Airtel activates 2Africa submarine cable to boost connectivity
TANZANIA: AIRTEL Tanzania has activated the 2Africa submarine cable system, spanning an impressive 45,000 kilometres, connecting three continents.
The activation brings unparalleled benefits to Tanzania’s digital landscape as it enhances the internet experience through local hosting and content transfer, ensuring superior 4G and 5G speeds for consumers.
Airtel Tanzania’s Managing Director Mr Dinesh Balsingh said during the launching event recently that the activation will boost the country’s internet capacity with live traffic.
“This initiative will provide a superior internet experience for consumers as content gets hosted and transferred locally, supporting Tanzania’s digital development goals,” said Mr Balsingh.
The activated cable has a 10 times increased capacity and will help to support the establishment of high-capacity data centres, essential for managing the surge in digital activities across the country.
According to the Research Triangle Institute (RTI) International Tanzania, the under-sea cable is expected to generate between 26.4 billion US dollars (61.2tri/-) and 36.9 billion US dollars in economic benefits across Africa within the initial years of operation.
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The estimate reflects anticipated increases in broadband penetration and improvements in internet speed and quality, underscoring the cable’s role in enhancing regional connectivity and economic integration.
Mr Balsingh added that the underwater cable connects Tanzania to 43 locations globally and serves over 3 billion people and fostering crucial international connectivity for digital and fintech entrepreneurs.
Equally, the 2Africa cable station is pivotal in bridging the digital divide across Africa, aligning with Tanzania’s ambitions to advance e-commerce and digital governance.
Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA)’s Director General Dr Jabiri Bakari said the new cable is a game-changer in improving the efficiency of internet connectivity.
“The new cable supports bandwidth demands of the country’s fast-growing data economy, which doubles every two years and I am certain that this technology will stimulate a faster execution of our strategy to encourage the use of technology across all sectors to improve the digital economy,” said Dr Bakari.
As Tanzania embraces its role as a digital hub, supported by the largest submarine cable project globally, Telco’s company remains committed to leveraging the subsea cable to empower the country with secure and highspeed connectivity.
