List of terrestrial fibre optic cable projects in Africa
This is a list of terrestrial fibre optic cable projects in Africa. While submarine communications cables are used to connect countries and continents to the Internet, terrestrial fibre optic cables are used to extend this connectivity to landlocked countries or urban centers within a country with submarine cable access. While in most of the world a large number of such cables exist, often amounting to robust Internet backbones, the lack of such high-speed cables poses a great problem for most African countries. The construction of both submarine cables and their terrestrial extensions is thus considered an important step to economic growth and development to many African countries.
Countries
Algeria
| Operator |
Map |
KML |
Summary |
|---|
| Algeria Telecom |
map |
|
Algeria Telecom completes its part of the Algeria to Nigeria optical network.[1] |
Angola
Benin
Botswana
Burkina Faso
Cameroon
| Operator |
Map |
KML |
Summary |
|---|
| MTN Cameroon |
map |
|
From this 2009 article. Needs updating. |
| Camtel |
map |
kml |
Camtel have completed 5000 km of the 6000 km of fibre laid as part of the Central African Backbone initiative[4] |
Chad
| Operator |
Map |
KML |
Summary |
|---|
| SotelTchad or perhaps SITCOM-Tchad? |
map |
|
Chad has a 700 km national fibre backbone which from N'Djamena south which is now connected to SAT3 via Camtel.[5] |
Cote d'Ivoire
Democratic Republic of Congo
| Operator |
Map |
KML |
Summary |
|---|
| Liquid Telecom |
map |
|
Liquid Telecom have extended their southern African fibre network as far as Lumumbashi in the Democratic Republic of Congo.[7] |
Djibouti
Ethiopia
Gambia
| Operator |
Map |
KML |
Summary |
|---|
| Gamtel |
|
|
|
Ghana
Kenya
Madagascar
Malawi
Mali
| Operator |
Map |
KML |
Summary |
|---|
| Orange Mali |
map |
KML |
|
| Sotelma / Malitel |
map |
|
|
| Gouvernement du Mali |
|
|
The Malian government has announced a 942 km fibre optic cable project which will link Bamako-Gao-Kidal-Tin-Zaoutière to the Algerian border and Gap-Ansongo-Labezanga to the border of Niger. This project is funded by a 45 million dollar loan from the Export-Import Bank of China.[9] |
Mauritania
| Operator |
Map |
KML |
Summary |
|---|
| Mauritel |
map |
kml |
In May 2011 Mauritel launched a fiber optic cable project linking the towns of Nouakchott and Kobonni[10] |
Morocco
Mozambique
Namibia
Niger
Nigeria
Rwanda
Senegal
Somalia
| Operator |
Map |
KML |
Summary |
|---|
| SomTel |
|
kml |
Mobile operator based in Somaliland |
| Hortel |
|
|
Hortel announces link to Liquid Telecom[15] |
South Africa
| Operator |
Map |
KML |
Summary |
|---|
| Telkom |
map |
|
Telkom is the dominant operator and has the largest fibre network in South Africa, covering approximately 143,000 km as per the 2011 annual report.[16] |
| Broadband Infraco |
map |
|
Broadband Infraco is a South African State Owned Entity (SOE) that is intended to participate in those segments of the telecommunications market and value chain that impede private sector development and innovation in telecoms services and content offerings. Broadband Infraco maintains a national long distance fibre optic network, providing high capacity telecommunication services between all major national metropolitan centres and being expanded to enable connectivity to reach smaller cities and rural areas[17] |
| Neotel |
map |
|
|
| Dark Fibre Africa (DFA) |
map |
kml |
Community Investment Ventures (CIV) and Venfin are the principal shareholders in DFA. ABSA Capital, who are a stakeholder in CIV via New GX Capital Holdings, also backs CIV. Shareholders in Dark Fibre Africa have granted the necessary approvals to adequately capitalize the company for the construction of a nationwide Dark Fibre Infrastructure. This funding will exceed R2Bn by 2013.[18] |
| Fibreco |
map |
KML |
Established in 2009 as an equal partnership between CellC, Internet Solutions and Convergence Partners, FibreCo aims to deploy a state-of-the-art fully managed long-haul fibre optic terrestrial network. FibreCo will develop infrastructure where necessary and leverage already available fibre networks and other relationships to provide the most efficient route combinations. FibreCo will offer a fully managed monitoring and maintenance service of the network on a 24/7 basis for its tenants. A range of additional value-added services will also be available, dependent on customer requirements.[19] |
| NLD Consortium |
|
|
A consortium made up of Neotel, MTN, and Vodacom are deploying a national fibre network in South Africa.[20] |
| BWired |
|
|
Announced in August 2011, BWired plans to invest USD600 million in regional fibre infrastructure[21] |
| Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) |
|
|
PRASA announces plans to lease excess fibre capacity[22] |
Sudan
Tanzania
Togo
Uganda
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Notes
This list was initially developed as part of AfTerFibre,[24] a project to map terrestrial fibre optic cable projects in Africa. The project is sponsored by Google Africa and, on completion, will be hosted by the UbuntuNet Alliance. All information gathered by the project will be publicly available under an open license.
See also
References
- ↑ "Algeria completed its Algiers-Abuja optical fiber link section". Algeria News. 2 May 2011. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
- ↑ "Trans-Kalahari Fibre Optic Project Complete". Botswana Gazette. 1 October 2008. Retrieved 12 August 2011.
- ↑ Mogende, Modiri (17 October 2013). "Another fibre optic cable to rival BOFINET". Botswana Gazette. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
- ↑ "Cameroon Assesses CAB Project". Balancing Act / Cameroon Tribune. 12 August 2011. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
- ↑ "Camtel will install the Chadian fibre optic network". Business in Cameroon. 20 March 2012. Retrieved 12 March 2013.
- ↑ Knutsen, Elise (20 July 2013). "Ivory Coast fibre optic network to boost growth - minister". Reuters. Retrieved 25 July 2013.
- ↑ "Liquid Telecom Lays Fibre To The DRC And Connects DRC Mobile Operator To Southern African Regional Fibre Network And To WACS". Liquid Telecom Press Release. 13 November 2012. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
- ↑ "MTL’s USD55m project successful". Biztech Africa. 21 January 2012. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
- ↑ Addamah, Steven (5 July 2011). "Mali : Dans l’optique de la fibre optique". Le Griot. Retrieved 12 August 2011.
- ↑ "Launch of fiber-optic cable project in Mauritania". The Infrastructure Consortium for Africa. Retrieved 12 August 2011.
- ↑ "Maroc Telecom’s first phase of regional fibre backbone 60% complete". Telegeography. 26 Feb 2010. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
- ↑ Oketola, Dayo (12 Jul 2011). "Phase3 Telecom, French firm in network expansion pact". Punch. Retrieved 8 September 2011.
- ↑ Zuor Jr., Ben (3 January 2012). "Multi-links introduces lowest tariff with free calls". Business Day. Retrieved 23 January 2012.
- ↑ "Rwanda: Fibre Optic Cable Rollout Complete". allAfrica.com. 6 January 2011. Retrieved 12 August 2011.
- ↑ "Somalia get first cross border fibre optic link". Hortel Hormuud Telecom Somalia. Hortel. Retrieved 14 November 2013.
- ↑ "Telkom aims to improve perceptions". Business Report. 8 April 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2011.
- ↑ "Broadband Infraco Annual Report 2011" (PDF). Broadband Infraco. Retrieved 29 October 2011.
- ↑ "About Dark Fibre Africa". Retrieved 29 October 2011.
- ↑ "FibreCo Project Update - 20 April 2011" (PDF). Retrieved 29 October 2011.
- ↑ Writer, Staff (2 July 2012). "First phase of MTN national fibre network live". MyBroadband. Retrieved 18 July 2012.
- ↑ "New telecoms player to invest billions in fibre". TechCentral. Retrieved 12 August 2011.
- ↑ Nyambura-Mwaura, Helen (30 October 2013). "South Africa's PRASA to lease excess fibre optic capacity". Reuters. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
- ↑ Mutarubukwa, Al-Amani (27 May 2010). "Tanzania: First Phase of ICT Broadband Backbone is Activated Nationwide". allAfrica.com. Retrieved 12 August 2011.
- ↑ Song, Steve. "AfTerFibre - Mapping Terrestrial Fibre Optic Cable Project in Africa". ManyPossibilities.net. Retrieved 12 August 2011.
External links
