the cables are owned by the companies that pay for them - like BT, AT&T, Level Three etc. sometimes they sell them, especially if they go bankrupt tapping a fi

the cables are owned by the companies that pay for them - like BT, AT&T, Level Three etc. sometimes they sell them, especially if they go bankrupt tapping a fibre isn't easy, you need a special submarine for that. the U.S. did that in the 1970s to the soviets. but it is much easier if the companies give you direct access at the landing station, which appears to be the case for the NSA