Internet service provider MWeb, part of JSE-listed media group Naspers, is urgently seeking an alternative solution for its broadband customers following the break in the Seacom cable, which could take a week or more to repair.

MWeb says it uses Seacom as its primary provider of international bandwidth, with a limited amount of redundancy available via the Sat-3 cable running along Africa’s west coast.

As an interim measure MWeb says it was able to secure alternative capacity on Telkom’s Saix network from 5pm on Monday until 2pm on Tuesday. At that time, however, Telkom withdrew the capacity due to concerns over the bandwidth commitments it has made to Fifa for the soccer World Cup.

“MWeb is in urgent and ongoing discussions with a number of providers to obtain alternative bandwidth until such time as the Seacom capacity has been fully restored,” the company says. “We are hopeful to have some relief during the course of this evening. In the interim, local Internet traffic, including browsing, e-mail and Internet banking, is unaffected.”

Seacom has blamed the problems on a cut in its cable off the coast of Mombasa, Kenya. The failure occurred at about 11am on Monday. The cable operator has initiated emergency repair procedures, sending a repair ship to the location of the break. — Staff reporter, TechCentral