Dalian-Yantai Cable: A Regional Submarine Link in China
The Dalian-Yantai Cable is a submarine telecommunications cable connecting
Dalian and
Yantai, two coastal cities in China. Spanning 146 kilometers across the Bohai Sea, it is owned by China Telecom and has been recorded as operational since 1998. This cable serves as an interconnection between northeastern and eastern China, facilitating regional communication and data exchange.
What stands out about the Dalian-Yantai Cable is the lack of publicly disclosed technical details, such as its design capacity, fiber count, and supplier. While this is not uncommon for older cables, it limits the ability to assess its technological specifications and role in the broader network infrastructure. Additionally, the cable's relatively short length and regional focus make it distinct from many longer, transcontinental submarine cables.
Quick facts
| Name | Dalian-Yantai Cable |
| Length | 146 km |
| Ready-for-Service (RFS) Year | 1998 (GeoCables database value; no conflicting sources surfaced) |
| Owners | China Telecom |
| Status | In service |
| Design Capacity | Not disclosed |
| Fiber Pairs | Not disclosed |
| Supplier | Not disclosed |
| Technology | Not disclosed |
| Landing Points | Dalian (China); Yantai (China) |
🗺 Show Dalian-Yantai Cable on the interactive cable map
Route
The Dalian-Yantai Cable crosses the Bohai Sea, connecting Dalian in Liaoning Province and Yantai in Shandong Province. Both cities are significant coastal hubs in China: Dalian is a major port and industrial center in the northeast, while Yantai is an important economic zone in eastern China. The Bohai Sea is a relatively shallow body of water, which likely simplified the cable's surveying and installation compared to deeper oceanic routes. The cable's placement reflects its regional focus, linking two economically active areas within China.
Why it was built and what it carries
The Dalian-Yantai Cable was likely built to enhance regional connectivity between northeastern and eastern China, supporting the growing telecommunications needs of these economically active areas. As both Dalian and Yantai are important industrial and commercial centers, the cable facilitates data exchange, internet traffic, and other communication services essential for business operations and local development. While specific traffic types or volumes are not disclosed, the cable likely carries a mix of voice, data, and internet services.
History: what can be established
The GeoCables database records the cable's ready-for-service (RFS) year as 1998, and no conflicting industry sources have surfaced to suggest an alternative date. This places the cable among the older submarine systems still in service. Its continued operation implies that it has either been maintained or upgraded over the years, although no public information confirms specific refurbishment efforts or capacity enhancements.
Capacity and technology
Publicly available data does not disclose the Dalian-Yantai Cable's design capacity, number of fiber pairs, or supplier. Without operator documentation, attributing these details would be speculative. Given its age, the cable likely employs older optical transmission technologies compared to modern systems, but this cannot be confirmed without further information. The absence of technical disclosures makes it challenging to evaluate its current performance or role in China's broader telecommunications infrastructure.
Latency: the physics
The computed one-way light propagation time for the cable's 146 km length is approximately 0.7 milliseconds, with a theoretical round-trip time (RTT) floor of 1.4 milliseconds over the wet segment. However, real-world latency is higher due to additional factors such as land-based network tails, terminal equipment, and routing inefficiencies. As no live measurements are available for this cable, its actual latency performance cannot be assessed.
Redundancy: what happens if it breaks
If the Dalian-Yantai Cable were to experience a fault, redundancy would likely be provided by alternative terrestrial or submarine routes within China's extensive network infrastructure. Both Dalian and Yantai are well-connected cities, and China Telecom operates multiple systems that could reroute traffic. Repair logistics for submarine cables typically involve deploying specialized cable ships to locate and fix the fault, a process that can vary in duration depending on the nature of the damage and environmental conditions in the Bohai Sea.
Bottom line
- The Dalian-Yantai Cable spans 146 km across the Bohai Sea, connecting Dalian and Yantai in China.
- Owned by China Telecom and recorded as operational since 1998.
- Technical specifications such as design capacity, fiber pairs, and supplier are not publicly disclosed.
- Computed latency floor is approximately 1.4 ms RTT over the wet segment, though real-world performance is higher.
- Redundancy likely relies on China's broader network infrastructure in case of faults.