Cocos Islands' Internet: One Cable Connecting the Entire Archipelago
Internet Connectivity of the Cocos Islands: One Cable for the Entire Archipelago
The Cocos (Keeling) Islands are a remote Australian archipelago in the Indian Ocean whose internet connectivity relies entirely on a single submarine cable. The sole cable, Oman Australia Cable (OAC), spanning 11,000 km, was commissioned in 2022. It connects Australia to Oman, passing through the archipelago, with its landing point located on West Island.
The country's isolation index stands at 100 out of 100, indicating extremely high vulnerability. In the event of damage or disconnection of the OAC, the Cocos Islands would lose all access to the global network. There are no alternative routes or backup connections to ensure connectivity.
Regulation and Censorship: What Is Known About Internet Control
GeoCables does not conduct direct censorship measurements on the Cocos Islands due to the absence of observation points in this region. However, as part of Australia, the archipelago is subject to Australian laws, including internet regulations. Australian legislation includes content filtering related to national security and combating illegal activities, but how this is implemented on the Cocos Islands remains unclear.
Due to the lack of local infrastructure and an internet exchange point, all traffic likely passes through mainland Australia, making the archipelago dependent on its policies and network management capabilities.
Conflicts and Events: Impact on Infrastructure
The Cocos Islands are located in a geographically stable region, far from zones of active conflict. Currently, there is no data indicating that any events, including natural disasters or social protests, have affected the operation of the OAC submarine cable or the archipelago's internet connectivity.
Chokepoints and Risks: Threats to Connectivity
The primary chokepoint for the Cocos Islands is their complete reliance on the single OAC cable. Any damage to the cable, whether caused by natural phenomena such as earthquakes or underwater landslides, or human factors like ship anchors, would result in a total loss of internet connectivity. Restoration could take weeks, given the region's remoteness and the complexity of repair operations.
Additionally, the archipelago lacks its own data centers or backup satellite channels, which exacerbates its vulnerability. All internet infrastructure is concentrated on a single route connecting the islands to Australia.
What GeoCables Monitors
GeoCables monitors the status of the Oman Australia Cable, including its segment passing through the Cocos Islands. This enables the tracking of any changes in the cable's performance, such as reduced bandwidth or complete outages. However, due to the absence of local monitoring points, data on internal traffic and specifics of internet usage on the archipelago remain unavailable.
In the future, connecting additional cables or developing satellite technologies could reduce the isolation of the Cocos Islands and enhance their resilience to potential disruptions.
