Subsea Data Systems Participates in SMART Cables Panel at Subsea World 2024

Subsea Data Systems President Matt Fouch, Ph.D., joined industry leaders in Marseille, France this July for the Subsea World 2024 Conference, participating in a panel discussion focused on the future of SMART Cable implementation.

Held on July 10-11, the conference brought together subsea telecommunications professionals from around the globe. Matt's panel, moderated by Jol Paling, featured an esteemed group of experts including Georgios Tselentis, Emmanuel Danjou, and Philippe Dumont. Together, they tackled one of the most critical questions facing the SMART Cable movement: how to finance these next-generation systems.

While the technical capabilities of SMART Cables—integrating environmental and seismic sensors into telecommunications infrastructure—are well established, the financial models for deploying them remain a key challenge. The panel explored various funding mechanisms and business cases that could make sensor-enabled cables economically viable for a broader range of projects.

The discussion emphasized that sustainable adoption of SMART Cable technology will require creativity in financing. From public-private partnerships to multi-stakeholder funding models that recognize the value of environmental data, exploring diverse funding options is essential for moving SMART Cables from concept to widespread deployment.

As SMART Cable projects continue to progress around the world, conversations like this one in Marseille help pave the way for practical, sustainable implementation. Subsea Data Systems remains committed to not only advancing the technology but also working with industry partners to develop the economic frameworks that will enable SMART Cables to fulfill their promise of connecting and monitoring our oceans.