Editing Proselytization network

{{Status|Canon}}
{{Disambig header|the Covenant communications network|other uses|Bnet}}
{{Quote|I've hacked into the Covenant battlenet. They're actually broadcasting tactical data on unencrypted channels. We should show them who they're dealing with.|[[Cortana]] to [[John-117]] on [[Installation 04]].}}

The '''Covenant battle network''',{{Ref/Novel|TF|Page=38}} often referred to as the '''Covenant battle net''',{{Ref/Level|Id=halo|CE|[[Halo (Halo: Combat Evolved level)|Halo]]}} or simply the '''battlenet''',{{Ref/Novel|FS|Page=55}} is the term for [[Covenant]] communication systems maintained to allow instantaneous contact between units, vessels and planets. It is the equivalent to the [[human]] [[COM]] systems. Following the defeat of the Covenant, various [[Covenant remnants]] have been shown to use the battle net or modifications of it for their own purposes.

==Overview==

===Covenant===
Covenant battle network channels are sometimes broadcast on the same frequencies as the [[UNSC]] [[COM]], but to date, there is no explanation why; given the fact that this would broadcast the communications of both sides and potentially give up plenty of battle plans for the enemy. The Covenant have been known to broadcast their tactical data through unencrypted battlenet channels.{{Ref/Reuse|halo}} The battlenet can be isolated for deep space broadcast, as well as inter-ship and between units. The battlenet is standard equipment aboard all Covenant vessels, which have both intra- and inter-ship battlenets.{{Ref/Novel|FS|Page=63}} It can also be accessed through ground communication equipment such as [[Covenant communication node|communication nodes]].

The Covenant inter-ship battlenet has a curious feature: a system of communicating orders throughout the Covenant fleet. Transmissions carry embedded sub communiques containing orders for ships to various jumps, rendezvouses and tasks. The efficient system allows orders circulating more quickly throughout the Covenant. However, it seems to have poor counter-intrusion security, as AIs like Cortana seem to have no problem in hacking it.

Through John-117's in-suit communications array, Cortana accessed the Covenant battlenet several times over the [[Battle of Installation 04|Battle of]] [[Installation 04]] in order to gain intelligence. The battlenet was broadcast over all of Installation 04 and by monitoring it, Cortana was able to discern Covenant activity over the ring.{{Ref/Reuse|halo}} Some of the things she was able to find out provided needed answers about the Covenant activity and the nature of the installation.{{Ref/Level|CE|[[The Truth and Reconciliation]]}} Cortana also used it to find the crashed {{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}} in order to destroy Installation 04. At this point, Cortana mentioned that she was going to search "what's left" of it, indicating that all the chaos threw the battlenet into serious disarray.{{Ref/Level|CE|[[Two Betrayals]]}} While raiding the ''[[Truth and Reconciliation]]'' a second time, Cortana discovered that the battlenet was in such disarray that she couldn't even bring up ship schematics. As a result, she had to rely on records from the last raid to figure out where to go inside the ship.

Near the end of the Human-Covenant War, during the [[Battle for Earth]], a [[Quick to Adjust|defected Huragok]] was captured by [[Alpha-Nine|a squad of ODSTs]], and the Huragok agreed to share information in the Covenant battlenet after interrogated by [[Sergeant Major]] [[Avery Junior Johnson]].{{Ref/Level|ODST|[[Coastal Highway]]}} Two days later, the battlenet fell into disarray again, this time following the [[Prophet of Truth]]'s departure through the [[Portal at Voi]] at the close of the [[Battle of Voi]].<ref name="loot2">''[[Halo Legendary Crate]]'', ''[[Halo Legendary Crate/Data Drops|Data Drop #2]]''</ref>

===Sesa 'Refumee's heretic faction===
[[Sesa 'Refumee]] [[Sesa 'Refumee's heretic faction|heretic faction]] had its own battlenet, but the storm approaching the [[Threshold gas mine]] masked the approach of [[Thel 'Vadam|the Arbiter's]] team and put the Heretics' battlenet into disarray.{{Ref/Level|H2|[[The Arbiter]]}}

===Jul 'Mdama's Covenant===
During the [[Battle of Requiem]] in [[2557#July|July 2557]], Cortana monitored a new battlenet used by [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant]] to learn more about the situation.{{Ref/Game|H4}} During the early stages of the battle, Cortana detected reports of [[Promethean]] resistance on the battlenet while [[John-117]] fought through [[Core of Requiem|Requiem's core]].{{Ref/Level|H4|[[Forerunner (level)|Forerunner]]}}

During the [[Requiem Campaign]] in [[2558]], Jul 'Mdama's Covenant mainly used one of the [[shield world]]'s Forerunner subnets to communicate rather than their battlenet.<ref>''Spartan Ops'', [[Didact's Hand/Hairy Call|S104 ''Hairy Call'']]</ref> Later, Dr. [[Catherine Halsey]]'s comm signal was discovered to have bounced off into 'Mdama's battlenet after being traced to "[[Lockup]]."<ref>''Spartan Ops'', [[Key/The Hammer|S109 ''The Hammer'']]</ref>

In [[2558#October|October 2558]], while [[Blue Team]] was [[Operation: BIRD IN HAND|on]] ''[[Argent Moon]]'', Jul 'Mdama's battlenet suddenly lit up as a [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant|Covenant remnant]] fleet arrived at the station, causing the team to change their plan to [[self-destruct|scuttling]] ''Argent Moon''. As the team made their way through the station, they picked up chatter on the battlenet about [[Jul 'Mdama]]'s death in the [[Battle of Kamchatka]].{{Ref/Level|H5|[[Blue Team (level)|Blue Team]]}}

===Banished===
The [[Banished]] use a modified version of the Covenant battlenet to connect to different [[FOB]]s and important Banished facilities such as [[Outpost Tremonius (location)|Outpost Tremonius]]. After the Master Chief took control of Outpost Tremonius, he inserted [[the Weapon]] into a terminal where she easily removed the location from the Banished system, securing it.{{Ref/Level|Hi|[[Outpost Tremonius]]}} After the Master Chief secured each of the UNSC FOBs in the area, the Weapon removed them from the system as well, securing them. Each time an FOB was secured, the Weapon was able to secure data on Banished operations from the battlenet, including major bases and high-value Banished targets.{{Ref/Game|Hi}}

== Covenant battle network frequencies ==
These frequencies are most commonly used by the Covenant, but it seems that they occasionally utilize the UNSC D- and E- Bands.
*'''Covenant F-Band'''{{Ref/Novel|Id=ping|FS|Page=297}}
*'''Covenant G-Band'''{{Ref/Reuse|ping}}
*'''Covenant H-Band'''{{Ref/Reuse|ping}}
*'''Covenant I-Band'''{{Ref/Reuse|ping}}
*'''Covenant J-Band'''{{Ref/Reuse|ping}}
*'''Covenant K-Band'''{{Ref/Reuse|ping}}

==List of appearances==
*''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'' {{Fm}}
*''[[Halo: The Flood]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: First Strike]]''
*''[[Halo 2]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: The Cole Protocol]]''
*''[[Halo 3: ODST]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo 4]]'' {{Mo}}
**''[[Spartan Ops]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]''
*''[[Halo: New Blood]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo Infinite]]'' {{Mo}}

==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources}}

[[Category:Communications technology]]