Tata Communications has said that its investment in the new US$600 million West Africa Cable System will boost the company’s global reach and enhance the investments in the region.
Says Byron Clatterbuck, Senior Vice President of Global Transmission Services, Tata Communications: “We are very pleased to be participating in the West Africa Cable System. The investment is another step for Tata Communications in bolstering its capabilities in the African market, and will enhance our service propositions together with our partner Neotel in bringing added diversity into South Africa.”
A multinational consortium of leading telecommunications operators recently signed a Construction and Maintenance Agreement and Supply Contract for the implementation of the West Africa Cable System.
WACS is a submarine fibre optic cable that will link countries in Southern Africa, West Africa and Europe with at least 3.84 terabits per second of international bandwidth. The planned landing points include South Africa, Namibia, Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of Congo, Cameroon, Nigeria, Togo, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Cape Verde, Canary Islands, Portugal and the United Kingdom. The landings in Namibia, the DRC, the Republic of Congo and Togo will provide the first direct connections for these countries to the global submarine cable network.
Alcatel-Lucent Submarine Networks has been contracted to supply the 14,000 km long cable system with all associated landing points, which is expected to be ready for service by 2011.
