Masterclasses

Masterclass 1: Wet plant design

We will review current methodologies for design and verification of undersea cable systems and discuss requirements and processes for qualification of enabling technologies. Examples of some recent First Office Applications (FOA) will be presented. Our panel will express views of both system suppliers and customers.

Presented by:

• Dmitriy Kovsh, SubCom
• Eduardo Mateo, NEC
• Jean-Francois Baget, ASN
• Qian Zhong, Google 

Masterclass 2: Network security

Submarine cables are increasingly recognized as critical national assets due to their vital role in global communications. This masterclass will address a range of topics related to security for submarine cable systems and will cover aspects of physical protection, cybersecurity, geopolitical considerations and legal/regulatory frameworks. The speakers will provide recommendations that can be implemented to improve security for this key network infrastructure.

Presented by:

• Willy George, ZOI

Masterclass 3: Advances in marine operations and maintenance

This masterclass explores the latest advancements in marine operations and maintenance, covering critical aspects such as project initiation, surveying, installation, and repair techniques.

Presented by:

• Andy Palmer-Felgate, Meta
• René d’Avezac, OMS
• Claire Boggis, EllaLink
• Tom Janssen-Manning, Google

Masterclass 4: Transmission technology for subsea

This masterclass covers the latest developments in subsea transmission technology and comprises a set of educational tutorials delivered by leaders in the field. Topics will range from capacity maximization using digital signal processing to the use of spectrally wider signals to reduce overall space and power consumption. There will also be some discussion of operational considerations and glimpses of what the future of the field may bring.

Presented by:

• Marc Stephens, Infinera/Nokia
• Kim Roberts, Ciena
• Mike Pan, Cisco
• Siddharth Varughese, Infinera/Nokia 

Masterclass 5: Advances, opportunities and challenges in sensing on fibre-optic cables: A forward look

This masterclass will address the existing and emergent technologies that use optical fibres at the heart of in-service telecommunications cables to enhance cable protection and enable new scientific observations, climate change monitoring and early warning of natural hazards. Using recently acquired data from in-service cables and illustrated by case studies, the panel will share cutting edge approaches in fibre optic sensing across multiple scales, the drivers for different types of techniques, their current limitations and future directions, and will set out key challenges and opportunities for wider application.

Presented by:

• Mike Clare, ICPC
• Simon Webster, NEC 
• Isobel Yeo, National Oceanography Centre 
• Giuseppe Marra, National Physical Laboratory 
• Mikael Mazur, Nokia Bell Labs 
• Katherine Edwards, Vodafone
• Jan Petter Morten, ASN 

Masterclass 6: The dance of the troublemakers – finance, regulatory, legal

This masterclass will highlight the complexities of implementing a subsea cable project from the perspective of the key stakeholders. It will also investigate the conflicting aims and views of those stakeholders and try to propose best practices as well as explore alternative approaches for a project’s success by referencing a fictitious model project.

Presented by:

• Laure Duvernay, ASN 
• Jonathan Dames, CMS
• Stuart Blythe, Baker Botts
• Jamie Merrett, ASN