Kenya’s third-largest mobile operator Telkom Kenya is planning to invest in an additional undersea optic cable system. The development, first reported by the Standard, will see Kenya receive its 6th cable connecting the state to other parts of the world.
In this case, the subsea cable will link Kenya to Asia and Europe.
Telkom Kenya, which is partly owned by the Kenyan government, is the official local partner of the subsea cable that will be christened Pakistan and East Africa Connecting to Europe, or PEACE.
The cable is owned by Peace Cable International Network. It is a Chinese company and a subsidiary of the Chengtong Group.
It has also been established that the cable will provide the shortest route from China to Europe and Africa. The report was arrived at after an assessment done by NEMA as part of the project’s requirements prior to approval.
The project is already underway and is expected to be concluded before the end of 2021.
Some of PEACE’s landing sites will be in France, Pakistan, and Kenya. At a later date, the cable will be extended to South Africa. The extension will be part of PEACE’s second phase expansion plans.
As said, the cable is Kenya’s sixth following the arrival of the East African Marine System, where Telkom is also a shareholder alongside SEACOM. Telkom also has shares in LION, EASSY, and DARE1.
The presence of the cables has allowed the country to access robust bandwidth it is known for. The bandwidth has seen a notable drop in the amount of fees that people pay for internet access.
