Abu Dhabi: e& Carrier and Wholesale announced Monday that it is set to anchor the 2Africa subsea cable, marking the most extensive subsea cable system landing in the UAE.
The gateway for this significant development is Kalba, an enclave in Sharjah. “This strategic choice complements e &’s existing Fujairah cable landing station, fortifying diversity and resilience in UAE’s connectivity landscape,” said e& in a statement.
e& Carrier & Wholesale is one of the largest internet, mobile and regional hubs for international cable systems. 2Africa is one of the largest subsea projects in the world, connecting 46 cable landing stations in 33 countries in Africa, Asia and Europe.
2Africa is a consortium of Bayobab, centre3, China Mobile International, Meta, Orange, Telecom Egypt, Vodafone Group and WIOCC. Alcatel Submarine Networks is responsible for manufacturing and installing the 2Africa cable. The cable is set to deliver essential Internet capacity and reliability across substantial parts of Africa while also addressing the growing capacity demand in the Middle East.
As the designated landing partner for 2Africa in the UAE, e& will lead the development of the necessary infrastructure for the landing station and will be responsible for maintenance in the coming decades.
Nabil Baccouche, e& Group Chief Carrier & Wholesale Officer, said, “The 2Africa project promises to elevate the overall digital landscape in the region, solidifying the country’s position as one of the region’s premier ICT hubs.”
Baccouche said, “e&’s involvement in this transformative project will significantly enhance the Internet user experience in the UAE, enabling the world’s largest content providers and global carriers to deliver cutting edge technology in e& carrier-neutral data centre ecosystem, SmartHub.”
