As communications solutions provider Alcatel-Lucent deploys the latest 100 Gb/s technology on the East African coast’s 10 000 km submarine cable system, telecommunications group Telkom plans to get involved.

The technology will enable an ultimate carry capacity in excess of 10 Tb/s on the two fibre-pair Eastern Africa Submarine Cable System (EASSy) undersea cable, which links eight countries on the East Coast of Africa from Sudan to South Africa.

Telkom, which is part of the 17-company consortium that owned and operated the cable, announced on Monday that it would be an “active participant” in the latest upgrades.

Global demand for access to and the use of capacity on the EASSy cable system had increased since the inauguration of the system in 2010, when the system went live with a then upgraded 3.84 Tb/s design capacity and a 25-year life.

“Telkom embraces this innovation and progress by supporting this EASSy upgrade for an additional 400 Gb/s capacity. This will ensure an enrichment of the high-speed and seamless connectivity that is experienced by our valued customers,” said Telkom Wholesale managing executive Casper Chihaka.

The latest upgrade would increase Telkom’s own capacity on the cable threefold.