Date: Tue, 24 Aug 2004 13:53:37 +0100 (WEST) From: Carlos Friacas <cfriacas@fccn.pt> Cc: nanog@merit.edu Subject: Re: Ship seized for cutting Sri Lanka's internet link

*only* internet connection?

No, not exactly the -only- connection. They had some satellite-relay capacity. *LIMITED* bandwidth availability. voice or data.

if yes, here we see once again the "benefits" of having a monopoly in the telecom industry. and a bad one it seems... even if the incumbent is the only way out of the island, it would seem wise (not cost-driven) to have a second cable at least connecting the island to the world... ;-)

Do you have any idea of the *cost* of such a 'second cable' ? Or how _long_ it takes to install?

On Mon, 23 Aug 2004, Sean Donelan wrote:

...

Sri Lanka's high court has ordered the seizure of an Indian cargo vessel which allegedly cut a submarine cable connecting the island's telecommunications subscribers with the rest of the world.

The court ordered that the vessel, State of Nagaland, be held at the Colombo port where it berthed on Sunday after accidentally severing the cable known as the SEA-ME-WE-III with its anchor.