AFRICA – Airtel Africa has unveiled Airtel Africa Telesonic Limited (‘Telesonic’), a state-of-the-art fibre bandwidth service in a significant move towards addressing the growing demand for wholesale data in Africa.
Leveraging ground fibre assets and submarine cable systems, Telesonic aims to provide comprehensive terrestrial fibre and submarine cable solutions, making a substantial impact on the continent’s digital landscape.
With a vast network extending over 75,000 kilometres of terrestrial fibre across Airtel Africa’s 14 markets, Telesonic is poised to bring about positive and transformative changes.
The service is expected to enhance the quality of life for communities, bolster national economies, and significantly improve connectivity in crucial sectors such as education and healthcare.
“The establishment of Airtel Africa Telesonic Limited underscores Airtel Africa’s commitment to addressing Africa’s needs for the digital revolution by providing cutting-edge fibre-optic solutions that will empower businesses, education, healthcare, and communities at large,” Airtel Africa’s CEO, Segun Ogunsanya, said.
Ogunsanya further highlighted the profound impact of this investment on the ongoing digital revolution in Africa. The continent is experiencing a surge in demand for data, particularly from its expanding youth population.
Airtel Africa’s commitment signifies not only a technological advancement but also serves as a catalyst for progress, connecting people and ideas across borders.
Telesonic’s comprehensive fibre solutions are expected to play a vital role in bridging connectivity gaps and fostering digital inclusion. The service is well-positioned to meet the evolving needs of businesses and communities, driving economic development and creating new opportunities for growth.
As Airtel Africa continues to be at the forefront of innovation, the launch of Telesonic reaffirms the company’s dedication to advancing digital connectivity in Africa.
With its extensive network infrastructure, Telesonic is set to contribute significantly to the ongoing digital transformation, ensuring that the benefits of the digital revolution are accessible to all.
Airtel is also concluding plans to break ground on its mega data centre, known as Nxtra, in Lagos, Nigeria in March. The facility will be designed to host high-density racks and integrate the latest practice construction to achieve a 1.3 power usage effectiveness (PUE).
The data centre which will go live in mid-2025 will also deliver 34 megawatts of total power, making it the first of its kind in Nigeria.
Airtel’s ambitions come at a time when there is fierce competition in the fibre sector, with most companies focusing on African markets and investing considerably.
Cassava Technologies-owned Liquid, Vodacom Group, MTN Group and Bayobab are among the companies that have invested millions of dollars to compete for fibre market supremacy.
Analysts expect that data traffic in African countries will more than treble in the next five years, accelerating the race for digital infrastructure.
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