The Sat-3/Wasc/Safe cable is being given a substantial upgrade. The system, which runs from Europe to South Africa via West Africa and from South Africa to Southeast Asia, has been upgraded from 420Gbit/s to 920Gbit/s in the northern segments and from 340Gbit/s to 800Gbit/s in the southern segments. It’s the fourth upgrade the system has received.
The 12-year-old cable system, which has 16 landing points between Europe and Asia, has been upgraded by Alcatel-Lucent using 40Gbit/s optical wavelength technology.
For many years, the system was the primary way South Africa connected to the global Internet. In recent years, though, a range of new submarine cables has been deployed to serve the South African market, including Seacom and Eassy along Africa’s east coast and the West African Cable System, or Wacs, along the west coast.
“The additional capacity available with the fourth upgrade will contribute significantly in meeting the ongoing demand in the markets served by Sat-3/Wasc/Safe,” said consortium management committee chairman Johan Meyer.
Telkom is a significant investor in the system. — (c) 2014 NewsCentral Media