Africa ONE: A $1.6 Billion Undersea Fiber Optic Cable System Connecting Africa

Strategic Insights -

Africa ONE, a major independent telecommunication network, was announced in June by S. G. Fassoulis, chairman, Africa ONE, Ltd. The network will link the countries of Africa to one another and to growing global broadband telecommunication networks. Africa ONE, Ltd. will develop and own the state-of-the-art undersea fiber optic system, with Lucent Technologies selected as the preferred equipment and software supplier. Global Crossing subsidiaries will provide project management and undersea construction services, with contracts valued in excess of $100 million.

Key Takeaways:

  • Africa ONE is a $1.6 billion project aiming to fully integrate the African continent into the global broadband telecommunications network.
  • The project involves the construction of a 39,000 kilometer undersea fiber optic cable system, expected to be completed in 2002.
  • Lucent Technologies will provide technical support and project resources, with a potential value of up to $250 million.
  • Global Crossing subsidiaries will be awarded contracts valued in excess of $100 million for project management and undersea construction.
  • The Africa ONE system will save hundreds of millions of dollars in transit fees for African carriers.
  • The system will facilitate trade and investment in Africa and drive the African Renaissance for the new millennium.
  • Lucent will provide its WaveStar OLS 80G Dense Wave Division Multiplexing (DWDM) system transmitting up to 40 gigabits of information per second.
  • The Africa ONE system will be integrated into the Global Crossing Network, providing end-to-end connectivity for the African continent to 19 countries and 185 cities around the world.

Statistics:

  • $1.6 billion: The total cost of the Africa ONE project.
  • 39,000 kilometers: The length of the undersea fiber optic cable system to be constructed.
  • $100 million minimum: The value of the contracts awarded to Global Crossing subsidiaries for project management and undersea construction.
  • 250 million: The potential value of Lucent's contract, subject to the execution of a definitive contract.
  • 40 gigabits: The rate of information transmission for Lucent's WaveStar OLS 80G DWDM system.
  • 2002: The anticipated completion date of the Africa ONE project.
  • 30: The number of African countries formally indicating their interest in participating in the project.
  • 19: The number of countries Africa ONE will connect to through the Global Crossing Network.
  • 185: The number of cities around the world connected to Africa ONE through the Global Crossing Network.

Sources:

  • June 4 /PRNewswire/
  • Lucent Technologies, headquartered in Murray Hill, N.J.
  • Global Crossing, the world's premier provider of global broadband capacity.