Re: connectivity outside the US

Undersea cable was expensive - the cable economics were geared to a return on investment linked to a high investment risk and relatively slow uptake of the cable,due to a linear phone growth model and an E1 cable transaction unit. More recent cable projects have large increase in available capacity for essentially the same project cost - which will trigger a steady decline in the lease price once the large cables come on line. Geoff

Actually, i do not understand why undersea capacity is so expensive. Cable is more expensive, yes; but the paths are much straighter, and there's no need to purchase rights of ways (except for shore-side strips). There's no need to dig trenches -- you just drop the cable off the boat.