SubTel Forum Magazine #147 – Finance & Legal – OUT NOW!

SubTel Forum Press Release
March 16, 2026

What's Inside:

SubTel Forum is proud to release Issue 147 of Submarine Telecoms Forum Magazine. This edition explores the operational, regulatory, and geopolitical forces shaping the submarine cable industry as demand for global connectivity accelerates. With new infrastructure deployment, policy shifts, and evolving risk landscapes defining the sector, this issue provides critical insight into the challenges and opportunities influencing the next phase of subsea network development.

At the center of the issue is an examination of industry capacity and sentiment, highlighting how the submarine cable sector is operating at full throttle while confronting new operational limits. Additional analysis explores regulatory modernization efforts, including the FCC’s updated submarine cable licensing framework, alongside practical approaches to project planning and risk mitigation through permit feasibility studies and contracting strategies for projects operating in high war-risk regions.

Feature coverage also examines innovative approaches to connectivity in remote environments through the Kuskokwim River fiber feasibility study, demonstrating how Arctic river systems may support expanded broadband access. As artificial intelligence drives new infrastructure demand, the issue also considers how subsea cable landing strategies must evolve to support future network resilience and capacity.

Technical insight is provided through an in-depth exploration of optical fibers as waveguides, tracing the scientific principles that underpin modern fiber communications. Complementing this are perspectives on the growing impact of international sanctions on submarine cable projects and operations, highlighting the complex regulatory and geopolitical considerations shaping global infrastructure investment.

Regular departments provide expanded coverage of sustainability initiatives, industry analytics, cable ship activity, capacity markets, legal and regulatory developments, and the latest updates from the SubTel Cable Map—offering readers a comprehensive view of the operational landscape across the submarine cable ecosystem.

A dedicated 2026 ICPC Plenary preview offers early insight into the agenda and key discussions planned for the upcoming event in Athens, reinforcing the issue’s focus on industry coordination, infrastructure protection, and the evolving priorities of the global cable community.

STF Exclusive:

11 Questions with Ryan Wopschall
A conversation with the International Cable Protection Committee’s General Manager exploring the role of infrastructure protection, industry collaboration, and emerging priorities across the submarine cable sector.

Feature Articles:

• Industry Sentiment Signals a Sector at Full Throttle — and at Its Limits – Measuring Industry Capacity Limits from the Submarine Cable Industry
• FCC Takes Steps to Modernize Its Submarine Cable Licensing Rules – FCC Modernizes Submarine Cable Licensing Rules by Ulises R. Pin, Thomas J. Garrity, III
• Permit Feasibility Studies as Risk Management Tools – Permit Feasibility Studies Reduce Project Risk by Denise Toombs
• Extending Broadband Through Arctic Rivers: The Kuskokwim River Fiber Feasibility Study – Arctic River Fiber Broadband Feasibility Study by Mark Ayers, Dave Tucker, John Siegle, Zach Huff
• Risk Allocation for Submarine Cables in High War-Risk Areas – War-Risk Contracting for Submarine Cable Projects by Mike Conradi, David Ossack, Lola Stirling
• Resilience by Design: Rethinking Subsea Cable Landing Strategy in the AI Era – AI Reshapes Submarine Cable Landing Strategy by Joel Ogren
• From Maxwell’s Equations to Subsea Fibre Optics: Optical Fibres as Waveguides Part 1 – Maxwell’s Equations Underpin Optical Fiber Communications by Anna Bridget Sheehan and Derek Cassidy
• Subsea Cables and International Sanctions in 2026 – Sanctions Reshape Subsea Cable Business Risks by Laurence Ridgway, Chris Caulfield, Stuart Blythe, Paul Luther

And more forward-looking insights from SubTel Forum…

READ ISSUE NOW

Special Thanks to Our Sponsors

We extend our appreciation to the sponsors of Issue 145. Your support enables SubTel Forum to continue delivering timely, data-driven, and impactful coverage of the subsea telecommunications industry.