Effective date: July 13, 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how Submarine Telecoms Forum, Inc. (“SubTel Forum,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) handles information in connection with our website at subtelforum.com and the SubTel Forum mobile app for iOS and Android (the “App,” bundle/package identifier com.subtelforum.app). The website is described first, followed by information specific to the App and provisions that apply to both.

1. Scope and who we are

SubTel Forum publishes submarine-cable news, analysis, publications, maps, and industry resources. This policy covers the website, the App, newsletter and support communications, optional web and mobile push notifications, and the service providers described below. A third-party site or service that you choose to open has its own privacy practices.

2. Information handled through the current website

Information you provide

The homepage newsletter form asks for first name, last name, email address, company, country code, and country. Depending on the form fields presented, it may also accept job title, phone and extension, street address, city, and state. The contact form asks for name, email address, and message. If you contact us another way, we process the information in your communication and the information needed to respond.

We use this information to manage newsletter subscriptions, send requested publications or communications, respond to questions, maintain business and support records, prevent abuse, and comply with applicable obligations. We may keep a limited suppression record after an unsubscribe so that we can honor the request and avoid sending future messages to that address.

Automatic request, log, and security information

When a browser requests a page, image, download, form, or embedded service, SubTel Forum and its providers may process IP address, request time, requested URL, referring page, browser and device information, user-agent string, approximate region derived from network information, cookie or consent state, response and error information, and security or diagnostic events. We use this information to deliver and secure the website, detect abuse, troubleshoot problems, measure performance, understand use, and maintain reliable records. Google reCAPTCHA may process browser, device, interaction, and network information to help distinguish legitimate submissions from abuse.

3. Newsletter, contact, and communication choices

Newsletter signup information is processed through our website and communications/customer-management systems, including Act!, so we can maintain subscription records and send requested communications. Newsletter messages should provide an unsubscribe method. You may also ask us to stop marketing email by contacting [email protected]. An unsubscribe stops future marketing messages but does not require us to delete records that are reasonably needed to document and honor the choice, protect the service, or meet legal obligations.

Contact-form information is used to route and answer the request, prevent spam or misuse, and keep an appropriate record of the communication. We do not use a support request as permission to send unrelated marketing unless you separately choose to receive it.

4. Website cookies and Cookie Settings

The website uses cookies and similar browser technologies for site operation, preferences, consent choices, statistics, and marketing. Complianz provides the site’s consent interface and groups technologies into functional, preferences, statistics, and marketing categories. Functional technologies support requested features and remember essential choices. Preference technologies remember optional settings. Statistics technologies help us understand website use. Marketing technologies support advertising and related measurement.

You can use the Cookie Settings control on the website to review or change available non-essential choices. Your browser can also block or delete cookies, although doing so may affect saved choices or website functions. Cookie and similar-technology durations vary: some end with the browser session, while others remain for the period shown in Cookie Settings or the relevant provider notice.

5. Website analytics, security, sponsorship, and advertising

The website uses Google Analytics through Google Site Kit, subject to the site’s consent controls, to understand website traffic and interactions. Cloudflare provides website delivery, security, traffic management, and performance services. Google reCAPTCHA helps protect forms and other website functions from abuse.

The website contains direct sponsorships and uses Association Media Group/AdButler to deliver website advertising placements. AdButler is active on the website and its scripts are treated as marketing under the website’s consent controls. These website advertising practices are distinct from the App practices described below. We do not characterize sponsor or advertising activity as behavioral or targeted unless the applicable implementation and consent choice support that description.

6. Embedded content and external services

Website pages may embed or link to Issuu publication readers, Esri/ArcGIS experiences, YouTube, Google services, social networks, and other external resources. Loading or using embedded content can send ordinary request information—such as IP address, time, user-agent string, browser or device information, requested content, and technical diagnostics—to the provider. A provider may use its own cookies or similar technologies according to the website consent state, the provider’s configuration, and its privacy notice. Following an external link takes you to a service controlled by that provider.

7. Optional website push notifications

The website uses OneSignal to offer optional web push notifications. If you enable them, OneSignal and the browser’s push service may process a web push subscription token or browser identifier, browser and operating-system information, language, permission status, IP-derived network information, session and notification-interaction information, and browser storage needed to maintain the subscription. You can deny a prompt, change notification permission in your browser, clear the relevant browser storage, or unsubscribe through available notification controls.

8. Website retention and requests

Newsletter and contact records are retained while needed to provide the requested communication, administer the relationship, document subscription or suppression choices, resolve disputes, protect the service, and meet legal or business-record obligations. Website and security logs are retained for periods reasonably necessary for delivery, troubleshooting, fraud and abuse prevention, security, and legal obligations, then deleted or de-identified under the applicable operational schedule. Analytics, advertising, push, hosting, and embedded-service records are also subject to the relevant provider’s retention practices.

To request access to, correction of, or deletion of website information that SubTel Forum controls, email [email protected]. We may need information reasonably necessary to locate the record and verify the request. A deletion request may be limited by security, legal, suppression, or recordkeeping requirements.

9. Mobile App

Local App data

The App does not require a user account and does not provide cloud synchronization. Saved articles and favorites, read state, offline article packages, theme and language choices, notification preferences, and cached news, images, and related content are stored locally on the device.

The App’s Settings controls for clearing cached or offline content remove the corresponding local copies. A reset or clear-app-data action removes the App’s saved local state and preferences. On Android, the operating system’s Clear storage control removes App-local data. Uninstalling the App removes App-local data in accordance with the device operating system. Because this information is not synchronized to a SubTel Forum account, we generally cannot retrieve it after it is cleared.

App content and network services

The App retrieves news, articles, images, publications, archives, and printed-map links from SubTel Forum’s WordPress sources. Issuu supplies embedded publication-reader content, and Esri’s ArcGIS Experience Builder supplies the embedded cable-map experience. These network requests may provide SubTel Forum, our hosting and security providers, and the relevant content provider with ordinary request information such as IP address, request time, user-agent string, device or browser information, requested content, and technical diagnostics.

The App’s ArcGIS wrapper disables geolocation. The App does not request or send precise location to SubTel Forum or OneSignal. An external site that you choose to open is governed by that site’s permissions and privacy notice.

Optional mobile push notifications

Mobile push notifications are optional. The App initializes OneSignal for mobile push only after you opt in. If you enable notifications, OneSignal and the applicable platform—Apple Push Notification service (APNs) on Apple devices or Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) from Google on Android—may process a push token or service/device identifier; device, operating-system, App-version, and language information; IP-derived network information; session and notification-interaction information; notification permission and preference information; and App-defined tags that are not tied to a SubTel Forum account.

The App does not currently send OneSignal a SubTel Forum account identifier, name, email address, phone number, purchase information, or precise location. You can change notification permission in the App or device settings. Disabling notifications stops future delivery but may not immediately remove records already held by a provider.

Data and activities not currently part of the App

The App has no accounts or sign-in; no in-app purchases, subscriptions, or payment processing; and no collection of contacts, health data, precise location, or user-generated content. The App is not designed to use App data for cross-app or cross-site tracking or behavioral advertising.

The App contains clearly labeled, direct-sold sponsor placements. They are contextual placements and are not selected using a behavioral profile. AdButler is not currently active in the App. If App practices change, we will update this policy and the applicable app-store disclosures.

10. Service providers

Providers that may process information for the purposes described in this policy include:

11. Retention and deletion

App-local data remains on the device until you clear the corresponding cache or offline content, reset or clear App data, or uninstall the App, subject to device backups controlled by you or the operating-system provider. Push records may remain while a subscription is active and afterward as reasonably needed for delivery, security, reporting, suppression of unwanted messages, and legal obligations. Provider-held information is also governed by the provider’s retention practices.

There is no App account-deletion flow because the App does not create user accounts. To request access to, correction of, or deletion of externally held website- or App-related information that SubTel Forum controls—such as a contact request, newsletter record, or notification record—email [email protected]. We cannot access local-only device data, and some records may be retained where reasonably necessary for security, legal, suppression, or recordkeeping purposes.

12. Privacy rights and choices

Depending on where you live, applicable law may provide rights to know or access personal information, correct it, delete it, obtain a portable copy, restrict or object to certain processing, withdraw consent, opt out of certain targeted advertising or sale/sharing as defined by applicable law, or appeal a decision. These rights are subject to applicable definitions, exceptions, and verification requirements. You may also have the right to complain to a local privacy or data-protection authority.

Use website Cookie Settings to change available statistics and marketing choices, browser or device settings to control notifications, the newsletter unsubscribe method to stop marketing email, or the contact information below to make a privacy request. We do not make a blanket claim that no information is disclosed: the providers listed above process information to deliver, secure, measure, or support the website and App. We do not use App data for cross-context behavioral advertising. Website advertising and marketing technologies are governed by the choices and disclosures described above.

13. Security and international processing

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational measures appropriate to the information and service. No transmission or storage method is completely secure. SubTel Forum and its providers may process information in the United States and other countries where they operate. Privacy laws in those locations may differ from those where you live; providers are expected to use appropriate safeguards where required.

14. Children’s privacy

The website and App are not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 through these services. If you believe a child has provided personal information to us, contact us so we can review and take appropriate action.

15. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy when our website, App, providers, or legal obligations change. We will post the revised policy at this URL and update the effective date. If a change materially affects App data practices, we will also update relevant App or app-store disclosures as appropriate.

16. Contact us

Submarine Telecoms Forum, Inc.
19471 Youngs Cliff Road, Suite 100
Sterling, VA 20165, United States
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +1 (703) 444-0845
Support: https://subtelforum.com/contact/