Seacom yesterday announced that its 1,28 terabytes per second (Tb/s), 17,000 kilometres, submarine fibre optic cable system linking south and east Africa to global networks via India and Europe has been completed and commissioned.

Backhauls linking Johannesburg, Nairobi and Kampala with the coastal landing stations have been established and Seacom is also working with its national partners to commission the final links to Kigali and Addis Ababa shortly.

The launch of Seacom opens up unprecedented opportunities, at a fraction of the current cost, as government, business leaders and citizens can now use the network as the platform to compete globally, drive economic growth and enhance the quality of life across the continent.

Commenting on the finalisation of the project, Brian Herlihy, Seacom CEO, said: "Today is a historic day for Africa and marks the dawn of a new era for communications between the continent and the rest of the world. Our tireless efforts of the past 24 months have come to fruition, and we are proud to be the first to provide affordable, high quality broadband capacity and experience to east African economies. Turning the switch 'on' creates a huge anticipation but ultimately, Seacom will be judged on the changes that take place on the continent over the coming years."