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New golden buoy

Qua Iboe, Nigeria
2024
March

Key milestones

2Africa deployment underway with first landing in Genoa, Italy

14.04.2022

The 2Africa consortium announced today the first landing of the 2Africa cable - in Genoa, Italy. The landing sets the tone for more landings in the coming months as the cable is extended to a total of 46 locations by the completion of the project in 2024.

Announced in May 2020, the 2Africa subsea cable system together with its Pearls extension is designed to deliver seamless international connectivity to approximately 3 billion people, representing 36% of the global population and connecting three continents, Africa, Europe and Asia. 

At 45,000km, it will be the longest subsea cable ever deployed, serving communities that rely on the internet for services from education to healthcare and business, with all experiencing the economic and social benefits that come from this increased connectivity.

Vodafone, the 2Africa landing party in Genoa, has partnered with Equinix to land the cable directly into the Equinix Carrier Neutral Data Center (CNDC), with Retelit delivering the fronthaul. As with all 2Africa cable landings, capacity will be available to service providers in Genoa on a fair and equitable basis, encouraging and supporting the development of a healthy internet ecosystem.

Working with a local Italian operator, 2Africa has also developed a new terrestrial route connecting the Genoa cable landing station (CLS) directly to major CNDCs in Milan.

Good progress on the survey work and manufacturing continues with the 2Africa project remaining on track for completion in 2024.

2Africa Pearls

28.09.2021

The 2Africa consortium announced today in addition to the four new branches to the 2Africa cable the addition of new segment – 2Africa PEARLS branch – extending to the Arabian Gulf, India, and Pakistan. This extension will bring the total length of the 2Africa cable system to over 45,000 kilometers, making it the longest subsea cable system ever deployed. 

Now connecting three continents, Africa, Europe and Asia terrestrially through Egypt, 2Africa creates unique connectivity by adding vital landing locations in Oman (Barka), UAE (Abu Dhabi and Kalba), Qatar (Doha), Bahrain (Manama), Kuwait (Kuwait), Iraq (Al-Faw), Pakistan (Karachi), India (Mumbai), and a fourth landing in Saudi Arabia (Al Khobar). The new 2Africa branch joins recently announced extensions to the Canary Islands, the Seychelles, Comoros Islands, Angola, and a new landing to south-east Nigeria.

As with other 2Africa cable landings, capacity will be available in PEARLS landings at carrier-neutral facilities or open-access cable landing stations on a fair and equitable basis, encouraging and supporting the development of a healthy internet ecosystem.  

To further support a burgeoning global digital economy, the expanded system will serve an even wider range of communities that rely on the internet for services from education to healthcare, and businesses, providing economic and social benefits that come from increased connectivity. As announced in May 2020, 2Africa was planned to directly bring seamless international connectivity to 1.2 billion people. Today, with 2Africa PEARLS, 2Africa will be providing international connectivity to an additional 1.8 billion people–that’s 3 billion people, representing 36% of the global population.

2Africa, which will be the largest subsea cable project in the world, will deliver faster, more reliable internet service to each country where it lands. Communities that rely on the internet for services from education to healthcare, and business will experience the economic and social benefits that come from this increased connectivity.

Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN) has been selected to deploy the new branches, which will increase the number of 2Africa landings to 46 in 33 countries, further improving connectivity into and around Africa. As with other 2Africa cable landings, capacity will be available to service providers at carrier-neutral data centres or open-access cable landing stations on a fair and equitable basis, encouraging and supporting the development of a healthy internet ecosystem. (ASN) will deploy the new system utilizing new technologies such as SDM that allow the deployment of up to 16 fibre pairs, double that of older technologies and bringing greater and more cost-effective capacity.

Marine surveys completed for most of the cable and Cable manufacturing is underway

Since launching the 2Africa cable in May 2020, the 2Africa consortium has made considerable progress in planning and preparing for the deployment of the cable, which is expected to ‘go live’ late 2023. Most of the subsea route survey activity is now complete. ASN has started manufacturing the cable and building repeater units in its factories in Calais and Greenwich to deploy the first segments in 2022.

Egypt terrestrial crossing already completed one of 2Africa’s key segments, the Egypt terrestrial crossing that interconnects landing sites on the Red and the Mediterranean Seas via two completely diverse terrestrial routes, has been completed ahead of schedule. A third diverse marine path will complement this segment via the Red Sea.

Egypt’s terrestrial crossing delivered

05.12.2020

On December 5, 2020, Telecom Egypt successfully completed the end-to-end testing and delivery of 2Africa’s Egypt terrestrial crossing ahead of schedule, making it the first segment of the project in operation. This crossing will provide a seamless optical path between East Africa, Asia, and Europe. 2Africa will land in both Ras Ghareb in the Red Sea, which is located 100km south of the Zafarana cable landing station, and the Mediterranean landing site, Port Said, which is located 250km east of the Alexandria landing station. The two landing stations have now been interconnected via two new and completely diverse terrestrial routes, deploying next generation fibre. The new routes are adjacent to the Suez Canal, between Suez and Port Said, and will be complemented with a third new marine path that will link the Ras Ghareb and Suez landing stations, which is being built for further diversity.

Global launch

14.05.2020

The 2Africa Partners issue their formal Global Press Release announcing the launch of the 2Africa cable system. 2Africa is one of the largest subsea projects in the world, connecting 23 countries in Africa, the Middle East and Europe and extending to Asia via the main Europe-to-Asia subsea cables.

ASN wins bid to build 2Africa

10.05.2019

The 2Africa tender process concluded and ASN were awarded the contract to build the 2Africa cable system.

MoU signed

07.11.2018

The Investor Partners of 2Africa initiated the cable project with the signing of the MoU.

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Featured news

First cable landing:

Genoa, Italy

2Africa announced the first landing of the 2Africa cable in Genoa, Italy. The landing sets the tone for more landings in the coming months as the cable is extended to a total of 46 locations by the completion of the project in 2024.

PARTNERS: Vodafone, the 2Africa landing party in Genoa, has partnered with Equinix to land the cable directly into the Equinix Carrier Neutral Data Center (CNDC), with Retelit delivering the fronthaul.

Golden buoy location

Completed landing locations

Planned landing locations

Italy – Genoa: 13 & 22 April 2022

Djibouti - Ras Dika: 12 May 2022

Somaliland – Berbera: 25 May 2022

Egypt - Suez & Zafarana: 01 & 16 October 2022

Spain – Barcelona: 25 October 2022

France – Marseille: 06 & 26 November 2022

Egypt - Ras Ghareb: 20 November 2022

South Africa – Yzerfontein: 06 December 2022

South Africa – Duynefontein: 08 December 2022

Kenya – Mombasa: 08 & 14 December 2022

Saudi Arabia - Jeddah & Yanbu: 04 & 16 January 2023

Comores – Moroni: 12 January 2023

South Africa - Port Elizabeth: 21 January 2023

Tanzania - Dar Es Salaam: 28 January 2023

Mozambique – Maputo: 31 January 2023

Madagascar – Mahajanga: 05 February 2023

South Africa – Amanzimtoti: 05 February 2023

Mozambique - Nacala: 03 April 2023

Egypt - Port Said: 16 April 2023

Seychelles - Anse NE: 20 April 2023

Angola - Luanda (PLSE): 30 July 2023

Congo - Point Noire (PLSE): 17 August 2023

DRC - Muanda (PLSE): 21 September 2023

Ghana - Accra (PLSE): 27 October 2023

Somalia – Mogadishu: 01 November 2023

Gabon - Libreville (PLSE): 09 November 2023

Spain - Gran Canaria: 12 December 2023

Nigeria - Lagos (PLSE): 07 February 2024

Nigeria - Qua Iboe (PLSE): 20 February 2024

Portugal – Carcavelos: 12 March 2024

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