Internet Routing Challenges: Almaty to New York via London
When your internet traffic is sent from Almaty, Kazakhstan, to New York, USA, you likely expect it to travel in as straight a line as possible. However, GeoCables data shows that the reality of routing is often far from ideal. Instead of crossing Eurasia and the Atlantic via the shortest path of 10,268 km, data packets deviate by as much as 5,599 km, reaching London, UK, before returning across the Atlantic. The resulting round-trip time (RTT) is 717 ms, approximately seven times the theoretical minimum of 103 ms that could be achieved with ideal routing through optical fiber.
Key networks along the route: who and why?
Traffic on this route passes through several autonomous systems (AS), each representing a major provider or network operator. In Almaty, the initial stage of the route is handled by AS60930 Signal Telecom LLP, a local Kazakhstani operator. The further movement of data packets is carried out via AS9002 RETN Limited, an international transit operator with an extensive network of peering connections, and AS9002 RETN Limited appears again along the route.
The reasons for such route deviations lie in the economics of peering and transit. Direct connections between Kazakhstan and the USA via less congested routes, such as through eastern Russia or China, either do not exist or are underdeveloped. London, as a key landing point for submarine cables and a hub of the global internet, becomes a natural choice for transit traffic despite its geographical remoteness.
Practical implications for users
A delay of 717 ms has significant consequences for users. Video calls become virtually impossible: delays exceeding 250 ms disrupt the natural flow of conversation, causing constant pauses and inconvenience. Online gaming, which requires minimal RTT (typically less than 50 ms), becomes unplayable, especially in genres where reaction time is critical, such as shooters. Cloud services, including remote data storage and virtual desktops, suffer from severe slowdowns, as each request and response take longer than acceptable. High-frequency trading, where every millisecond matters, is also rendered impossible with such delays.
Geopolitical and infrastructure context
Routing traffic from Almaty to New York via London reflects a broader infrastructural and geopolitical context. Central Asia, including Kazakhstan, has historically suffered from insufficient integration into the global internet infrastructure. A limited number of submarine cables and weak regional routing force operators to rely on international hubs like London or Amsterdam.
Additionally, geopolitics plays a role. Restrictions related to transit through neighboring countries (e.g., China and Russia) can influence route selection, even if those routes are geographically more optimal. As a result, traffic "takes a detour," creating significant delays.
Real-world events: a live context
Amid such routing anomalies, the region has recently experienced several natural events. GeoCables recorded a 5.1-magnitude earthquake 76 km south of Daroot-Korgon, Kyrgyzstan, just 623 km from Almaty, on June 3, 2026. However, our data indicates that this event is unrelated to the routing. Similarly, earthquakes of magnitude 4.9, 57 km north-northwest of Huocheng, China, and 4.6, 24 km north-northwest of Kazarman, Kyrgyzstan, also did not affect this route. While these events are important for understanding the overall situation in the region, they are not the cause of traffic deviations.
Routing through London, as GeoCables data shows, is a result of infrastructural and economic factors rather than temporary natural or social phenomena.
GeoCables data reminds us how far we are from the ideal world of internet connections. Instead of traveling along the shortest line, data packets often follow routes dictated by peering economics, geopolitical realities and infrastructural limitations. For users, this means delays, degraded service quality and the need to adapt to the realities of the global network. Only by improving regional infrastructure and more tightly integrating local networks with global ones can such detours be reduced, bringing us closer to the ideal.
