Africa still relies on Satellite Access

In a recent report done by South-Africa based telecommunication analysts, BMI-TechKnowledge, it was revealed that South Africa still relies on expensive satellite connection to access the internet.
BMI-TechKnowledge said over 80 percent of African internet usage is running through satellite connection.
They did however say that efforts were underway to switch to high bandwidth optic cables use, 10 are already being built. In the next two year the cable projects will spend more than US$6 billion.
Although expensive, it is said that fast internet connection are essential for growth in businesses. South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria and Tanzania are the countries that are believed to be driving the demand for connectivity.
Currently countries in East Africa and most in central Africa have no submarine cable connectivity and rely on satellite links from the United States and France. By next year the private Seacom marine Fibre optic cable – from Madagascar and South Africa to Egypt, India and France will be ready.
The failure to meet its deadline, the African West Coast Cable (AWCC) meant that US$510 million cable through ten African countries would not be operational for its target date 2010, ahead of the FIFA World Cup in SA.
The East African Submarine System (EASSY) funded by the World Bank and the Development Bank of SA are at least a year behind schedule. The cables are scheduled to run from SA and Mozambique to Sudan, Somalia and Djibouti with associated links to five landlocked African countries.
In the mean time other cable projects from East African Marine Systems (TEAMS) from Kenya to the United Arab Emirates is expected to start next year and so is the flag cable through the Horn of Africa.

By IT News Africa Staff reporter