(Ecofin Agency) – Launched in 2020, the 2Africa cable is 45,000 km long and connects three continents: Africa, Europe and Asia. Once in service, it is expected to provide improved connectivity to three billion people.
Telecoms group Airtel Africa announced on Thursday June 13 the activation of the initial phase of the 2Africa submarine cable system by Airtel Telesonic, its wholesale fiber optic arm. This stage links Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa. It was carried out in partnership with the company Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN) which was responsible for installing the infrastructure.
“ This project highlights not only our commitment to investing in cutting-edge infrastructure, but also our desire to equip communities with the tools they need to thrive in the digital age. This is an important milestone that highlights the power of collaboration and innovation to bring the world’s longest submarine cable system to Africa,” said Prasanta Das Sarma, Managing Director, Airtel Telesonic.
It was in 2020 that Meta (then Facebook) unveiled the 2Africa cable project. 45,000 km long, the 2Africa system is expected to connect 33 countries in Africa, Europe and Asia. With a rated capacity of up to 180 Tbps, the infrastructure is expected to provide enhanced connectivity to more than three billion people. In Africa, the cable is shared into two branches 2Africa West and 2Africa East which respectively serve the western and eastern parts of the continent.
The activation of this first phase of 2Africa should make it possible to strengthen the high-speed telecoms infrastructure along its route. This should allow partner telecom operators to improve the capacity and quality of their respective networks, but also resilience to recurring outages on other cables serving the region. For example, failures in the SEACOM and EASSY systems on May 12 caused disruptions in several East African countries.
This activation is also expected to strengthen Airtel Africa’s position in the African wholesale fiber market as part of the diversification of its activities and revenue sources. It was to meet the growing demand for wholesale data on the continent that the company launched Telesonic last February.
Isaac K. Kassouwi
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05/28/2024 – Ivory Coast: MTN announces its connection to 2Africa cable
12/02/2024 – Airtel Africa launches fiber optic subsidiary to meet demand for wholesale connectivity in Africa
