WACS commissions submarine optical fiber cable

The landing station of the submarine fiber optic device by West Africa Cable System (WACS), touted to offer "exceptional quality internet connection to Cameroonians," has just been inaugurated in Limbe (South-West), according to some official sources to APA.

The new infrastructure, according to the Government, will maintain and improve the country's access to broadband internet at a time when the SAT-3 submarine cable, which has been connected in the country since 2002, had reached its saturation point.

WACS will produce 15 times, more capacity than what is currently available thereby strengthening the country's position as a sub-regional hub for Information and Communications Technology (ICT).

It will especially allow Cameroon to securely diversify routes for international traffic flows and it will produce stable national connection capabilities and redundant broadband. It will facilitate the development and democratization of the internet which will eventually lead to a significant reduction in the costs of electronic communication.

With a space of 14,500 kilometers, the installation of the submarine cable represents an investment of nearly 400 billion FCFA, supported by the South African government and large businesses in the country.

The landing station in Limbe had originally been constructed for MTN but the communication company had to had to back out because of the new rules and constraints of the law on electronic communications by the Cameroonian government.