Fishing vessels are advised not to cross immediately astern of a ship which is laying cable. Submarine cables take some time to settle onto the seabed after laying. It is also important to keep well clear of cable buoys marking breaks, installation or repairs, because the cable is likely to be slack or in suspension, and hence more likely to be fouled by fishing gear, for a considerable distance from the buoy. Cable buoys are yellow with a yellow light showing at night. A person or vessel that damages a cable willfully or negligently may be liable.
Cables generally offer better speed, reliability and security than satellites.
The Alaska United Fiber System can carry more than 120,000 simultaneous telephone, fax, or data calls. A cable break typically costs more than one million dollars to fix. This cost must ultimately be paid by the users of telephone and internet services.