Taiwan has become one of the few countries in the world that systematically reveals the operational status of its undersea cables, the Ministry of Digital Affairs (MODA) said yesterday.
The real-time submarine cable disruption map was launched in September last year, the ministry said.
The system adopts a three-color scheme — green, yellow and red — to indicate normal operations, partial disruption and complete outage, allowing the public to quickly gauge the condition of critical communications infrastructure, the ministry said.
Photo: screen grab from the Ministry of Digital Affairs’ Web site
Department of Communications and Cyber Resilience Director Niu Hsin-jen (牛信仁) said the initiative is aimed at enhancing transparency and giving the public a clearer understanding of the condition of submarine cable operations.
Compared with some international platforms that rely on broader data sources and might label an entire cable as “down” when only a segment is affected — potentially causing misunderstanding or misjudgement — the government’s system is based on verified data and statistical analyses, providing a more accurate reflection of real-time conditions, Niu said.
Claims such as “all of Taiwan’s submarine cables were cut” that have circulated online do not reflect reality, he added.
Taiwan has about 15 international submarine cables and about 10 domestic ones, Niu said.
While such information has traditionally been viewed as highly sensitive and unsuitable for public disclosure, much of it is already accessible on international platforms, he said.
Meanwhile, most ships are able to identify the approximate locations of undersea cables through the maps available on those platforms, he said.
A lack of clear information could increase the risk of accidental damage, he said, adding that more precise disclosure is beneficial for navigation.
When disruptions occur, the government platform also provides information on alternative routing and estimated repair times, helping the public understand how communication services continue to operate, the ministry said.
There are multiple submarine cables linking Taiwan with Japan, Hong Kong, the Philippines and Singapore, forming a highly redundant communications network, it said.
Even when some cables are disrupted, overall connectivity can be maintained through alternative routes, it added.
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