NatCom Development & Investment Limited, trading as
ntel, Nigeria’s largest and most advanced broadband LTEnetwork has announced
the successful repair and return to service of its SAT-3 submarine cable.
SAT-3/WASC/SAFE or South Atlantic 3/West Africa Submarine Cableis the longest submarine communications cable in the
world with 17 landing points linking Portugal and
Europe to South Africa, with connections to several West African countries
along the route. It forms part of the SAT-3/WASC/SAFE cable system, where the
SAFE cable links South Africa to Asia. The SAT-3/WASC/SAFE system provides a path
between Europe and Asia for telecommunications traffic that is an alternative
to the cable routes that pass through the Middle East. SAT-3
provides access to global markets and enables “seamless and diverse”
connectivity to the rest of the world.
In a statement
announcing the successful repair and return to service of the SAT-3cable, Kamar
Abass CEO of ntel said “the repair of SAT-3 is fantastic news for data-hungry
consumers and corporates in need of superfast and abundant broadband carried
over a robust fibre network with significant capacity and low latency. SAT-3’s
17 landing points and intermediate branches in-country and abroad provide for
connections all the way to the FarEast, thanks to our alliance with SAFE.”
Potential
customers of SAT-3 include Nigeria’s GSM and
LTE operators, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), major international
companies, Private Telecom Operators, Content/Hosting Operators,
Infomedics/Infomatics Operators, the judiciary (for the execution of real-time
on-line matters), banks and the military as well as airline operators.
SAT-3’s
repair also included the cable’s physical diversion away from shipping lanes in
the approach to the Port of Lagos. In the past, the dropping (and dragging) of
anchors by such traffic had been associated with disruptions to the cable. With the repaired system’s activation, the
system’s Upgrade IV will also be implemented. This boosts its throughput
capacity from 420Gbps to 920Gbps in the northern segments and from 340Gbps to
800Gbps in the southern segments.
SAT-3
Nigeria is now positioned to better address Nigeria’s need for super-fast
internet connectivity, data-hungry applications, high-quality video-on-demand
and increasing social media usage, thus enhancing customer experience. Today,
submarine cable systems carry more than 98% of all overseas voice, data and
video traffic.
The
return of SAT-3 is significant in many respects. First launched in 2001, it was
the precursor for Internet access between Europe and West Africa and it took
off where SAT-2 left off as it reached full capacity. SAT-2 was brought into
service in the early 1990s as a replacement for the original undersea cable
SAT-1 that was constructed in the 1960s.
With
Upgrade V now planned for delivery in Q4, 2016, SAT3 will surpass 1000 STM-1
mark in Q3 of 2016, thus providing even more capacity for the transformation of
Nigeria’s broadband landscape.
Nigeria’s
SAT-3 cable system connects to a Cable Landing Station in Central Lagos and,
through a network of metro-fibre ducts, connects to multiple districts in Lagos
and, through high-capacity inter-city connections, reaches multiple cities
across Nigeria.
During
2016, ntel expects to connect hundreds of new customers to the SAT-3 system,
including many who have successfully used the system in the recent past.
·
ntel will focus SAT-3 on delivering abundant broadband to
data-hungry corporates and consumers.
·
full repair and diversion of SAT-3 Nigeria delivers
global connectivity of 800 STM-1s from Lagos;
·
SAT-3 Nigeria diverted eastwards, away from the ships’
anchors on the approach to Lagos port;
·
connects Lagos with the longest submarine cable system
globally and to a total of 17 landing points;
·
repaired system features SAT’s Upgrade IV which boosts
throughput capacity up to 920Gbps;
·
system’s Upgrade V, scheduled for Q4, 2016, will further
boost capacity over 1000 STM-1s;
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