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West Africa: Main One Cable Project Print E-mail
Tuesday, 14 October 2008

Africa will get a boost in Internet access and a significant tariff reduction with the commencement of the Main One Cable Project.

The Main One Cable System has reportedly acquired its first under-sea cable landing license in West Africa. In addition, the organisation has made payments to Tyco Telecommunications who will implement both phases of the project on a turnkey basis. Work has begun on the project.

The Main One cable project will extend from Portugal to the West and Southern Coasts of Africa. The first phase of the project will cover 6,900 kilometres, extending from Portugal to Nigeria and Ghana. The second phase is expected to extend by another 6,000 kilometres to South Africa and Angola. The cable will deliver 1.28 Terabits per second of bandwidth, more capacity than any of the other existing or proposed under-sea fibre projects.

The Main One cable will provide open access to regional telecom operators and Internet Service Providers at rates twenty percent of current international bandwidth tariffs offered through satellite or the existing SAT-3 network.

According to Funke Opeke, Main One Chief Executive Officer, "with the support of individual investors from within our region, private equity institutions, development finance institutions and a handful of African banks, the development of the project and execution of the contract by Tyco Telecommunications remains in line with our schedule for completion in May 2010".

Source: Daily Independent - WDR/Intelecon Regulatory News.