Undersea Cables to Undersea Observatories Back in the late 80s, early 90s, the telecom industry went on an undersea fibre binge. Cables were laid under the Atlantic and Pacifc to carry voice and data traffic between the various continents. Thanks to the glut in the telecom market, and advancements in the technology, these cables are targeted to be retired early. However, they might find use in bringing to life undersea observatories that will keep tabs on ocean floor seismic activity.