In the midst of the pandemic, Facebook (and partners) announced 2Africa a new subsea cable. About the same time last year, Google also announced a subsea cable called Equaino. Both cables have been presented as (better) connecting Africa to the world - that is factually inaccurate. The diagrams below by Steve Song under the auspices of Many Possibilities gives you a historical account of Africa been connected to the world by subsea cables since 2001 through SAT3 – a consortium of majority Africa owned telecom operators.
As per the second diagram, Google and Facebook are building the 19th and 20th cables which would be live in Q4 2021 and Q4 2023 respectively. Hence Facebook and Google cannot be connecting Africa to the world in 2020 - at best their two new cables could serve as redundancy to the existing ones as well as provide capacity in the future.
Latest Stories
-
SML is just Agyapa in suit and tie – Bright Simons
32 mins -
Domelevo condemns selection of KPMG to audit GRA/SML contract as illegal and unprofessional
44 mins -
SML/GRA contract: OSP should have released its report by now – Inusah Fuseini
1 hour -
KPMG report exonerates us – SML
2 hours -
Works and Housing Ministry seeks lasting solutions to challenges with stakeholders engagement
2 hours -
President’s statement on GRA-SML contract underlines Fourth Estate’s revelation – MFWA
2 hours -
Our services are one of a kind, not done by NPA – SML insists
2 hours -
We operate legally and collaborate with world-class partners – SML
2 hours -
Director urges parents to protect children from abuse
2 hours -
Imani-Ghana criticises Akufo-Addo for not lauding Fourth Estate’s contribution to social development
3 hours -
Man remanded for allegedly stabbing businessman with broken bottle and screwdriver
3 hours -
Population in Kumasi Central Prison surges to 1800, threefold exceeding capacity
3 hours -
NPP to conduct La Dadekotopon parliamentary primary today
3 hours -
KPMG’s report on GRA and SML deal, government white paper on report and matters arising
3 hours -
I won’t reply to Chris Brown tour criticism – Ayra Star
3 hours