Seacom restores connectivity on East Africa cable

Submarine internet cable operator Seacom has restored connectivity following the completion of subsea repair operations on its East Africa (S1) cable.

In a statement, the company says cable restoration is not only about the physical repair of the cable. It is also about ensuring proper restoration of individual client services back to the original operating characteristics prior to the cable break, it explains.

The company adds that the physical repair of the subsea cable was completed on 31 May, and the process to restore and test individual client services was subsequently completed.

“In the wake of unfortunate disruptions to our service, we have moved swiftly to mitigate the impact of the fault and have worked around the clock to complete all necessary repairs to our infrastructure,” says Prenesh Padayachee, chief digital officer at Seacom.

On 12 May, Seacom experienced a subsea internet cable fault near the coastal town of Mtunzini in South Africa, says the firm.

It points out that this fault was caused by trawler activity in the region and led to impacted transiting services in South Africa towards Mozambique and Tanzania, with Seacom customers across the region experiencing temporary interruptions in connectivity.

In response, the firm adds, Seacom IP/MPLS services from East Africa and Mozambique towards South Africa were rerouted to alternate pathways, and repair efforts were commenced.

The cable-laying ship, the Léon Thévenin, departed from Cape Town on 14 May to conduct repairs on the Seacom cable as well as the East Africa Submarine Cable System cable, which had also suffered a fault.

Regarding the cable repair operations in the Red Sea, Seacom and its repair partners have made significant progress with their mobilisation strategy, says the company. Current projections estimate the repair process will be completed in early Q3 2024.

“We are forever committed to expediting any fault mitigation process and ensuring a seamless connectivity experience for all our valued clients across Africa. We would like to thank them for their patience and trust as we wrap up this current process,” Padayachee adds.