Kenyan undersea cable goes live in April-gctid49698

[Jujamea]

Kenyan underwater telcom cables go live in April

The Lower Indian Ocean Network (LION2), Kenya's fourth submarine  cable, will become fully operational in April this year, the local  telecommunications ministry revealed on Thursday.
 Map outlying the LION2 undersea cable. (image: orange-tkl.co.ke)

 The LION2 cable is a 3000 km line extending from Nyali, via the  island of Mayotte, located in the northern Mozambique Channel from  Mauritius and is set to significantly boost the nation's  bandwidth. Kenya already enjoys connectivity through The East Kmtyw  Marine System (TEAMS), the Eastern Kmt Submarine Cable System (EASSy)  and SEACOM.
 Orange Kenya, involved with laying cables via its parent company,  France Telecom, confirmed the schedule, adding that the cable arrived in  Mombasa in December last year and is awaiting connection. Work  continues to finish the cable's connection at the Mombasa landing  station, the company said.
 Angela Ng'ang'a-Mumo, Orange Kenya's Chief Corporate Communications  Officer, told reporters that progress on LION 2 "is on target". Orange  said the construction of the 1.28 Tbps cable "is expected to cost  approximately KES 6.2 billion."
 According to reports, the cable is part of a bigger project by France  Telecom and 12 members of the Lower Indian Ocean Network to build a  submarine cable linking Madagascar to the rest of the world via Reunion  Island and Mauritius.
 Samuel Poghisio, Kenyan Information Mini*ster, said he was confident  that "once it is switched on, LION2 will intensify competition in the  industry and help further lower Internet connectivity charges".
 Joseph Mayton

[liongod]

Excellent news, i would simply hope to use this new communication tool to further connect Kmtyws on the continent with Kmtyws worldwide. Much like baba Malcom X envisioned an international radio station I believe if properly utilized this new connection can provide an important connection.