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Photos: Australia's 5,500-mile Internet connection | ZDNet Photo Gallery
Installing an Internet connection can be difficult--especially if the cable is about 9,000 kilometers (5,580 miles) long and very deep underwater.
The Ile de Sein is a massive ship that sports a crew of 60, who work in shifts to lay cable 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The cable that runs between Australian and Hawaii isn't straight; it needs to run around undersea mountains and past crevasses, as well as follow the rugged terrain of the sea floor.
Many months of planning were involved in plotting the best undersea route for the cable. A member of the project commented that the undersea cables can reach depths of 5,000 meters (3 miles) or more.
Telstra expects the cable to be active by the fourth quarter this year. Bandwidth on the cable will be available to both Telstra retail and wholesale customers.
Text written by Alex Serpo of ZDNet Australia
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