Scuba Divers Installing Calbe underwater

LEO Satellite Backup for Critical Subsea Infrastructure in Alaska

After undersea fibre cuts disrupted communications across parts of Alaska, including a January 2025 cable break caused by sea ice, Eutelsat worked with local partners to deploy LEO satellite terminals. The solution restored critical connectivity for emergency services, local government and essential public communications while cable repairs remained impossible.

SWITCHING TO LEO WHEN CABLES NEED REPAIRING

The Challenge - When Subsea Cables Fail  

The likelihood of disruption to a subsea telecommunications cable is difficult to foretell and costly to restore. Cables age, underwater and out of sight. Ocean floors move. Boretides pull. Incidents occur with passing ships. We use them, however, to carry 99% of all intercontinental data and website traffic around the world. Their strategic importance is equal to that of energy pipelines and major highways. A cable outage can, as a result, be critical for public and emergency service providers, offshore and land-based enterprise operations, local businesses and remote communities. The cost for communications service providers to locate and repair a severed cable can run into many millions of US$.

Critical Needs - Network Resilience Versus Repair 

Local network service providers need to ensure resilience is built into their subsea cable-powered networks as part of a critical service delivery strategy. Where outages are most likely to occur, these measures may need to be more permanent and can include:

  • Satellite terminals onsite, secured and ready for service activation
  • Trusted local partners to identify immediate needs in the event of a break
  • Strategic forward planning and budget allocation for resiliency 
  • Satellite solutions that seamlessly integrate with existing infrastructure for service continuity during a connectivity crisis

This is a wake-up call to us all, that we need to be sure that we have our emergency plans dusted off and that we exercise them and see what redundancy we can build into our system to ensure there is a rapid failover available to us should something like this occur again in the future.

John handeland

Mayor of nome, alaska

 

The Solution - Trusted Partners Adopt LEO SATCOM 

Eutelsat, together with our Distribution Partners in Alaska, delivered a satellite solution for activation within 48 hours of a reported subsea cable outage event. Our trusted DPs were able to restore network access at short notice, using satellite as the back-up circuit with OW70 terminals installed at multiple landing station sites. Our timely response ensured DPs could maintain low-latency, high-speed connectivity for their customers . Our approach is part of a broader Eutelsat multi-orbit package for network resilience, where we combine the strengths of both GEO and LEO satellite systems. 

Impact

Where insurance companies in the past may have paid-out following a subsea cable disruption they often insist now on steps taken to enhance resilience and mitigate risk, including what satellite services have been implemented. Reduced dependency on single-point terrestrial infrastructure can save millions of US dollars. Other benefits include: 

  • Continued customer loyalty for delivering reliable service      
  • Proven pathways that avoid dependence on a single-point terrestrial infrastructure
  • Protection for critical public services and remote communities
  • Scalable backup business models that can apply to other critical infrastructure scenarios

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a LEO satellite backup for critical infrastructure?

  • A LEO satellite backup uses low Earth orbit constellations—orbiting between 300 and 2,000 kilometres above Earth—to provide low-latency, high-bandwidth communications to where terrestrial networks or submarine cables fail. Unlike traditional geostationary satellites at 36,000 kilometres, LEO satellites deliver faster response times and greater capacity, making them essential for maintaining essential public, government and enterprise services in remote communities. When infrastructure fails, LEO terminals can be activated rapidly to restore communications.

How does LEO connectivity support emergency communications?

  • LEO connectivity enables rapid deployment of satellite terminals to restore communications for emergency services and public agencies within hours. The satellites provide broad coverage even in Arctic or hard-to-reach regions where terrestrial infrastructure is sparse or damaged. During the Alaska cable breaks, Eutelsat deployed terminals in under 48 hours to restore critical services. The low-latency performance supports real-time coordination between first responders, enabling voice, video and data flows simultaneously—capabilities that prove vital when traditional communication channels are compromised.

What are the benefits of multi-orbit satellite backup?

  • Eutelsat's multi-orbit approach combines GEO and LEO satellites to deliver exceptional redundancy and resilience. GEO satellites provide stable, high-capacity coverage from fixed orbital positions, whilst LEO constellations offer low-latency, ubiquitous connectivity. This satellite communication architecture ensures capacity is always available, even when one network experiences disruption. The dual-orbit design eliminates common points of failure. For governments responsible for disaster recovery and humanitarian assistance, this layered approach delivers mission-critical reliability at a fraction of prolonged outage costs.

How does cyber security apply to LEO satellite communications?

  • Eutelsat OneWeb's constellation features encryption, access controls and tamper-resistant architecture designed specifically for government and critical infrastructure use cases. The network maintains the security standards demanded by defence, intelligence and public safety agencies whilst remaining easily interoperable with existing systems. For civil government decision-makers managing healthcare, education or emergency services, this means connectivity solutions that meet strict regulatory requirements without compromising rapid deployability.

Why should governments consider LEO satellite backup for public services?

  • Governments responsible for healthcare, education and emergency services need resilient, compliant connectivity that can withstand infrastructure failures and budget constraints. LEO satellite backup provides a cost-effective, rapidly deployable alternative to relying solely on terrestrial networks, which remain vulnerable to cable breaks and natural disasters. The solution offers transparent procurement aligned with public sector processes, proven cybersecurity standards and flexibility to scale as needs evolve. When measured against the multi-million-dollar costs of prolonged outages, investing in LEO backup infrastructure represents responsible stewardship of public funds whilst ensuring critical services remain operational.

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