NAIROBI, Kenya, July 7 – The 1,500kms fibre optic backbone connecting Kenya and Uganda is now complete.
Project contractor Green Future’s Managing Director Fred Sewe said the terrestrial fibre optic link will up the stakes in the East African telecoms scene as the region gears up for the landing of several international undersea cables.
Speaking at the project handover ceremony in Kampala, Mr Sewe said the new technology would allow East Africans to enjoy high-speed internet, digital television, video conferencing, tele-medicine, digital villages and many other benefits.
“The ambition for the region is to be able to connect Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania to the rest of the undersea cable network via a terrestrial cable from Mombasa through to Nairobi, Kampala, Bujumbura, Kigali and back to Dar-es-Salaam,” said Mr Sewe.
Kenya Data Network is the local partner for the project and its Managing Director Kai Wulff observed that as a result of this cable landing that there will no longer be a need to go through satellite to communicate across the border as has been the case.
“Your information will no longer require to travel 72,000 Kms to the satellite to reach Uganda. This will mean a considerable reduction in Internet consumer prices compared to VSAT costs,” said Mr Wulff.
He said the new Infocom/KDN fiber optic cable will also connect Uganda to the undersea cables that have landed in Mombasa and provide the much needed regional and global communication benefits for the region.
