Latest update: 10 June 2009
I’m experimenting with an interactive version of this map. Comments and suggestions welcome.
Right click on this link and choose Save As to download the map in SVG format.
| Seacom | EASSy | TEAMs | WACS | MainOne
|
GLO1 | ACE | |
| Cost (millions of USD)
|
650 | 265 | 130 | 600 | 240 | 150 | ??? |
| Length (km)
|
13,700 | 10,000 | 4,500 | 14,000 | 7,000 | 9,500 | 14,000 |
| Capacity
|
1.28 Tb/s | 1.4 Tb/s | 120 Gb/s – 1.28 Tb/s | 3.84 Tb/s | 1.92 Tb/s | 640 Gb/s? | 1.92 Tb/s |
| Completion
|
June 2009 | June 2010 | Sept 2009 | Q2 2011 | Q4 2010 | Nov 2009 | 2011 |
| Ownership
|
USA 25%
SA 50% Kenya 25% |
African
Telecom Operators 90% |
TEAMs (Kenya) 85%
Etisalaat (UAE) 15% |
Telkom
Vodacom MTN Tata (Neotel) Infraco et al |
US Nigeria, AFDB | France
Telecom |
Investor detail:
Seacom (http://www.seacom.mu)
Industrial Promotion Services (25%), an arm of the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (USD 75 million)
(Kenya – founded by Prince Karim Aga Khan IV of Pakistan)
VenFin Limited (25%) – USD 75 million)
Herakles Telecom LLC (backed by Blackstone) (25%), New York-based lead company, no website (USD 75 million)
Convergence Partners (12,5%) – USD 37.5 million
Shanduka Group (12.5%) – USD 37.5 million
EASSy (http://www.eassy.org/)
EASSy is 90% African owned although that ownership is underwritten by a substantial investment by Development Financial Institutions (DFIs) including World Bank/IFC, EIB, AfDB, AFD, and DfW. Total DFI investment is apparently $70.7 million, with $18.2 million coming from IFC, 14.5 million from AfDB. This is a smaller amount than the originally advertised $120 million investment from DFIs.
South African investors in EASSY include Telkom South Africa ($18.9 million) , Neotel, and MTN.
There are 26 telco operators in total invested in EASSy.
An SPV created to facilitate. open access will be the biggest shareholder, with 46%.
In Jan 2008, VSNL announced an investment in EASSy
TEAMs
85 per cent of the cable is owned by TEAMs (Kenya) Ltd and the rest by Etisalaat of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The TEAMS (Kenya) Ltd holding breaks down as follows:
- 20% – Government of Kenya (through Min. of Finance)
- 20% – Safaricom Ltd
- 20% – Telkom Kenya Ltd
- 10% – Kenya Data Networks Ltd
- 10% – Econet/Essar Telecom Ltd
- 5% – Wananchi Group
- 3.75% – Jamii Telecom Ltd
- 1.25% – Broadband Access/AccessKenya Ltd
- 1.25% – Africa Fibrenet (Uganda) Ltd
- 1.25% – InHand Ltd
- 1.25% – iQuip Ltd
- 1.25% – Flashcom Ltd
West African Cable System (WACS)
- Telkom
- Vodacom
- MTN
- Tata Communications (Neotel)
- Infraco
- Cable & Wireless
- Portugal Telecoms
- Telecom Namibia
- Togo Telecom
- Angola Telecom
- Sotelco (U.S.)
Privately owned. On June 1, 2009, the African Development Bank confirmed USD 66 million financing for the project.
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Further announcements on ACE – it looks like you’ll have to update the map again…!!
http://www.francetelecom.com/en_EN/finance/news/cp090609en.jsp
Also some news on developments with EASSy:
http://thecitizen.co.tz/newe.php?id=12932
Thanks Mike. Well spotted. The ACE news caught me by surprise!
The MainOne cable is now being stretched to South Africa as well …
http://www.mainonecable.com/
Hi Miles. Actually I suspect not. While the map on their website still reflects a route all the way to South Africa, recent announcements about AFC/AFDB funding talk specifically about the cable terminating in Lagos. I imagine they are up for going to South Africa if the funding were to appear but with the recent ACE announcement, I wouldn’t hold my breath.
Low cost of band with in kenya as The Seacom fibre optic cable landed in Mombasa kenya.
Attend the first even fibre summit in nairobi
Here is hoping this will improve overall international ping times and speeds. Also lowering costs for decent broadband in South Africa..
Do you have the current update on Glo1? Is Q2 2009 still a date to work with? It’s good to know that infrastucture challenge in African will gradually become a thing of the past. Thanks for the good job.
Globalcom are being deliberately vague but I have heard reference to November 2009 as being a more realistic lighting-up date for GLO-1
Steve
It seems as if the Seacom date has slipped to July now (based on their website – which today says “17 days to go”.
Very disappointing, after such a long wait!!
Also – a cheeky request – please consider adding the terrestrial extensions (fibre) planned for landlocked countries specifically to link to the sub cables (Zambia, Malawi, Uganda etc).
Thanks
Kenya is regarded as one of the most advanced in technology hub in Eastern Africa…We invite people to advice on developing local content..in our upcoming summit in August Nairobi Kenya.
Hi Chris. I am ok with Seacom slipping a few weeks. If they only miss their deadline by 2 or 3 weeks, it will still be a remarkable achievement.
As for terrestrial extensions, I have been trying to crowdsource an African map of terrestrial fibre on Google Maps. Africa Terrestrial Fibre Mapipedia. We have three contributors so far. Looking for more.
Hi Steve.
I took up your request for a collaboration on terrestrial fibre. I have drawn a map of the Lamu Port Project which includes rail, pipeline and fibre-optic networks. I had some problems with labeling the lines. However allow me to clarify.
The green lines are fibre-optic lines to Ethiopia, Southern Sudan, Uganda and Rwanda. This are planned along with the port project. However in the case of Uganda and Rwanda they will most probably be done separate from the project. The blue lines are rail links to Juba(Sudan), Bangui(Central Africa Republic), Douala(Cameroon). There are branches to Ethiopia and Uganda and Rwanda. The red line is a proposed pipeline to Juba which originates from lamu. The green flame like icons refer to resort cities planned within Kenya and are Lamu, Isiolo and Lokichoggio.
I see you have already added your map of terrestrial fibre which is indeed what inspired me initially. Great work. Lets see whether we can fine-tune it up even more.
Hi Earnest,
When is the fibre summit taking place in nairobi? Date and venue please
Nekosi,
Thanks it will be at Laico regency hotel in September 22nd-23rd, 2009. send me your contact details for more information.
earnestk
Hi Steve,
Are you going to add the LION cable to the map?