ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has made significant strides in enhancing international connectivity through the facilitation of Transworld Associate (TWA), the landing partner of 2Africa Submarine cable for Pakistan.

As one of the world’s largest submarine cable systems, the 2Africa cable spans 45,000 kilometres and connecting 46 locations across Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. Utilising SDM1 technology, it offers 180Tbps capacity.

Supported by a global consortium of eight partners, including Meta and Vodafone, the 2Africa cable is set to go live in Pakistan by Q4, 2025.

Commencement of Phase 1 of the project, involving Pre-Lay Shore End (PLSE) installation, began on December 1, 2024, with the cable landing at Hawksbay, Karachi. Phase 2, the deep-sea cable lay will commences on April 1, 2025.

This project will improve Pakistan’s international telecommunications infrastructure and enhance connectivity.

Pakistan’s international connectivity is underpinned by a strong network of undersea fibre optic cables and terrestrial links. The country boasts seven submarine cable connections and the Pak-China Optical Fibre Cable, complemented by 21 cross-border terrestrial links. With an installed capacity of 16.4 Tbps, this network ensures redundancy, reliable Internet access, and resilience against disruptions.

The impact of this infrastructure is evident in a significant increase in the quality and availability of digital services, with data usage rising by 24.2 percent to 25,141 petabytes (mobile: 13,021 petabytes, fixed: 12,120 petabytes) for fiscal year 2023 24. To further enhance connectivity, four additional submarine cables are currently under development.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024