How New Sensors Could Make the Seafloor Smarter

A new Alcatel Elwave partnership debuts sharper subsea cable monitoring to boost reliability

9 Nov 2025

Alcatel Submarine Networks and Elwave have launched a joint programme to upgrade monitoring of subsea cables, introducing electric field sensing tools aimed at improving the reliability of a system that carries most of the world’s digital traffic.

The companies said the new sensors, unveiled on 7 November, can locate and assess underwater cables with greater accuracy than existing methods. Mounted on autonomous underwater vehicles, the devices can detect buried or obscured lines and provide early warnings of faults. Elwave emphasised their ability to operate in poor visibility, while Alcatel Submarine Networks said the technology would strengthen “situational awareness” for operators managing critical infrastructure.

The move comes amid rising demand for long-distance connectivity and growing activity on the seabed. Industry analysts note that fishing gear, vessel anchors and shifting sediment continue to pose risks to undersea networks, while geopolitical tensions have increased concern about the resilience of cross-border links. Faster, more precise inspection tools are seen as a way to limit outages and address emerging threats.

The announcement also coincides with expansion in offshore energy projects. Developers of offshore wind farms have shown interest in systems that could protect both power and communication cables, raising the prospect of more integrated monitoring practices across different types of subsea assets.

Specialists say wider adoption will depend on common technical standards and secure data systems as operators deploy new sensor fleets. But they add that proactive monitoring can improve data quality and reduce maintenance costs, supporting stronger network resilience over time.

Executives expect continued investment in sensing technologies as cable capacity grows. The Alcatel–Elwave initiative suggests that undersea infrastructure, long hidden from view, may become easier to track and better protected as global digital demand increases.