Project is now expected to light up its cable July 23,
By Michael Malakata
Thursday, July 16, 2009
The deployment of the much hyped and celebrated Sea Cable System (SEACOM) Africa cable in troubled Somali waters has been completed and the connection of the cable stations directly to
SEACOM postponed its switch-on date by a month after threats by Somali pirates along the
The US$600 million SEACOM project is now expected to light up its cable July 23, a month late.
Somali pirates are terrorizing ships along the
The laying of the cable segment from the Mtunzini landing station in
"In addition to submarine tests, we are concurrently testing our backhaul solutions. These too are in line for our 23 July date," Herlihy said.
SEACOM is hoping to become the first provider of fiber-optic in the East African region broadband market. With high performance optical transmission equipment, which connects customers to inland networks already installed in Maputo, Mombai and Djibouti landing stations, the cable is ready to start providing broadband services for the first time in East Africa.
A rival cable, the East African Marine System (TEAMS) cable being funded by the Kenyan government and private companies, was the first to land in
SEACOM management said the cable will assist communication carriers in the East and Southern African regions in providing wholesale capacity for global network connectivity.
Source: InfoWorld, July 16, 2009