Angola Cables, a prominent global connectivity provider, is making significant strides in Africa’s burgeoning connectivity landscape by extending its services to Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. This strategic move aims to enhance Internet access in these regions, aligning with the continent’s rapidly growing digital economy.
Sudhir Juggernath, CEO of TelCables Southern and East Africa, a subsidiary of Angola Cables, revealed these expansion plans during an interview with ITWeb Africa at the Africa Tech Festival 2024 held in Cape Town, South Africa.
Expansion Strategy and Digital Infrastructure
Angola Cables’ expansion is a response to the urgent need for reliable and scalable digital infrastructure in Africa, where the digital economy is expanding at an unprecedented rate. The company plans to enter new markets through partnerships rather than acquisitions, leveraging collaborations with existing partners and carriers to deliver high-quality Internet services.
Juggernath elaborated on the company’s strategy, stating, “As a Group and TelCables, we provide global connectivity via our submarine cables. We want to enter into untapped markets in terms of growth and digital productivity. Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, we want to empower them with our Internet connectivity.”
Addressing the Digital Gap and Regulatory Challenges
The expansion comes amid increasing calls for collaboration between the private and public sectors to bridge Africa’s digital divide. Many regions still struggle with limited Internet access and affordability issues, which pose significant barriers to digital inclusion.
Juggernath emphasized the importance of addressing digital infrastructure and regulatory challenges to connect underserved areas and foster a cohesive digital economy across the continent. He highlighted the need for regulatory solutions that streamline fibre deployment, recognizing connectivity as crucial for economic growth.
“Regulators need to talk. Regulators need to make it easier for carriers and ISPs (Internet Service Providers) to deploy fibre faster or connectivity to the unconnected. It’s about making it easier to lay fibre, making it easier to run fibre through a town. Don’t create any obstacles for laying fibre,” Juggernath said.
Future Outlook
Despite the current regulatory hurdles, Juggernath expressed optimism that pressure from the industry will prompt regulators to remove barriers to connectivity. “Fibre is a necessity now, connectivity is a necessity. Make it easy to lay fibre, make it easy to put up WiFi terminals or put up towers,” he added.
He concluded by noting that the industry pressure is beginning to yield results, with regulators increasingly understanding the critical need for improved connectivity. “I think the pressure from carriers and telcos will make them understand, they are getting to understand,” Juggernath said.
Angola Cables’ expansion into Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe represents a significant step towards enhancing Internet access and supporting the digital transformation of these regions, contributing to the broader goal of a connected and digitally inclusive Africa.
