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What is the primary function of the Southern Cross Cable?
Answer: To serve as a trans-Pacific network for telecommunications and data transmission.
Explanation: The primary function of the Southern Cross Cable is to provide a robust trans-Pacific network facilitating high-capacity telecommunications and data transmission between Australasia and the Americas.
The Southern Cross Cable network was commissioned in the year 2000 and is operated by a US-based company.
Answer: False
Explanation: The Southern Cross Cable network was commissioned in 2000. However, it is operated by Southern Cross Cables Limited, a Bermuda-registered company, not a US-based entity. Its ownership is a consortium of telecommunications companies from New Zealand, Australia, and the United States.
The initial development cost for the Southern Cross Cable system was estimated at $1.5 million.
Answer: False
Explanation: The initial development cost for the Southern Cross Cable system was estimated at $1.5 billion, a substantial investment reflecting the scale of the project.
When did the Southern Cross Cable system become operational for customers?
Answer: November 2000
Explanation: The Southern Cross Cable system commenced operations and became available to customers in November 2000, following its commissioning.
Who were the primary manufacturers responsible for building the Southern Cross Cable?
Answer: Alcatel-Lucent and Fujitsu
Explanation: The construction of the Southern Cross Cable system was undertaken by Alcatel-Lucent and Fujitsu, major players in telecommunications infrastructure manufacturing.
What was the initial estimated investment for the Southern Cross Cable system?
Answer: $1.5 billion
Explanation: The initial estimated investment required for the development and construction of the Southern Cross Cable system amounted to $1.5 billion.
The creation of the Southern Cross Cable network in 1997 was a response to what?
Answer: The rapid growth of the internet and the need for an Australasia-West Coast link.
Explanation: The establishment of the Southern Cross Cable network in 1997 was primarily driven by the exponential growth of the internet and the consequent demand for a direct submarine cable link between Australasia and the West Coast of the Americas.
The Southern Cross Cable system exclusively uses submarine cables laid across the ocean floor.
Answer: False
Explanation: While the system extensively utilizes submarine cables, it also incorporates terrestrial cables to connect landing points to inland infrastructure.
The Southern Cross network consists of approximately 18,000 kilometers of submarine cables.
Answer: True
Explanation: The Southern Cross network comprises approximately 28,900 kilometers (18,000 miles) of submarine fiber optic cables and an additional 1,600 kilometers of terrestrial fiber optic cables. The 18,000 miles figure is equivalent to approximately 28,900 kilometers.
The Southern Cross Cable network operates in a single-ring configuration for maximum efficiency.
Answer: False
Explanation: The Southern Cross network operates in a triple-ring configuration, which is designed to enhance redundancy and resilience rather than solely for maximum efficiency in a single path.
The Southern Cross network has 12 primary submarine segments.
Answer: True
Explanation: The Southern Cross network is comprised of 12 segments in total, including primary submarine segments that form its backbone.
The outermost insulating layer of the Southern Cross Cable is made of polyethylene.
Answer: True
Explanation: The outermost insulating layer of the Southern Cross Cable is constructed from high-density polyethylene, providing robust protection.
The copper tubing within the cable is primarily for transmitting optical signals.
Answer: False
Explanation: The copper tubing within the Southern Cross Cable is not for transmitting optical signals; it is a structural component likely involved in power transmission for repeaters or aiding overall signal integrity.
Optical fibers in the Southern Cross Cable are protected by a water-resistant jelly.
Answer: True
Explanation: The optical fibers within the Southern Cross Cable are housed and protected by a water-resistant jelly to prevent moisture ingress and maintain signal quality.
Which of the following technologies forms the basis of the Southern Cross Cable system?
Answer: Fibre-optic network
Explanation: The Southern Cross Cable system is fundamentally a fibre-optic network, utilizing light pulses transmitted through optical fibers to carry data.
What is the approximate total length of the submarine cables comprising the Southern Cross network?
Answer: 18,000 kilometers
Explanation: The Southern Cross network comprises approximately 28,900 kilometers (18,000 miles) of submarine fiber optic cables and an additional 1,600 kilometers of terrestrial fiber optic cables.
What is the primary purpose of the network topology used by the Southern Cross Cable?
Answer: To provide redundant paths and ensure self-healing capabilities.
Explanation: The network topology, particularly its triple-ring configuration, is primarily designed to offer redundant data paths and implement self-healing capabilities, thereby ensuring high availability and resilience.
How are the optical fibers protected within the structure of the Southern Cross Cable?
Answer: Housed in a water-resistant jelly.
Explanation: Within the cable's structure, the optical fibers are encased in a water-resistant jelly, a crucial protective measure against moisture ingress and environmental factors.
What role might the copper tubing within the Southern Cross Cable play?
Answer: Transmitting power for repeaters or aiding signal integrity.
Explanation: The copper tubing integrated into the cable's construction likely serves the purpose of transmitting power to subsea repeaters or contributing to the overall integrity of the transmitted signals.
The Southern Cross Cable network connects North America, South America, and Asia.
Answer: False
Explanation: The Southern Cross Cable network primarily connects the Southern Pacific region and the US Pacific coast, linking Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, and the US mainland. It does not connect South America or Asia.
In Australia, the Southern Cross Cable lands only in Sydney, New South Wales.
Answer: True
Explanation: In Australia, the Southern Cross Cable system makes landfall at two specific locations within Sydney, New South Wales: Alexandria and Brookvale.
The Southern Cross Cable connects the island of Samoa via a direct landing point.
Answer: False
Explanation: While the Southern Cross Cable connects several Pacific islands, Samoa is connected via the TUI-Samoa cable which links Samoa to Fiji, where it then interconnects with the Southern Cross network. Samoa itself is not a direct landing point on the main Southern Cross routes.
The Southern Cross Cable makes landfall in the United States only on the West Coast mainland.
Answer: False
Explanation: The Southern Cross Cable makes landfall in the United States not only on the West Coast mainland (Oregon and California) but also in Hawaii, which includes multiple landing points.
Terrestrial connections to the Southern Cross Cable network are available in major data centers like Equinix and CoreSite.
Answer: True
Explanation: Terrestrial access points for the Southern Cross Cable network are indeed available in major data centers, including Equinix in Sydney, Australia, and CoreSite in San Jose, California, USA.
The Honotua cable system connects French Polynesia to the Southern Cross system in Hawaii.
Answer: True
Explanation: The Honotua cable system serves as the interconnection point, linking French Polynesia to the Southern Cross network via Hawaii.
Which of the following is NOT a geographical region directly connected by the Southern Cross Cable network?
Answer: Japan
Explanation: The Southern Cross Cable network connects Australia, Hawaii, and the US Pacific coast, among other locations. Japan is not a direct landing point for this network.
Which US state serves as a landfall point for the Southern Cross Cable?
Answer: Oregon
Explanation: The Southern Cross Cable makes landfall in the United States in several locations, including Nedonna Beach, Oregon, on the mainland West Coast.
Which Pacific island nation, besides Fiji, has a landing point for the Southern Cross Cable?
Answer: Kiribati
Explanation: The Southern Cross Cable network includes landing points on the island of Kiribati, in addition to Fiji, connecting these nations to the trans-Pacific infrastructure.
In New Zealand, where does the Southern Cross Cable make landfall?
Answer: Whenuapai and Takapuna
Explanation: In New Zealand, the Southern Cross Cable system has landing points at Whenuapai and Takapuna.
Which of the following is a designated terrestrial access point for the Southern Cross Cable network in the United States?
Answer: The Westin Building in Seattle, Washington
Explanation: The Westin Building in Seattle, Washington, serves as a key terrestrial access point for connecting to the Southern Cross Cable network within the United States.
As of January 2020, the design capacity of the Southern Cross Cable exceeded 20 terabits per second.
Answer: True
Explanation: As of January 2020, the design capacity of the Southern Cross Cable system was reported to be greater than 20 terabits per second, reflecting ongoing technological upgrades.
The initial bandwidth capacity of each cable in the Southern Cross network was 120 terabits per second.
Answer: False
Explanation: The initial bandwidth capacity of each cable in the Southern Cross network was 120 gigabits per second (Gbit/s), not terabits per second.
Southern Cross offers capacity services ranging from 100 Megabits per second up to 100 Gigabits per second.
Answer: True
Explanation: Southern Cross provides a spectrum of capacity services, extending from 100 Megabits per second (M/STM-1) up to 100 Gigabits per second (Gbit/s) OTU-4, along with various Ethernet Private Line services.
What was the lit capacity of the Southern Cross Cable by the year 2023?
Answer: 92 terabits per second
Explanation: By 2023, the lit capacity of the Southern Cross Cable network had been significantly upgraded to 92 terabits per second.
What was the initial bandwidth capacity per cable when the Southern Cross network was launched?
Answer: 120 Gigabits per second
Explanation: Upon its launch, each cable within the Southern Cross network was provisioned with a bandwidth capacity of 120 Gigabits per second (Gbit/s).
The Southern Cross Cable system experienced a major outage in 2010 due to a complete system failure.
Answer: False
Explanation: While the system has faced disruptions, the source does not indicate a major outage in 2010 due to a complete system failure. Specific incidents like storm damage in 2007 and an earthquake in 2008 are documented.
The Southern Cross Cable has frequently suffered damage due to its location in the Pacific Ring of Fire.
Answer: False
Explanation: Despite traversing the geologically active Pacific Ring of Fire, the Southern Cross Cable has experienced a relatively low incidence of damage.
A significant reduction in bandwidth occurred in late 2007 due to damage to the cable's Oregon route from storms.
Answer: True
Explanation: In late 2007, damage to the carrier's Oregon cable route, resulting from hurricane-strength storms and flooding, led to a significant reduction in the Southern Cross Cable's bandwidth capacity between Australasia and the United States.
An undersea earthquake in March 2008 caused a noticeable slowdown for users of the Southern Cross Cable.
Answer: False
Explanation: An undersea earthquake in March 2008 affected a shunt on the Southern Cross Cable. Nevertheless, owing to the network's inherent redundancy and available spare capacity, users reported no alteration in access speed or service availability.
The Southern Cross network's resilience is enhanced by its operation in which configuration?
Answer: Triple-ring
Explanation: The Southern Cross network employs a triple-ring configuration, a design choice that significantly enhances its resilience and provides redundant pathways.
What specific event in late 2007 significantly impacted the Southern Cross Cable's bandwidth?
Answer: Damage from hurricane-strength storms
Explanation: In late 2007, damage to the carrier's Oregon cable route, resulting from hurricane-strength storms and flooding, led to a significant reduction in the Southern Cross Cable's bandwidth capacity.
How did users experience the impact of the March 2008 undersea earthquake on the Southern Cross Cable?
Answer: Users experienced no change in access speed or service availability.
Explanation: An undersea earthquake in March 2008 affected a shunt on the Southern Cross Cable. Nevertheless, owing to the network's inherent redundancy and available spare capacity, users reported no alteration in access speed or service availability.
The Southern Cross NEXT cable is intended to be a completely separate network from the original Southern Cross system.
Answer: False
Explanation: The Southern Cross NEXT cable is designed as an extension and enhancement of the existing Southern Cross cable ecosystem, not as a completely separate network.
Construction for the Southern Cross NEXT cable was completed in July 2022.
Answer: True
Explanation: Construction for the Southern Cross NEXT cable commenced in 2019 and was officially completed on July 7, 2022.
The Southern Cross NEXT cable is projected to add 72 terabits per second of capacity.
Answer: True
Explanation: The Southern Cross NEXT cable is engineered to significantly enhance capacity, projected to carry up to 72 terabits per second.
What is the main purpose of the Southern Cross NEXT project?
Answer: To add a new route and significantly enhance the capacity of the existing ecosystem.
Explanation: The primary objective of the Southern Cross NEXT project is to introduce a new, high-capacity route that substantially augments the overall capacity and connectivity of the existing Southern Cross cable ecosystem.
What is the approximate length of the Southern Cross NEXT cable?
Answer: 16,148 kilometers
Explanation: The Southern Cross NEXT cable spans approximately 16,148 kilometers, establishing a significant data link between Sydney, Auckland, and Los Angeles.
What key benefit does the Southern Cross NEXT cable offer regarding data transmission?
Answer: Lower latency connections between Australia and the United States.
Explanation: A primary benefit of the Southern Cross NEXT cable is its provision of significantly lower latency connections for data transmission between Australia and the United States.
Which of the following Pacific islands are connected via branching units on the Southern Cross NEXT cable?
Answer: New Zealand and Fiji
Explanation: Branching units integrated into the Southern Cross NEXT cable system facilitate connections to New Zealand and Fiji, extending the network's reach.
In 2013, reports alleged the NSA was interested in conducting surveillance via the Southern Cross Cable.
Answer: True
Explanation: Reports emerged in 2013 and 2014 alleging that the United States National Security Agency (NSA) had approached owners of the Southern Cross Cable regarding potential surveillance activities.
Russel Norman claimed in 2014 that the Southern Cross Cable was the *only* telecommunications access point for New Zealand.
Answer: True
Explanation: In August 2014, Russel Norman asserted that the Southern Cross Cable represented the sole telecommunications access point for New Zealand, suggesting it was crucial for interception capabilities.
The Prime Minister John Key's office fully denied any NSA involvement with the Southern Cross Cable.
Answer: False
Explanation: While the office of Prime Minister John Key denied specific claims of mass surveillance, it did acknowledge ongoing negotiations with the NSA concerning a 'cable access programme,' indicating some level of engagement rather than a full denial of any involvement.