Due to a rock fall in the Congo Canyon, the WACS, SAT-3, and ACE subsea cables have been damaged, causing disruptions to the services of many Southern African connectivity providers. However, WIOCC has swiftly responded to this situation by seamlessly transitioning its clients’ traffic onto its full fiber pair on the Equiano cable within a matter of hours.
In addition to assisting its own clients, WIOCC has also extended its support to other major players in the industry, even those who were not its clients previously, by restoring their connectivity services at short notice. This has been made possible due to WIOCC’s significant investment in its high-capacity, redundant IP backbone, which ensures its ability to handle unexpected events.
WIOCC stands out from other infrastructure providers due to its strategic investments in building and operating a network that delivers superior capacity and redundancy. It takes pride in its IP backbone, which not only serves its own clients but also non-clients who rely on WIOCC in crisis situations.
To emphasize its commitment to its IP backbone, WIOCC has acquired its own full fiber pairs on both the Equiano and 2Africa cables. As a direct fiber pair owner, WIOCC has the flexibility to add capacity, upgrade equipment, and allocate additional capacity as needed.
Unlike most other Southern African undersea cables, which are owned by consortiums, WIOCC’s ownership of direct fiber pairs allows for independent decision-making on upgrades. This dedication to delivering industry-leading redundancy and capacity has led WIOCC to embrace capacity across both consortium-owned cables and its own direct fiber pairs.
The Equiano undersea cable, funded by Google, offers numerous benefits. It runs between Portugal and South Africa, comprising 12 fiber pairs that deliver a combined capacity of 144Tbps. Each Equiano fiber pair provides 12Tbps of capacity, nearly equivalent to the entire WACS undersea cable. Furthermore, the Equiano cable is deployed further from the Congo coastline to minimize the risk of natural disasters.
As WIOCC has purchased its own fiber pair on the Equiano cable, it is well-positioned to assist ISPs and IP Transit providers in need of urgent capacity following the cable breaks. The Equiano cable also presents a long-term option for these providers due to its extensive capacity, modern design, and improved robustness.
WIOCC has been working closely with leading ISPs and IP Transit providers in South Africa to ensure a smooth transition of their services onto the Equiano cable. ISPs and IP Transit providers still requiring restoration are encouraged to reach out to WIOCC for assistance in restoring their connectivity services on Equiano.
For further inquiries, please contact WIOCC at [email protected]
