According to new Global Trends research by Cullen International, submarine cables face diverse policy and regulatory landscapes worldwide, including on authorisation regimes, security and resilience requirements, and government incentives for deployment.

According to the benchmark:
 

• Only four of the surveyed jurisdictions require a specific licence by a telecoms authority to land a submarine cable and operate a cable landing station (CLS). Most jurisdictions follow a general telecoms authorisation regime but still demand multiple permits. When combined with licences and clearances from various authorities, the process to land a submarine cable and operate a CLS could take up to two years.
   
• In 11 surveyed jurisdictions, submarine cables receive stronger protection than regular telecoms assets, with mandatory security assessments and ownership screening in place. Ten jurisdictions established outage reporting obligations for submarine cables. Only six surveyed jurisdictions have implemented submarine cable protection zones.
   
• Only five surveyed jurisdictions offer incentives like funding or tax breaks to attract submarine cable investment within their territories. In turn, just three jurisdictions support initiatives for “sovereign” cable repair vessels.

The research covered Australia, Brazil, China, Egypt, the EU, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Nigeria, Peru, Singapore, South Africa, the UK, and the US. 

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