LION2 (Lower India Ocean Network), a cable system led by France Telecom-Orange (NYSE: FTE) that will connect parts of Africa to other international backbone networks is ready to provide service.
One of the highlights of the new cable is that it will provide broadband connectivity to Mayotte, a French island between Madagascar and the coast of Mozambique, with a population of almost 200,000 people.
LION2 will also give Kenya another submarine cable landing station in Nyali, while providing what it said in a statement will be an "alternative route for passing secure broadband transmissions through Europe and Asia for all African countries in which the [France Telecom] Group is located."
Like other international submarine cable systems built in recent years to support emerging Internet capacity demands, LION2 was created and operated by a consortium of service providers, including France Telecom-Orange, Mauritius Telecom, Orange Madagascar, Telkom Kenya, Mauritius-based Emtel, SFR's Réunion unit Société Réunionnaise du Radiotéléphone.
In total, the consortium spent €57 million (USD74.4) on the LION2 cable, with France Telecom and its various international units contributing about €38 (USD49.6).
The LION2 network follows the build-out of the initial LION cable system in late 2009 to provide international connectivity to Madagascar, Mauritius and Réunion, France.
For more:
- Total Telecom has this article
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