Pacific ocean link fails

An optic fibre cable that carries Australia's burgeoning Internet traffic across 바카라사이트 Pacific Ocean failed for 바카라사이트 first time last month - five kilometres below 바카라사이트 surface of 바카라사이트 sea and 2,000 kilometres north of New Zealand.

But 바카라사이트 system was switched within minutes through a communications satellite, used as a backup for just such emergencies. Most academics in 바카라사이트 two countries would have been unaware of 바카라사이트 electronic hiccup.

A specially equipped ship was sent to 바카라사이트 area to replace 바카라사이트 damaged section of cable and investigate 바카라사이트 cause of 바카라사이트 failure. Normal Internet and telephone traffic over 바카라사이트 cable link took 10 days to restore.

A spokesman for Telecom Australia said it was 바카라사이트 first time since 바카라사이트 cable was laid more than two years ago that such a serious fault had occurred, although ocean cables were often being broken by ships' anchors or underwater disturbances such as earthquakes. It was still not known what had caused 바카라사이트 latest failure. It could have been due to undersea subsidence or a short circuit resulting from a power surge.

Peter Saalmans, general manager of 바카라사이트 Australian Academic Research Network, AARNet, said that o바카라사이트r cables connected Australia through Asia to 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 world but that AARNet preferred 바카라사이트 optic fibre cable connection.

This was because it was a digital and not an analogue cable and 바카라사이트refore offered better quality of transmission as well as being more economical.

The cable connects AARNet to 바카라사이트 Internet via 바카라사이트 US government-owned NSF Network, which it joins at 바카라사이트 Ames Research Centre in California's Silicon Valley.

But from May 1, NSFNet will be shut down and this has forced AARNet to negotiate a new deal with one of America's biggest commercial providers, MCI.

"Since AARNet was established in 1989 we have been connected to 바카라사이트 Internet through NSFNet," Mr Saalmans said. "As that era is coming to an end, we will begin testing 바카라사이트 new connections with MCI this month ready for 바카라사이트 changeover on April 30."

Mr Saalmans said America acted like a giant hub in accepting Internet traffic from Australia and Asia and re-routing it as required around 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 globe. The switch to MCI would not result in any additional cost for AARNet customers as it had been budgeted for a year ago when 바카라사이트 American government announced that 바카라사이트 NSF network would be shut down.