Africa’s carriers’ carrier WIOCC has entered into a strategic partnership with Cable&Wireless Worldwide, a global mission critical communications provider, to improve the reliability, performance and reach of international connectivity in and out of Africa. This initiative will enable WIOCC to provide the first truly seamless low-latency network from Africa to Europe and reinforces its position as the carriers’ choice for high-bandwidth, low-latency, EASSy capacity.
Through C&W Worldwide, WIOCC has invested in two new submarine cable systems – the Europe India Gateway (EIG) and West Africa Cable System (WACS). These additional investments enable WIOCC to create a unique, diversity-rich, high-capacity ring around Africa and into Europe, delivering the highest capacity at the lowest possible cost base – thereby extending its existing end-to-end managed regional and international services the length of Africa’s western seaboard.
“This strategic investment in new high-capacity submarine cable systems strengthens our existing ‘east+west coast diversity’ proposition and provides our carrier clients with even greater network resilience and redundancy. C&W Worldwide is an ideal partner as we share a similar vision of investing in strategic telecom infrastructure to support the growth of Africa,†said WIOCC CEO Chris Wood, who was recently named as one of the 100 most powerful people1 in the global telecoms industry.
WIOCC already offers telcos and internet service providers (ISPs) affordable, reliable connectivity to over 400 locations across 20 southern and eastern African countries, utilising more than 50,000 km of shareholder and partner-owned terrestrial fibre. This new agreement will enable WIOCC to reach up to 10 additional countries on Africa’s west coast, extending its seamless end-to-end connectivity offering between Africa and Europe to maximise WIOCC’s EASSy investment.
C&W Worldwide Managing Director for Global Wholesale & Carrier, Diarmid Massey, added: “C&W Worldwide provisioned its first submarine cables in Africa more than 100 years ago and our commitment to this market has only increased over the years. We are committed to working with partners like WIOCC to foster the infrastructure needed for both international and local businesses to prosper in the burgeoning African market.â€