Recent developments in Africa indicate that the big gulf in the so called digital divide is narrowing and very soon access to the Internet will be easier and cheaper for African countries.
GLO and WACS Telecommunication Initiatives
In this Internet era, undersea cables have become a critical element of telecommunication networks. Modern undersea fibre optic cable systems have almost miraculously increased the technical capabilities to transmit enormous amounts of data around the world. The extra bonus is that the cost is also now significantly lower relative to copper cable systems and satellites. Telecommunication service providers have recognized the immense capacity of undersea cables to satisfy their rapidly growing data transmission needs. Globacom of Nigeria, a late comer to the Nigerian telecommunication market has taken bold steps to lead the way in the field by launching the Lagos to London fibre -optic cable link. The project has hubs along the West African coast and in Morocco, Portugal and Spain - 9,500 kilometres in length with a capacity of 640 gigabits. It is scheduled to be completed in 2009. West African Cable System (WACS) is another initiative being undertaken by a consortium of telecom firms - Telkom , Vodacom , MTN, Neotel, and Infraco. The WACS line goes from South Africa to England and covers the entire western coast line of the African continent -13,000 kilometres in length with a capacity of 3.84 terabits.
Undersea cable systems have become an integral part of the international telecom infrastructure for supporting rapidly growing bandwidth needs. Low bandwidth has been the bane of African telecom development. The constantly evolving technological improvements have reduced the infrastructure costs and improved the quality and availability of international services.
Technological advancements coupled with entreprenurial foresight are changing the telecom landscape in Africa. See below the current cable projects setting the stage for the coming telecom revolution in Africa.
http://manypossibilities.net/african-undersea-cables/
GLO and WACS Telecommunication Initiatives
In this Internet era, undersea cables have become a critical element of telecommunication networks. Modern undersea fibre optic cable systems have almost miraculously increased the technical capabilities to transmit enormous amounts of data around the world. The extra bonus is that the cost is also now significantly lower relative to copper cable systems and satellites. Telecommunication service providers have recognized the immense capacity of undersea cables to satisfy their rapidly growing data transmission needs. Globacom of Nigeria, a late comer to the Nigerian telecommunication market has taken bold steps to lead the way in the field by launching the Lagos to London fibre -optic cable link. The project has hubs along the West African coast and in Morocco, Portugal and Spain - 9,500 kilometres in length with a capacity of 640 gigabits. It is scheduled to be completed in 2009. West African Cable System (WACS) is another initiative being undertaken by a consortium of telecom firms - Telkom , Vodacom , MTN, Neotel, and Infraco. The WACS line goes from South Africa to England and covers the entire western coast line of the African continent -13,000 kilometres in length with a capacity of 3.84 terabits.
Undersea cable systems have become an integral part of the international telecom infrastructure for supporting rapidly growing bandwidth needs. Low bandwidth has been the bane of African telecom development. The constantly evolving technological improvements have reduced the infrastructure costs and improved the quality and availability of international services.
Technological advancements coupled with entreprenurial foresight are changing the telecom landscape in Africa. See below the current cable projects setting the stage for the coming telecom revolution in Africa.
http://manypossibilities.net/african-undersea-cables/
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