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KAMPALA, Feb 4 (Xinhua): A 200 million-US-dollar eastern Africa undersea cable project will only go live by the end of next year, a year later than expected, local press reported today.
John Sihra, the project coordinator, was quoted by The New Vision newspaper as saying that "the cable is already behind schedule, and will probably not be active until late 2007."
The Eastern Africa Submarine Cable System (EASSy), which promises a massive improvement in the quality and cost of African telecommunications, will run from Mtunzini in South Africa to Port Sudan with "landing" points in several countries.
Currently at least 27 companies, including state-owned telecommunications companies from all over Africa, as well as British Telcom and France Telcom have made commitments to invest the project.
The cable project will link up with the various national landline networks at several "landing" points, such as Durban (South Africa), Port Sudan (Sudan), Maputo (Mozambique), Toliary (Madagascar), Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar (Tanzania), Mombasa (Kenya) and Djibouti.
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