Contributed Article 

by center3

Connecting continents: The 2Africa subsea cable

The world is becoming more interconnected than ever before. And this is being made possible through the deployment of subsea cables networks, which provide reliable connectivity and internet services across continents. One such project that is set to make a huge impact is the 2Africa submarine cable.

Breaking records: The world’s longest subsea cable

With over 45,000 km of length, the 2Africa subsea cable is the longest ever deployed in the world. It is expected to connect 33 countries by the completion of the project in 2024, spanning across three continents: Africa, Asia, and Europe. The 2Africa cable will deliver more than the total combined capacity of all subsea cables serving Africa today with a design capacity of up to 180Tbps.

Beyond connectivity: The potential impact of the 2Africa subsea cable

The 2Africa subsea cable is not just about providing faster internet speeds or improving connectivity. It has the potential to bring about a surge in information exchange, digital business development and overall economic growth for all the countries in connects to.

Promoting economic growth: The impact of the 2Africa subsea cable in Saudi Arabia

The cable is expected to make a total of four landings in Saudi Arabia, including Jeddah, Yanbu, Duba, and Al Khobar. The 2Africa submarine cable has already completed landings in Jeddah and Yanbu, with Duba set to follow later this year. The 2Africa cable is expected to act as a catalyst for change in the broadband market and benefiting individuals and businesses alike.

Expanding horizons: The 2Africa Pearls cable extensions

The 2Africa cable is also being extended into the Arabian Gulf region through “2Africa Pearls” cable extensions. These extensions will add landings in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Iraq, Oman, the UAE, Pakistan, and India, along with the East Coast of Saudi Arabia. Thus, it will further enhance the future of connectivity in the Middle-East region.

The role of subsea cables in driving economic growth: The case of the 2Africa subsea cable

As the world becomes more interconnected, the deployment of subsea cables like the 2Africa subsea cable will result in a huge development in the region. With its record-breaking length and ability to connect multiple continents, the 2Africa subsea cable is set to be a game-changer in the world of connectivity and information exchange.

Innovating for the future: The success of the 2Africa subsea cable project

In conclusion, the 2Africa subsea cable project is a testament to what can be achieved through collaboration and innovation. Its success will not only benefit the economies it connects but will also have a positive impact on the lives of individuals and businesses. The future of connectivity looks bright, and the 2Africa subsea cable is leading the way.

Want to keep up to date with all of the latest telecoms news from the submarine cable industry? Join the cable operators in discussion at this year’s live Submarine Networks EMEA event!

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CMA gives Viasat the thumbs up to acquire Inmarsat

Interviews

At this year’s Connected North conference, we caught up with Willy Pelhate, ACOME Group’s UK marketing manager, to discuss how the company is helping the UK fulfil its full fibre and Net Zero ambitions

The UK is pursuing two very big challenges with an extremely tight deadline: one is digital; the other is environmental.

The first is to bring gigabit-enabled broadband to 85% of UK premises by the end of 2025, and to all by 2030. The second is to produce Net Zero greenhouse emissions by 2050.

To reach these goals, the deployment of fibre networks will be essential. However, in rural areas it can be hard to rely existing and or reusable underground civil engineering. Thus, with three-times less CAPEX and a 75% faster execution speed, deploying in the air can become the most viable solution. But this also comes with requirements related to the Physical Infrastructure Access (PIA) and legal constraints.

In this context, bringing gigabit to rural areas and connecting the hard-to-reach is like squaring the circle, explained Pelhate.

In this interview, you will hear how and why ACOME and its breakthrough technology, Nanomodule® (already PIA approved in the United Kingdom) can become your best allies to build viable and sustainable fibre-to-the-premise networks.

Benefits from ACOME Nanomodule®-based ultra-lightweight cables includes among others:

Total Cost of Ownership reduced by more than a third
Increased long-term reliability
Savings on greenhosue gas emissions of up to one ton of CO2 equivalent every two miles

Click here to learn more about how ACOME’s Nanomodule technology is fighting back against fibre deployment costs.

You can watch the full interview from the link below

Want to learn more about ACOME and the creation of full fibre Britain? Join ACOME and the UK’s telecoms ecosystem at Connected Britain, the UK’s largest digital economy event 

Also in the news:
Wind Tre carves out network assets, sells majority stake to EQT
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CMA gives Viasat the thumbs up to acquire Inmarsat

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News

The regulator says tens of thousands of customers are owed compensation

This week, the Irish Commission For Communications Regulation (ComReg) has ordered mobile Eir’s owner Eircom to pay a fine of almost €2.5 million for overcharging its customers.

The news follows a series of investigations by the regulator, spanning the period between 2015 and 2021, which found that an estimated 76,000 customers had been overcharged.

The ruling called for Eir to issue refunds to all affected customers, with the regulator estimating that Eir had made around €6.7 million in revenue through overcharging during the six-year period. If all of these refunds are issued, each affected customer would be entitled to roughly €88.

Eircom said that the overcharging was a result of a “broken bundle” on customers’ accounts and said they would implement “backward-looking measures” to identify the affected customers. However, they emphasised that issuing the refunds could be a lengthy process.

“[We have] already commenced a review process of an agreed cohort to identify any unresolved instances of incorrect charging and will ensure any such customers are reimbursed as soon as possible,” said the company in a statement. “Eir apologises unreservedly to any customer who we identify as part of the review, as having been inadvertently charged incorrectly and has committed to actively processing any refunds that may be identified.”

As well as looking backwards, Eir said they would also implement a number of system updates over the rest of the year, including a new billing system, to ensure that these mistakes did not happen again.

These measures will include the company “proactively reviewing credits and disputes that could identify potential billing issues not already addressed”.

An independent auditor has been appointed to ensure that all agreed measures are completed by the end of the year.

This is not the first time that Eir has faced ComReg’s wrath in recent years. In 2018, the company was stung by a €3 million fine after a settling a case that alleged the company had given illegal preferential treatment to its own retail division when it came to granting access and repairing lines.

Want to keep up with all the latest international telecoms news? Click here to receive Total Telecom’s daily newsletter

Also in the news:
Wind Tre carves out network assets, sells majority stake to EQT
Rakuten Mobile and KDDI strike roaming agreement
CMA gives Viasat the thumbs up to acquire Inmarsat

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