Fast Congo – a subsidiary of GBS & the Paratus Group – announces massive fiber capacity is now activated in DRC.
16 March 2023: The Paratus Group subsidiary in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Fast Congo, announces that its 620-kilometer fiber optic network link between Muanda on the West Coast and the capital, Kinshasa, is now active. The fiber link will deliver high speed connectivity to the region through the Paratus Group’s pan-African network.
The fiber highway was originally installed and funded by the World Bank following which, last year, the DRC government entity, Société Congolaise de Fibre Optique (SOCOF ) announced that Fast Congo had won the tender to deploy, operate and maintain the fiber link in an exclusive 15-year license contract. Over the last few months, Fast Congo has been installing the necessary infrastructure to connect the network, which is now live and fully operational.
By adding DRC to its network, Paratus group now boasts a unique and contiguous footprint in Africa, which includes: offices in seven SADC countries; five Data Centers (including the Google Equiano Cable landing station in Namibia); 6,000 VSAT terminals; an extended network through satellite connectivity-focused service in more than 37 African countries; and international points of presence (PoPs) in the UK, Europe and the USA.
The inauguration event for the new DRC fiber route took place today, on March 16th, in Kinshasa. It was attended by several delegates from the DRC government along with executives from Global Broadband Solutions (GBS) and Paratus Group.
Speaking at the event, Paratus Group CEO, Mr Schalk Erasmus said: “This is a major milestone in delivering high quality and high-capacity network services in the DRC. We are uniquely placed to connect the country to Angola and Zambia and beyond through our network in southern Africa.”
GBS Inc. CEO, Mr Hassan Yahfoufi adds: “The new network will unlock huge economic potential in the region. For the moment, we’re only offering wholesale connectivity solutions and this will enable other operators to offer high-speed fiber connectivity to businesses and consumers in the Democratic Republic of Congo, providing them with limitless opportunities to connect with anyone across the continent and globally.”
The pan-African telco, Paratus Group, announced it is providing LEO satellite solutions to clients in South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique, and Zambia. Speaking at the Atlantic Convergence conference in Lisbon this week, Chief Technical Officer of the Paratus Group, Mr. Rolf Mendelsohn says: “We have always known that reliable, fast, and secure connectivity will be the key to unlocking the enormous potential that exists in Africa. With LEO satellite technology, we are broadening our network offerings even further to provide unlimited connectivity for our current markets, with plans to expand across the continent.”
Kinshasha: In a large and densely populated developing country like the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), quality connections and communication are vital for the country’s growth and for its inclusion in the new digital age. One man is helping to champion new links, new routes and new ways of working. Meet François-Xavier Kabemba, the General Manager of FAST Congo in Kinshasha.
The Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Botswana Ministry of Communications, Knowledge and Technology, Cecil Masiga said that the recently launched Botswana Kalahari Fiber route (BKF) is a triumph for the people of Botswana and for the country’s economy. He was speaking at an event held at Paratus Botswana Head Office in Gaborone, to officially mark the opening of the BKF route.
Paratus is audited and certified by accredited independent bodies, as part of its innovation focus for continuous improvement of processes and customer service.
© Copyright 2024, Paratus, All Rights Reserved.
Paratus Group Holdings LTD
