Reliable, affordable data connectivity issues still plague Africa – SEACOM
JOHANNESBURG – Despite developments on international subsea infrastructure, reliable and affordable data connectivity issues continue to plague Africa, with internet penetration only increasing in recent years largely due to the roll out of mobile networks, pan-African telecoms company SEACOM says.
Sixteen of 55 African countries are landlocked, posing challenges in extending the high-speed capabilities of subsea cable systems onto reliable terrestrial fibre cables that connect both to key cities that are not on the coast as well getting reliable fibre connectivity through coastal countries into landlocked markets, SEACOM CEO Byron Clatterbuck said in a column on the future of subsea cable connectivity on the continent.
“Road and rail access to inland areas of Africa is only just developing in many parts of the continent (and) it is easy to understand the challenges this puts on constructing and operating basic fibre-based data connectivity,” he said.
“To exacerbate this challenge further, the state of reliable power availability and security of infrastructure at remote sites is often below international standards. “
He said subsea fibre optic cables remained Africa’s lifeline and were the catalyst for further development of long-haul terrestrial and metro fibre deployment; increasing the continent’s integration with the world and enhancing its competitiveness in the fourth industrial revolution by providing faster and cheaper internet access.
Source: iol.co.za
