The West African Cable System (WACS) has been successfully repaired after a month of damage off the Congo coast. This undersea cable is crucial for internet connectivity, as it enables rapid data transfer across long distances. The restoration was completed on Tuesday, according to a Vodacom spokesperson, Byron Kennedy.
SAT-3 Cable Still Awaiting Repairs
Although the WACS cable has been repaired, the South Atlantic 3 (SAT-3) cable is still awaiting repairs after being damaged on the same day. Major telecommunications companies, including MTN, Vodacom, Openserve, and Cloudflare, reported some operational disruptions due to the cable damage. However, they minimized the impact by rerouting data traffic onto other undersea cables.
Reassurance for Customers
Althon Beukes, the CEO of Openserve, reassured customers that their connectivity would return to normal once the WACS cable repair was completed. He stated that the restoration would reinstate customers’ latency and redundancy on the WACS cable.
Concerns for Subsea Cable Maintenance and Repairs
Africa has witnessed an increase in undersea cables in recent years, raising concerns about the potential for more cable disruptions in the future. Jess Auerbach, an associate professor at the University of Cape Town’s Graduate School of Business and a writer, highlighted the issue, saying, “At the moment, I think it is fair to say that Africa is radically underserved.”
She proposed that the allocation of resources for subsea cable maintenance and repairs in Sub-Saharan Africa may need to be reconsidered to address this growing demand. It is crucial to ensure the maintenance and repair of these cables remains a priority as Africa continues to invest in undersea cables to improve internet connectivity.
Praise for the Cable Repair Crew
Jess Auerbach praised the crew of the Léon Thévenin, the vessel responsible for the cable repair, for their exceptional skills and efficiency in handling challenging conditions required for such rapid repairs. She observed, “To repair the cables so quickly, the crew would have had to work exceptionally skillfully in difficult conditions.”
The recent repair of the WACS cable showcases the expertise and dedication of the teams responsible for maintaining the essential infrastructure that keeps the digital world connected. With growing demand, it is more important than ever that resources are allocated wisely to ensure the stability and reliability of telecommunications across the continent.
