Global Internet Routing: Why Your Data Takes the Long Way Around

Imagine this: you are sitting in Rostov-on-Don, sending a request to a server in Singapore, and instead of taking the direct route of 7,974 km, your data packet makes an astonishing detour through Osaka, Japan, adding an extra 4,951 km to the journey. As a result, the round-trip time (RTT) reaches 313 milliseconds, nearly four times the physical minimum (~80 ms) that could be achieved with an ideal route. This is an example of the complex routing dynamics that GeoCables monitors daily within the global internet infrastructure.

Why does the route pass through key providers?

On the way from Rostov to Singapore, traffic passes through several autonomous systems (AS) of major network providers: JSC ER-Telecom Holding (AS57378) in Russia, Arelion Sweden AB (AS1299) in Europe, and Akamai International B.V. (AS20940) in Asia. These operators are transit giants that ensure connectivity between regions and continents.

Peering (traffic exchange between networks) plays a crucial role. For example, ER-Telecom hands off the packet to Arelion in Moscow, which then routes it through its nodes in Stockholm and Hamburg. Akamai, as one of the largest CDN (Content Delivery Network) providers, receives this traffic but, instead of choosing the optimal route, directs it first to Osaka and then to Singapore. This could be due to the absence of direct peering agreements between operators, the economics of transit, or the configuration of submarine cable landing points.

Practical implications for users

Such an increase in latency can significantly impact the quality of online services:

• Video calls: An RTT of 313 ms leads to noticeable delays in conversation. Video communication becomes less comfortable, especially for business meetings.
• Online gaming: For gamers, such latency is unacceptable. With delays exceeding 150 ms, it becomes difficult to react to opponents' actions, making the game less competitive.
• Financial trading: In high-frequency trading, every millisecond matters. A delay of 313 ms can be critical for executing trades quickly.
• Cloud services: Working with remote servers, such as data processing or accessing corporate applications, requires minimal response time. Every extra millisecond reduces overall performance.

Infrastructure context: why does traffic take a "detour"?

The reason for such routing lies in the global internet infrastructure. Regions like southern Russia often rely on transit routes through major hubs in Moscow, Stockholm, and other European cities. This is due to the historical development of networks, where Europe became a key hub for intercontinental traffic. At the same time, direct cable connections between Russia and Southeast Asia are generally underdeveloped, and peering agreements between local and international providers are often suboptimal.

Additionally, in this case, Akamai decides to route traffic through Osaka, likely due to the specifics of its internal infrastructure and server distribution. Submarine cables connecting Singapore to other regions also play a significant role: their landing points can dictate routes that may not always appear logical from the user's perspective.

Real-world events nearby

In this region, GeoCables has recorded several natural events in recent months that could have impacted network operations. For example, a magnitude 6.9 earthquake in Indonesia (15 km north-northwest of Pematangsiantar) occurred just two months before the route analysis, approximately 568 km from Singapore. Additionally, floods occurred in Russia, Ukraine, and Georgia. However, our data clearly shows that this detour through Osaka was caused not by natural disasters but by routing peculiarities and peering agreements.

These examples highlight how complex and multi-layered the process of data delivery in the modern internet truly is. GeoCables continues to monitor routes to shed light on the hidden mechanisms of the global network. Routing issues are not just technical challenges, but also critical factors that shape the digital experience for billions of users.