SubTel Forum Celebrates 24 Years as the Voice of the Global Submarine Telecoms Industry

Submarine Telecoms Forum Press release
November 1, 2025

STERLING, VA — On November 1, 2025, SubTel Forum marks its 24th anniversary, celebrating nearly a quarter-century as the independent authority for news, analysis, and data intelligence in the submarine cable and digital infrastructure sectors.

Founded in 2001 by Wayne Nielsen and Ted Breeze, SubTel Forum was born during one of the industry’s darkest moments — when the dot-com collapse left projects canceled and investment scarce. With little more than a vision and borrowed software, the first issue debuted with eight articles and seven ads. What began as a leap of faith became the enduring voice of an industry that connects the world beneath the sea.

“This industry doesn’t stand still — and neither do we,” said Wayne Nielsen, Publisher of SubTel Forum.
“For 24 years we’ve told the unvarnished story of undersea networks — the wins, the misses, and the lessons in between. The next chapter is about sharper data, faster analysis, and real-world insight our readers and clients can act on. SubTel Forum has always been the voice of the subsea industry, and we intend to keep leading that conversation.”

From Humble Beginnings to Global Platform

What began as a bi-monthly magazine with a handful of contributors has evolved into a comprehensive publishing and data platform serving the global subsea community.

By late 2025, SubTel Forum will have published:

• 145 issues of SubTel Forum Magazine,
• 56 editions of the Submarine Cable Almanac,
• 14 annual editions of the Submarine Telecoms Industry Report, and
• Thousands of submarine cable maps produced for events from PTC to Submarine Networks World.

Each product captures the growth and transformation of a sector that has moved from carrier-driven systems to hyperscale networks, from closed technologies to open architectures, and from niche engineering to geopolitical infrastructure.

The most recent addition to the portfolio — the Cableship Codex, launching in December 2025 — will spotlight the global fleet of installation and maintenance vessels that keep the world connected, giving long-overdue visibility to the crews and ships that sustain subsea communications.

24 Years of Perspective and Purpose

Over two decades, SubTel Forum has been both witness and participant in the evolution of the global submarine cable industry. It has chronicled periods of expansion and downturn, tracked the rise of hyperscale investment, and documented the growing intersection of offshore energy, data centers, and subsea infrastructure.

Its publications have been cited by The Economist, Financial Times, and CNBC, and relied upon by policymakers and engineers alike. For veterans, the Forum provides continuity and perspective. For new entrants, it remains the industry’s classroom and community — a place to learn, publish, and connect.

Looking Forward: Evolving the Knowledge Infrastructure

SubTel Forum’s 25th year will mark the next step in transforming how the subsea industry accesses and applies knowledge. The organization will:

• Expand the SubTel Forum Cable Database to include deeper financial and lifecycle metrics, building a unified resource for global investment intelligence.
• Introduce AI-driven forecasting to model emerging routes, capacity demand, and market dynamics.
• Grow the Cableship Codex into a quarterly reference of fleet capabilities, maintenance records, and operational trends.
• Advance sustainability benchmarking, tracking the industry’s progress on carbon reduction and marine environmental stewardship.
• Broaden educational partnerships, launching collaborative training and research initiatives with universities, regulators, and industry leaders.

“We’re not just reporting on the subsea industry — we’re building the framework for understanding it,” added Nielsen.
“SubTel Forum’s next evolution transforms it from a publication into a global analytical and educational ecosystem — one that mirrors the complexity, urgency, and opportunity of the networks that connect our world.”

About SubTel Forum

Founded in 2001, SubTel Forum is the leading independent source of news, analysis, and data for the submarine telecommunications industry. Its portfolio includes:

• SubTel Forum Magazine — Published bi-monthly and read in more than 120 countries.
• Submarine Cable Almanac — A definitive reference covering active and planned global systems.
• Submarine Telecoms Industry Report — Annual deep-dive analysis on trends, technology, and investment.
• SubTel Forum Cable Map — The most widely referenced visualization of global cable systems.
• Cableship Codex — A dedicated publication profiling the world’s cable installation and maintenance fleets.
• SubTel Forum News Feed — Daily updates on projects, policy, and technology across the subsea sector.

For more information, visit subtelforum.com.

Contact:
Kieran Clark, Senior Data Analyst
SubTel Forum
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +1 (540) 533-6965