Proselytization network

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"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 the Master Chief.

The Covenant Battle Network, or BattleNet, 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 system.

Covenant Battle Network channels are sometimes broadcast on the same frequencies as the COM, but to date, there is no explanation why; given the fact that this would broadcast the communications of both sides and potentially give plenty of battleplans. The BattleNet can be isolated for deep space broadcast, as well as inter-ship and between units. It should also be noted that the BattleNet was broadcast over all of Installation 04 and by monitoring it, Cortana was able to discern Covenant activity over the ring. In the original Halo, Cortana used John 117's in-suit communications array to access the BattleNet. BattleNet channels are also commonly unencrypted, likely because the Covenant did not believe humans posed a threat and thought that their extinction was imminent and unavoidable.

The Battle Net is standard equipment aboard all Covenant vessels, but ground communication is best made using Uplink Crates.

The Covenant inter-ship Battle Net 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, rendezvous and tasks. The efficient system allows orders to circulate 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.

The first time that the BattleNet was mentioned is on level Halo of Halo: Combat Evolved.

Cortana accesses the BattleNet several times over the game in order to gain intelligence. Some of the things she is able to find out provide needed answers like some of the answers about what Halo is. Also, Cortana uses it find the Pillar of Autumn in order to destroy Halo, but when she does she says she's going to search "what's left" of it, indicating that all of the chaos threw the BattleNet into serious disarray.

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
• Covenant G-Band
• Covenant H-Band
• Covenant I-Band
• Covenant J-Band
• Covenant K-Band

Trivia

• The Covenant BattleNet shares its name with Blizzard Entertainment's Battle.Net, an online gaming server.
• Halo: The Cole Protocol makes a reference to the "Kig-Yar BattleNet"
• While the BattleNet was mentioned quite often in Halo: Combat Evolved, it was only mentioned once in Halo 2, and not at all in Halo 3.
• In the ending cutscene of Halo 3: ODST, it is stated that the Huragok have limited access to the Covenant Battlenet.