Welcome to the November 2008 edition of Submarine Telecoms Forum, marking our 7th anniversary in publication. This issue, themed 'Defense & Non-traditional Cable Systems,' arrives amidst significant global financial turmoil, impacting traditional business operations and emerging geopolitical hotspots. The edition offers a comprehensive exploration of the submarine cable market, featuring insights from industry experts. Highlights include John Hibbard's invitation to the next Pacific conference, Raul Magallanes' strategies for telecom providers to navigate FCC regulations, and Colin Anderson's update on SubOptic 2010. Bill Kolb examines Atlantic cable maintenance, while Andy Lumsden discusses key cable enabling technologies. The issue also profiles the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization's use of cable systems for nuclear non-proliferation verification. Additionally, Keith Schofield and Michael Carter report on SubOptic interim working group activities, and Catherine Dixon and Theresa Hyatte delve into
