Mecaniques & Trefilieries et Laminoirs du Havre. CEGB - France Dame Caroline Haslett - Ampere (3) - d'Arsonval Two power cables each 38 statute miles long, laid in parallel.  
1962 UK INLAND 1: Colwyn Bay, Wales - Douglas, Isle of Man Submarine Cables Ltd GPO Ariel System 61 nm. Coaxial cable 0.620". WFS 1988  
1962 UK - INLAND 2: Heysham, England - Colwyn Bay, Wales Submarine Cables Ltd GPO Alert (4) System 65 nm. Coaxial cable 0.935". WFS 1990  
1962 France - Algeria II Câbles de Lyon French PTT Marcel Bayard System 540 nm.  
1962 MED 2: Sicily - Canea, Crete Câbles de Lyon 276 nm. - Pirelli 190 nm. C&W on behalf of NATO ? System 466 nm. Taken over by the Italian PTT  
1962 Sicily - Sardinia Pirelli Italian PTT Salernum System 218 nm  
1963 COMPAC: Auckland, New Zealand - Sydney, Australia: Auckland - Suva, Fiji - Keawaula, Oahu - Port Alberni, Canada Submarine Cables Ltd 5860 nm., 93 complete repeaters and 231 repeater housings - Standard Telephones & Cables Ltd 2800 nm., plus 231 internal repeater units GPO - AOTC - COTC - NZ PO Monarch (4) - Mercury System 8234 nm with 318 repeaters. WFS 1984 240 + 240 kHz. 80 telephone circuits
1963 COMPAC: Auckland, New Zealand - Sydney, Australia: Auckland - Suva, Fiji - Keawaula, Oahu - Port Alberni, Canada Submarine Cables Ltd 5860 nm., 93 complete repeaters and 231 repeater housings - Standard Telephones & Cables Ltd 2800 nm., plus 231 internal repeater units GPO - AOTC - COTC - NZ PO Monarch (4) - Mercury System 8234 nm with 324 repeaters. WFS 1984 240 + 240 kHz. 80 telephone circuits
1963 TAT-3: Tuckerton, New Jersey - Widemouth Bay, England Standard Telephones & Cables Ltd cable. Western Electric repeaters AT&T - GPO Alert (4) - Long Lines System 3518 nm with 182 rigid two way repeaters. WFS 1986 414 + 414 kHz. 128 telephone circuits
1963 Eastern Test Range 1 Grand Turk - Ramsey Air Force Base, Puerto Rico - Coolidge Air Force Facility, Antigua Norddeutsche Seekabelwerke USAF Neptun (3) - Omega System 336 + 377 nm. Omega laid all shore ends.  
1963 Florida, USA - Kingston, Jamaica Standard Telephones & Cables Ltd 553 nm. - Western Electric 322 nm and repeaters. JITL - AT&T Alert (4) System 875 nm with 43 repeaters. WFS 1992 384 + 384 kHz. 128 telephone circuits
1963 Kingston, Jamaica - Fort Sherman, Panama Canal Zone Western Electric AT&T - ITT - Central America Cables & Radio Inc. Alert (4) System 631 nm with 32 repeaters. WFS 1998 384 + 384 kHz. 128 telephone circuits
1963 UK - INLAND 3: Barrow in Furness, Cumbria - Heysham, Lancashire Standard Telephones & Cables Ltd GPO   System 20 nm. Coaxial cable 0.935"  
1964 UK - BELGIUM 2: St.  Margarets Bay, England - La Panne, Belgium Standard Telephones & Cables Ltd GPO - Belgian PTT   System 48 nm. Coaxial cable 1.7". WFS 1986. This was an upgrade of the 1948 telephone cable by insertion of two transistorised repeaters, which increased the capacity from 216 to 420 telephone circuits.  
1964 UK - DENMARK 1: Winterton, England - Esbjerg, Denmark Standard Telephones & Cables Ltd GPO - Danish PTT Monarch (4) - Peter Faber (2) System 298 nm. This cable and the two German cables below were laid at the same time. Coaxial cable 0.620". WFS 1983 120 x 4 kHz channels
1964 UK - GERMANY 2: Winterton, England - Borkum - Leer, Germany Standard Telephones & Cables Ltd GPO - German PTT Monarch (4) - Peter Faber (2) System 251 nm. Coaxial cable 0.620" WFS 1986 120 x 4 kHz channels
1964 UK - GERMANY  3: Winterton, England - Borkum - Leer, Germany Standard Telephones & Cables Ltd GPO - German PTT Monarch (4) - Poolster (2) System 250 nm. Coaxial cable 0.620". WFS 1987 120 x 4 kHz channels
1964 Philippines - Vietnam Simplex Wire & Cable Co USAF Neptun (3) System 696 nm. Known as "Wet Wash A"  
1964 TPC 1: Makaha, Oahu - Midway Island - Wake Island - Tanguisson Point, Guam - Ninomiya, Japan Standard Telephones & Cables Ltd 2047 nm - Ocean Cable Co - Western Electric, cable and repeaters AT&T - Hawaiian Telephone Co - KDD Long Lines System 5282 nm., with 274 repeaters WFS 1990. Used for scientific research. 384 + 384 kHz. 128 telephone circuits
1964 TPC 1: Tanguisson Point, Guam - Baler, Luzon, Philippines Standard Telephones & Cables Ltd 1495 nm. Western Electric repeaters AT&T - Hawaiian Telephone Co - KDD Long Lines System 1489 nm., with 77 repeaters. WFS 1990. Used for scientific research. 384 + 384 kHz. 128 telephone circuits
1964 HAW 2: San Luis Obispo, California - Makaha, Hawaii Standard Telephones & Cables Ltd - Ocean Cable Co - Western Electric cable and repeaters AT&T - Hawaiian Telephone Co Long Lines System 2383 nm., with 123 repeaters. WFS February 1992. Used for scientific research. 384 + 384 kHz. 128 telephone circuits
1964 HAW 2: Hanauma Bay - Makaha, Hawaii ? AT&T - Hawaiian Telephone Co Long Lines System 49 nm with 2 repeaters. Provided a link between HAW 1 and 2. WFS April 1987. 384 + 384 kHz. 128 telephone circuits
1964 Vero Beach, Florida - St Thomas, US Virgin Islands Western Electric cable and repeaters AT&T Long Lines System 1179 nm., with 61 repeaters. WFS 1989 384 + 384 kHz. 128 telephone circuits
1964-7 SEACOM 1
See entries below for detais		 Submarine Cables Ltd., 1300 nm plus 22 repeaters and 67 repeater housings. Standard Telephone & Cables Ltd., 710 nm plus 67 internal repeater units     The whole system was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 30 March 1967  
1964-7

SEACOM 2
See entries below for detais

 Submarine Cables Ltd., 3400 nm plus 66 repeaters and 197 repeater housings. Standard Telephones & Cables Ltd., 1700 nm plus 197 internal repeater units        
1964 SEACOM 1: Kota Kinabalu, Sabah - Singapore     Monarch (4) - Mercury - Recorder (3) (laid shore ends at Sabah) - Cable Enterprise (2) laid the Singapore shore ends Mercury commenced laying from Sabah on 2 July 1964, laying 622 nm and 29 repeaters. Monarch (4) took over laying a further 243 nm and 14 repeaters reaching Singapore on 21 July 1964 80 channels
1965 SEACOM 1: Kota Kinabalu, Sabah - Deep Water Bay, Hong Kong See 1964-7 entries   Monarch (4) - Mercury Monarch laid 400 nm and 18 repeaters from Sabah, commencing 2 July 1964. Mercury laid 700 nm and 28 repeaters arriving in Hong Kong on 7 November 1964. This cable opened for service on 31 March 1965 80 channels
1965 TAT 4: Tuckerton, New Jersey - St Hilaire de Riez, France Western Electric 1375 nm.and repeaters - Cables de Lyon 1125 nm. - Norddeutsche Seekabelwerke 1200 nm. AT&T - French PTT Long Lines - Marcel Bayard System 3600 nm., with 186 repeaters. Marcel Bayard laid the French shore ends. WFS 1987 384 + 384 kHz. 128 telephone circuits
1965 PENCAN 1: Spain - Canaries Standard Telephones & Cables Ltd., cable and repeaters CTNE John W. Mackay System 754 nm., with 45 repeaters. Cable Restorer surveyed the route. 160 3kHz channels
1965 Trinidad - Tobago W.T. Glover & Co. Ltd ? Photinia Power cable. British Insulated Callenders (Submarine) Cables Ltd were reponsible for the laying and installation of the cables  
1966 Hawaii - Johnston Island Simplex Wire & Cable Co USAF Neptun (3) System 769 nm. Known as "Wet Wash C" 240 + 240 kHz
1966 Cannes, France - Ile Rousse, Corsica Câbles de Lyon French PTT Marcel Bayard System 109 nm. WFS 1993  
1966 Gulf of Mexico Simplex Wire & Cable Co Gulf Coast Telephone Co   System 150 nm. Network now involves 500 nm of cable.  
1966 St Thomas, US Virgin Islands - Maiquetia, Venezuela          
1966 Tortola, British Virgin Islands - Bermuda Submarine Cables Ltd., cable and repeater housings. Repeater electronics by STC C&W (West Indies) Ltd Mercury System 894 nm. with 35 repeaters 240 + 240 kHz., 80 telephone circuits
1966 St Thomas, US Virgin Islands - Maiquetia, Venezuela Standard Telephones & Cables Ltd cable and repeaters AT&T Alert (4) System 545 nm with 22 repeaters. WFS 1987 240 + 240 kHz. 80 telephone circuits
1966 Eastern Test Range No 2 Grand Turk Island - San Salvador - Grand Bahama - Cape Kennedy Standard Telephones & Cables Ltd cable and repeaters USAF John W. Mackay System 285 + 275 + 203 nm., with 39 repeaters  
1966 SEACOM 2: Deep Water Bay, Hong Kong - Tumon Bay, Guam See 1964-7 entries   Monarch (4) - Mercury Monarch laid the first section of 800 nm and 33 repeaters, commencing at Hong Kong. Mercury followed with 1260 nm and 50 repeaters, arriving at Guam on 21 October 1965. This section opened for service on 14 June 1966 160 x 3kHz channels
1967 SEACOM 2: Madang, Papua New Guinea - Cairns, Australia See 1964-7 entries The Overseas Telecommunications Commission, Australia (OTC) as it was known then. Monarch (4) - Mercury Monarch left Madang on 6 June 1966 laying 776 nm and 48 repeaters. Mercury then laid 840 nm and 49 repeaters arriving at Cairns on 3 October 1966. 160 x 3kHz channels
1967 SEACOM 2: Madang - Guam See 1964-7 entries   Monarch (4) - Mercury Mercury laid the first section with Monarch completing the task in January 1967. The two ships laid 1391 nm of cable and 83 repeaters. 160 x 3kHz channels
1967 Vietnam Coastal Cables Da Nang - Qui Nhon: Qui Nhon - Nha Trang: Qui Nhon - Cam Rahn Bay: Nha Trang - Vung Tau: Cam Rahn Bay - Vung Tau Simplex Wire & Cable Co USAF Neptun (3) System 202 + 122 + 144 + 290 + 206 nm. Omega laid all shore ends.  
1967 Vung Tau, Vietnam - Ban Sattahip, Thailand Simplex Wire & Cable Co USAF Neptun (3) System 607 nm. Omega laid all shore ends.  
1967 Kristiansand, Norway - Thisted, Denmark Submarine Cables Ltd Norwegian PTT Monarch (4) System 79 nm.  
1967 Nykobling, Denmark - Ronne, Bornholm Submarine Cables Ltd Danish PTT Alert (4) - Peter Faber (2)