The system linking West Africa to Europe has been completed and commissioned with landing stations in Nigeria and Ghana and branching units in Morocco, the Canary Islands, Senegal and the Ivory Coast. 

 

The company added that phase two of the project is expected to extend to South Africa and that the system would provide open access to regional telecoms operators and ISP’s at rates lower than existing international bandwidth available in the region. 

 

The Main One cable system has a capacity of 1.92 Tbps compared to SEACOM's 1.28 Tbps. There are several African undersea cable systems under construction at the moment with the Eastern Africa Submarine Cable System (EASSy) adding an extra 1.4 Tbps to our line speeds in the coming months. The mammoth 5.12 Tbps West African Cable System (WACS) should go live in 2011 with the 5.12 Tbps Africa Coast to Europe (ACE) cable arriving by 2012. 

 

The new cable will provide a previously unprecedented level of broadband access to West African countries, delivering more than ten times of what is currently available.

 

 

It's certain that the Main One cable will pave the way for fast reliable internet access helping to drive economic growth, creating jobs and affecting sectors from health to education.

 

Historically speaking many experts have suggested that wireless connectivity is the answer to Africa’s broadband woes. Geographically speaking the continent faces innumerable challenges with regards to laying copper and fibre cable which would bring much needed connectivity to landlocked territories. 

 

Cable systems such as Main One and the incoming WACS and ACE efforts will make it easier for remote countries in Western Africa to gain access to international broadband connectivity without the intensive capital outlay associated with satellite communications. 

 

“Today is a historic day for West Africa. The arrival of the Main One cable proves that much good can be done by Africans for Africans. We are pleased to realise the fruit of our dedication and commitment in the past 30 months. More importantly, we are happy to be a channel for driving growth in Africa and changing the status quo for the average African as reliable internet connectivity becomes easily accessible and affordable for all”, said Fola Adeola, chairman of the Main One Cable Company.

 

The Main One cable is 100% African owned and is also the first privately owned undersea submarine network cable in West Africa.