Pan-African telecommunications operator Paratus Group announced on Monday the activation of the Equiano subsea cable in Swakopmund, Namibia, which will result in heightened connectivity to Namibia and the southern African region.
Representing a one-billion-dollar investment, the Equiano cable is owned by Google and is one of the company’s largest submarine Internet cables, spanning 15,000 km from Portugal to South Africa.
This most recent launch is expected to increase existing cable capacity from Europe to South Africa by 20 times, as well as increase internet penetration in Namibia by 7.5%.
“The sizable jump in available capacity allows us to export this capacity to the rest of the region, benefiting not only Namibia but also fostering connectivity and progress across the SADC region,” stated Schalk Erasmus, CEO of Paratus Group. “Equiano opens up new opportunities for competition, fair pricing and expanded choices, unlocking the potential for economic growth and digital transformation.”
As the Google-appointed landing partner for the Equiano cable, Paratus Group has invested over $40 million in the last five years in digital infrastructure and is driving the deployment of ICT network solutions, fiber and satellite connectivity across the continent.