The Straits Times, 17 Jan 2007
'Points of weakness in Internet cable networks'
By Adam Wolfe

The Taiwan earthquake last December disrupted telecommunications network in Asia, particularly in Singapore where Internet connections were severely laging for almost a week. The key Internet connection between Asia and the United States run through the Luzon Strait between Taiwan and Phillipines. The quakes left few alternative paths for the bandwidth.

Recently, there has been talks about constructing new networks. Perhaps, then, it would be prudent to construct the new lines across different patterns, so as to avoid choke points when another disaster occurs. Singapore would make an efficient central link to the rest of Asia because of its geographical location. Furthermore, Singapore is a well-known IT hub where technological advances are way ahead of many Asian countries.

Internet networks must not be disrupted easily. The Internet is our portal to the world, and almost all businesses rely on it for communication and research purposes. A major disruption will affect efficiency of work, and for certain companies, it could mean a difference between profit and loss.

In the Singapore Armed Forces where I work, the Internet is vital for my unit, which deals with intelligence and secret forces. Most computers have classified information which are top secret in nature, and a loss of such information would be costly and dangerous if leaked out througha virus. Therefore, it is important that Internet connections are always secure and prepared for backup in case of any future disasters.