Submarine Telecoms Industry Report 2026–2027 – OUT NOW!

SubTel Forum Press Release
October 29, 2026

What’s Inside

SubTel Forum is proud to announce the release of the 2026–2027 Submarine Telecoms Industry Report, Issue 15, bringing together the data, analysis, and industry perspectives behind the networks that connect the world. This year’s edition examines submarine cable development through the relationships that make delivery possible: investment, capacity, suppliers, marine resources, landing infrastructure, regulation, and long-term operation.

The report features a Foreword by Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union, addressing international cooperation, connectivity, and submarine cable resilience. As SubTel Forum marks 25 years of publication, the 2026 edition looks at how the industry’s ambitions translate into practical decisions about financing, engineering, project delivery, and maintaining dependable global communications.

From industry sentiment and regional development to hyperscaler participation and data center expansion, the report connects market trends with the conditions shaping new systems. It considers artificial intelligence and cloud demand alongside permitting requirements, fleet availability, supply chains, and the operating responsibilities that continue throughout a cable system’s life.

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Key Highlights

• Global overview and industry sentiment: Survey findings, system growth, asset age, renewal planning, and the commercial and survey milestones behind the forward pipeline.
• Capacity and commercial take-up: Analysis that distinguishes reported system design capacity, lit capacity, and commercial demand, helping readers interpret the different measures behind headline growth.
• Ownership, financing, and delivery: Historical and current financing patterns, regional investment, and a conditional assessment of the path from planned projects to delivery through 2030.
• Suppliers, maintenance, and cable ships: System suppliers, installers, and surveyors; maintenance arrangements and documented repair experience; and the vessels and future fleet resources serving the sector.
• Hyperscalers, data centers, and special markets: Hyperscaler involvement, data center expansion, unrepeatered systems, offshore energy connectivity, and subsea sustainability.
• Technology and regulation: Multi-core fiber and high-capacity transmission developments, system integration, cable resilience, permitting, and the legal and business environment.
• Regional analysis: Current systems, planned development, and regional outlooks across the Americas, AustralAsia, EMEA, Indian Ocean, Polar, Transatlantic, and Transpacific markets.

About the Report

The Submarine Telecoms Industry Report is SubTel Forum’s annual analysis of the submarine cable market. Designed for industry professionals, investors, policymakers, and network operators, it combines global and regional perspectives with technical, commercial, and operational analysis. The 2026 edition presents findings within their reporting periods and evidence limits, preserving the distinction between recorded project information, operational milestones, and forward-looking assessments.

About Submarine Telecoms Forum

Submarine Telecoms Forum, Inc. provides news, publications, data, and analysis for the global submarine telecommunications community. Its publication portfolio includes SubTel Forum Magazine, the Submarine Cable Almanac, and the Submarine Telecoms Industry Report, supporting informed discussion of the systems, technology, and people behind global connectivity.

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Thanks to our sponsors

We extend our sincere thanks to ACS, APTelecom, Fígoli Consulting, Hexatronic, and WFN Strategies for supporting the 2026 Industry Report and helping make this annual publication possible.