Bahamas 2: A regional submarine cable linking the Bahamas and the United States
The Bahamas 2 submarine cable is a fiber-optic telecommunications system connecting the Bahamas to the United States. Spanning 476 kilometers, it links the landing points of
Eight-Mile Rock and
Nassau in the Bahamas with
Vero Beach in Florida, United States. Owned by Bermuda Telephone Company (BTC), it has been listed as in service since its recorded ready-for-service (RFS) date of 1997.
This cable is part of a broader network serving the Bahamas, including systems like the
Bahamas Domestic Submarine Network (BDSNi) and the
Bahamas Internet Cable System (BICS). While its design capacity, fiber pair count, supplier, and technology specifics are not publicly disclosed, its operational status suggests it plays an active role in regional connectivity. However, public latency measurements indicate real-world performance far exceeding theoretical limits, underscoring the complexity of end-to-end internet routing.
Quick facts
| Name | Bahamas 2 |
| Length | 476 km |
| Ready-for-service year | 1997 (GeoCables database value) |
| Owner | Bermuda Telephone Company (BTC) |
| Status | In service |
| Design capacity | Not disclosed |
| Fiber pairs | Not disclosed |
| Supplier | Not disclosed |
| Technology | Not disclosed |
| Landing points | Eight-Mile Rock (Bahamas), Nassau (Bahamas), Vero Beach (United States) |
Route
Bahamas 2 connects two landing points in the Bahamas-Eight-Mile Rock on Grand Bahama Island and Nassau on New Providence Island-with Vero Beach in Florida, United States. Eight-Mile Rock is also served by the
Grand Bahama Bimini Submarine Cable, while Nassau is a hub for other systems, including
ARCOS and the Bahamas Domestic Submarine Network (BDSNi). Vero Beach hosts additional cables like
Americas-I North and
TAM-1, making it a key node in regional and international connectivity.
The cable's route strategically links the Bahamas to the U.S., providing a critical international connection for the archipelago's telecommunications infrastructure.
Why it was built and what it carries
Bahamas 2 was likely built to enhance connectivity between the Bahamas and the United States, supporting international voice, data, and internet traffic. The Bahamas, as a popular tourist destination and financial hub, requires reliable and scalable communication infrastructure. This cable, along with its sibling systems BDSNi and BICS, forms part of the foundation supporting the nation's telecommunications needs.
Though specific details about the cable's capacity and technology are not disclosed, its operational status indicates it continues to serve its intended purpose. The presence of alternative cables at its landing points also suggests redundancy in regional connectivity.
History: what can be established
The GeoCables database records Bahamas 2 as ready for service in 1997, and it remains listed as in service today. Publicly available data does not confirm whether this date is universally agreed upon or whether there are discrepancies in industry sources. If alternative RFS years exist in the public domain, they are not widely documented.
The cable's construction and deployment would have involved standard industry practices, including marine surveys to map the seabed, cable laying by specialized ships, and burial in shallow waters to protect against external damage.
Capacity and technology
Details about Bahamas 2's design capacity, fiber pair count, supplier, and technology are not disclosed in public sources. Without operator documentation, it is impossible to state these parameters definitively. Given its 1997 RFS date, it is reasonable to assume the cable employs technology typical of its era, such as optical amplification via repeaters. However, attributing specific capabilities or upgrades would be speculative.
Latency: the physics
The computed one-way light propagation latency over 476 kilometers of fiber is approximately 2.3 milliseconds, yielding a theoretical round-trip time (RTT) floor of 4.7 milliseconds for the wet segment. Real-world latency measurements, however, show significantly higher values:
- Vero Beach -> Nassau: min 110.9 ms, avg 114.8 ms
- Sao Paulo -> Eight-Mile Rock: min 111.0 ms, avg 111.0 ms
- Saint Petersburg -> Eight-Mile Rock: min 129.8 ms, avg 130.0 ms
- Minsk -> Eight-Mile Rock: min 181.7 ms, avg 181.7 ms
- Kyiv -> Eight-Mile Rock: min 141.2 ms, avg 141.3 ms
- Sydney -> Eight-Mile Rock: min 204.3 ms, avg 204.3 ms
These measurements reflect the full internet path, including terrestrial links, routing, and equipment delays, rather than the cable itself. The disparity highlights the complexity of global internet routing.
Redundancy: what happens if it breaks
Bahamas 2's landing points are served by other cables, providing redundancy in case of outages. Eight-Mile Rock is connected to the Grand Bahama Bimini Submarine Cable, while Nassau hosts ARCOS and BDSNi. Vero Beach is linked to Americas-I North and TAM-1. These alternative systems can reroute traffic, minimizing disruption.
Repairing a submarine cable involves locating the fault, deploying specialized ships, and splicing the cable-a process that can take days or weeks depending on weather and fault location.
Bottom line
- Bahamas 2 connects the Bahamas (Eight-Mile Rock and Nassau) to the United States (Vero Beach) over 476 km.
- Owned by Bermuda Telephone Company (BTC), it has been in service since 1997.
- Design capacity, fiber pairs, supplier, and technology specifics are not publicly disclosed.
- Computed latency is ≈4.7 ms RTT for the wet segment; real-world internet path latency is higher.
- Redundancy is provided by other cables at the landing points.