African firm Seacom has installed successfully the first undersea fiber-optic cable after two years since its inception that connects Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Mozambique, and also southern neighbor South Africa to Europe and Asia.
The cable, costing more than $650 million, spans for 17,000 km. Initially planned to be launched in June, Somali pirate activity delayed operations. It is reported that five institutions in Tanzania are already utilizing the new addition: national electricity company Tanesco, communications company TTCL, Tanzania Railways, University of Dar es Salaam, and the University of Dodoma.
The Kenyan government has been laying a network of cables to all of the country’s major towns and says the fiber-optic links will also enable schools nationwide to link into high quality educational resources. However, some say that progress will be based on the rollout speed.