Global Internet on Edge: Cable Cuts, Satellite Gambits & Digital Freedom Fights (Sept 10–11, 2025)
Key Facts Undersea Cable Cuts Cripple Connectivity from Asia to the Middle East A sudden undersea cable crisis struck in early September, severing two key fiber-optic lines that carry internet traffic between continents. On Sept 7, network monitors at NetBlocks detected that the SEA-ME-WE 4 (SMW4) and IMEWE submarine cables were cut near Jeddah, Saudi Arabia reuters.com. The impact was felt across multiple countries: India, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and others all experienced drastically slowed internet speeds or partial outages as data traffic was forced onto alternate paths reuters.com reuters.com. Connectivity in parts of East Africa was also reportedly affected, given