Eric Handa of AP Telecom takes the stage to talk of emerging markets in Africa and Southeast Asia.

“We see about 5.7 billion people on the planet, which is about 80 percent of the global population.”  Emerging markets make up the vast majority of the world.  “There are many many other markets.”  There are new opportunities coming, according to Handa.  He references the keynote speech by the Ambassador as his primary example.

“In many emerging markets, whether you're dealing with Cambodia, China, or India, you have a lot of aerial options.”  Which makes it unusual that Cambodia has recently taken an terrestrial cable approach.  But it also shows an investment in the future.

He goes on to comment on the MCT cable (Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand).  “This cable is going to be a game changer for Cambodia.”  Handa explains that this will go a long way to bridging the digital divide in the area.

And the difference will be just as big in Indonesia.  Handa says that there are already over twenty landing points.  “The metrics is there, the population is there.”  The interest in greater capacity is definitely there.

Finally, he turns the focus to Angola, and Angola Telecom.  There is also Angola Cables, a wholesale carrier built in 2009 by the fave major Angolan telecom operators.  There are a number of new builds going on, especially on the southern end of the country.

WACS has been playing an important role.  It's an already deployed cable that covers 11 African countries and goes into Europe.  Angola is the manager of the cable.  And more are on the way.

SACS, or the South Atlantic Cable System is to be launched by Angola Cables, linking Angola and Brazil.

Handa finishes his presentation with a video of the growing importance of Angola.