Internet Detours: Why Data Travels Thousands of Extra Kilometers

Imagine this: you send a request from Yekaterinburg to the Seychelles, expecting the data to travel the shortest route, just 6,850 km. However, instead, your data packet "wandered" 5,761 km off the direct line, ending up in Wan Chai, Hong Kong, before finally reaching its destination in Victoria, Seychelles. As a result, the round-trip time (RTT) amounted to an impressive 289 milliseconds, nearly four times the physical minimum threshold of 69 milliseconds. This is a classic example of internet detour, which GeoCables recorded on September 24, 2026.

Why did the route pass through key network providers?

On the journey of the data packet from Yekaterinburg to the Seychelles, several major network operators were involved: MIRALOGIC-AS and MTS in Russia, West Indian Ocean Cable Company (Wiocc) in Djibouti, and Intelvision Ltd in the Seychelles. These providers play a key role in routing international traffic due to their peering agreements, transit routes, and connections to submarine cable landing points.

For instance, MIRALOGIC-AS and MTS handle traffic transport within Russia, but their direct links to international networks are limited. As a result, the packet is routed through larger nodes, such as Moscow, and then travels to Hong Kong via global transit operators. Wiocc, as a cable operator in the East African region, receives this traffic in Djibouti, while Intelvision completes the route to the Seychelles.

Such routing is often dictated by transit economics: providers choose cheaper or technically feasible paths, even if they are significantly longer. The lack of direct connections between Russian and African networks also contributes to traffic "detouring" through Asia.

Practical implications for users

For end users, a delay of 289 milliseconds can become a serious issue. For example:

• Video calls: A delay above 150 ms is noticeable as "echo," making communication difficult. Here, 289 ms make conversations exhausting.
• Online gaming: For competitive games like shooters and MOBA, response times above 100 ms reduce accuracy and player reaction. At 289 ms, gaming becomes nearly impossible.
• Financial trading: In high-frequency trading, milliseconds are critical. A delay of 289 ms can lead to missed trades, especially if the exchange is located in the Seychelles.
• Cloud services: Downloading data from the cloud with such a delay increases user wait times, reducing productivity.

Infrastructure context: why regional traffic "goes astray"

The main reason for the detour is the complex structure of international internet traffic, where routes are determined by economic and technical factors. Russia is characterized by a limited number of direct connections with African and island nations. Instead of taking a direct route through submarine cables in the Black or Mediterranean Seas, traffic is often routed through major Asian hubs like Hong Kong.

It is especially important to note the role of cable landing points: Djibouti is a key hub for submarine cables connecting Africa, Asia, and Europe. The Seychelles, on the other hand, have limited cable infrastructure, making them dependent on transit through other regions.

Real events near the route

In the months leading up to the recorded detour, the region experienced natural phenomena such as tropical cyclones and floods. GeoCables documented several events:

• August 27, 2026: Orange flood warning in China (425 km from the route).
• August 18, 2026: Tropical cyclone SAUDEL-26 with winds up to 120 km/h (371 km from the route).
• July 23, 2026: Tropical cyclone NOUL-26 (77 km from the route).

Although these events created tension in the region, GeoCables data shows that the detour was solely caused by routing decisions, not the impact of these events. For example, despite the proximity of cyclone NOUL-26 (77 km), the data packet traveled through Hong Kong due to economic and technical reasons.

Thus, internet detours are not always the result of external factors like natural disasters. More often, they are linked to complex network infrastructure, where economic and technical decisions play a decisive role.