Recommendation ITU-T G.971 applies to optical fibre submarine cable systems. The purpose of this Recommendation is to identify the main features of optical fibre submarine cable systems, and to provide generic information on relevant Recommendations in the field of optical fibre submarine cable systems. A common implementation relevant to all the optical fibre submarine cable systems is described in Annex A. Specific information relevant to each optical fibre submarine cable systems is included in annexes of other Recommendations. The updated data on cable ships and submersible equipment of various countries are also described in Appendix I. In this latest version, relationship among Recommendations relevant to optical fibre submarine cable systems found in section 7 is amended to take into account three groups of "General", "Components or Functions", and "System Requirements".