EASSy (cable system)
| EASSy (Eastern Africa Submarine Cable System) | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Landing points See the Cable landing points section |
|
| Total length | 10,000 km[1] |
| Topology | |
| Design capacity | 4.72 Tb/s[1] |
| Currently lit capacity | |
| Technology | Fiber optics |
| Date of first use | July 16, 2010 |
| Decommissioning date | |
The Eastern Africa Submarine Cable System (EASSy) is an undersea fibre optic cable system connecting countries of eastern Africa to the rest of the world.
EASSy runs from Mtunzini in South Africa to Port Sudan in Sudan, with landing points in nine countries and is connected to at least ten landlocked countries—which will no longer have to rely on satellite Internet access to carry voice and data services.
EASSy is the highest capacity system serving sub-Saharan Africa, with a 4.72 terabit per second (Tbit/s), 2 fibre-pair configuration[1]. It is the first to deliver direct connectivity between east Africa and Europe / North America. It is also the only system with built-in resilience end-to-end. EASSy interconnects with multiple international submarine cable networks for diverse, seamless onward connectivity to Europe, the Americas, the Middle East and Asia.
The project, partially funded by the World Bank, was initiated on January 2003, when a handful of companies investigated its feasibility. The cable entered service on 16 July 2010[2] with commercial service starting on 30 July 2010.[3]
Contents |
[edit] Project milestones
 |
This article appears to be written like an advertisement. Please help improve it by rewriting promotional content from a neutral point of view and removing any inappropriate external links. (June 2011) |
- MoU Signature – December 2003
- Detailed Feasibility Study – March 2004
- Data Gathering Meeting – June 2005
- C&MA Drafting Finalization – March 2006
- Supply Contract Award – September 2006
- Registration / Incorporation of SPV – January 2007
- Construction & Maintenance Agreement (Shareholders' Agreement) Signature (C&MA) – 12 October 2006 to 12 February 2007
- Financial Closure – March 2007
- Supply Contract Signature – March 2007
- Construction Started – March 2008
- Cable Manufacture Complete – November 2009
- Marine Laying commencing – December 2009
- Construction Complete – April 2010
- Live – July 2010
[edit] Telecommunications companies of participating nations
- West Indian Ocean Cable Company WIOCC comprising:
- Botswana Telecommunications Corporation
- DALKOM Somalia
- Djibouti Telecom
- Gilat Satcom Nigeria
- Government of Seychelles
- Lesotho Telecommunications Authority
- Onatel Burundi
- TDM Mozambique
- Telkom Kenya
- UCOM Burundi
- Uganda Telecom Limited
- Zantel Tanzania
- MTN Group
- Sudatel Sudan
- Vodacom / Telkom South Africa
- Botswana Telecommunications Corporation
- BT Group
- Global Marine Systems
- Comores Telecom
- Telma Madagascar
- Etisalat
- FT
- Mauritius Telecom
- STC Saudi Arabia
- Bharti Airtel
- Neotel
- Tanzania Telecommunications Company Limited
[edit] Cable landing points
The cable landing points are[4]:
- Port Sudan, Sudan
- Djibouti
- Mogadishu, Somalia
- Mombasa, Kenya
- Moroni, Comoros
- Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
- Toliary, Madagascar
- Maputo, Mozambique
- Mtunzini, South Africa
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- "Eastern Africa submarine cable delayed for one year", Sudan Tribune, February 4, 2006
- "Kenya: Govt Gives Ultimatum for Cable Project", The East African Standard, May 17, 2006
- "Africa Resolves Telecommunications Debate Over EASSy Project", Infoworld, June 12, 2006
- "Alcatel Wins EASSy Contract", IT Web, July 12, 2006
- "Kenya aims for own internet cable", BBC News, September 8, 2006
- "Just say NO to EASSY", by Roland H. Alden
- "Marine cable project 'to completed as planned'". http://thecitizen.co.tz/newe.php?id=12932. Retrieved 2009-06-16.
