The HCS has been warned by its official inspectorate that the key communications network backbone of the HCS is suffering from years of lack of investment and unless urgent investment is made over the next 18 months could be the verge of collapse by around 2114.
At the height of the Clone Wars HCS communications systems were second to none, indeed the DDS used them as their model when they were recreating their systems after the Utrek War. However the Clone economic difficulties in the early 2100s saw various multi-billion zark projects to upgrade the systems cancelled and as data usages have risen the infrastructure has not kept apace, equipment has also become worn out. As the economy improved then money was diverted to "sexier" projects like the new navy and CSM rather than essential (though dull) infrastructure upgrades.
The HCS have begun to ration non-essential traffic during periods of "peak usage" such as military exercises because the limit on capacity is being reached. Deputy Emperor Sleeze has promised that action will be taken by next year. He has requested a prioritised list of the most urgent upgrades required and has pledged 4 billion zarks will be made available over the next 3 years. One source however says the HCS need to spend more like 25 billion over the next 10 years to avert a total collapse by the end of the decade.
