Seacom Set to Explore Fibre Opportunity Across Africa

Seacom has now set its sights on expanding its communications systems and fibre services across more territories in Africa.By Kojo Essah, IT News Africa
June 26, 2019

Seacom is a submarine communications system that launched Africa’s first broadband submarine cable system along the southern and eastern coastlines in 2009. The company has now set its sights on expanding its communications systems across more territories in Africa, due to being awarded a grant of an undisclosed amount from the US Trade and Development Agency to conduct a feasibility study on the market potential for fibre services in Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya.

The study will allow Seacom to ascertain the specific areas of expansion in the chosen countries. The expansion is said to include network equipment and fibre-optic cabling. This is a strategy to increase and expand services across Eastern Africa. “USTDA is pleased to build on its partnership with Seacom to support this important project. We are responding to growing demand in the region for affordable and reliable high-speed connections, and in a way that expands opportunities for US companies,” said Thomas Hardy, the Trade and Development Agency’s acting director.

“USTDA has been a valued partner to Seacom since its early beginnings and has been fundamental to the launch and growth of [the] internet in Africa. The continued support through this project will enable critical research on enterprise markets in East Africa,” added Seacom Chief Development Officer Suveer Ramdhani.

In addition to the study, Seacom has plans to add 8 new points of presence (PoPs) across the African continent to ensure that more businesses are able to connect to global cloud facilities. The company has expanded its reach in Mombasa, Kenya in the form of the new Icolo data centre. In addition to Kenya, Seacom also plans to install similar PoPs in Nairobi, Kenya and Kampala, Uganda.

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