TECHNOLOGY companies operating in Tanzania interested in improving their internet and data delivery capacities through the 2Africa Cable landing station, administered by Airtel Tanzani have been encouraged to capitalize on the opportunity.

Speaking after a short familiarization trip at the station in Dar es Salaam yesterday, Deputy Minister for Information, Communication and Information Technology, Marprisca Mahundi called upon investors in the communication sector to capitalize on the cable with deliberate investments and amplify the benefits of the 2Africa cable system, ultimately achieving Tanzania’s goal of becoming East Africa’s digital gateway.

According to her, Tanzania is set to experience a significant leap in digital connectivity with the activation of the 2Africa submarine cable landing station, which recently went live.

This milestone, she said, which is managed by the telecom company underscores the importance of deliberate investments in bridging the digital divide in the country.

“The 2Africa submarine cable system spans 45,000 kilometers, making it the world’s largest subsea cable project. It aims to improve communication for over 3 billion people across Africa, Asia, and Europe in 43 locations across those continents,” said Mahundi.

According to Dinesh Balsingh, Managing Director of Airtel Tanzania, the 2Africa cable will deliver high data capacity, excellent connectivity, resilience, and redundancy to the ICT ecosystem, meeting current and future digital industry demands.

Balsingh asserted that the company services cover 80 percent of rural areas with 4G network technology, and the 2Africa cable will provide a strategic platform for all mobile operators and internet service providers.

“We recently experienced an unforeseen internet outage that negatively impacted businesses. With this cable landing station, that will be history;

The telecom operator is ensuring that the country does not suffer such internet outages in the future because the subsea cable elevates the internet connectivity 10 times more than the capacity speed we were working with,” he said.

Balsingh further added, “The rapid launch of the project in Tanzania sets a positive precedent, demonstrating the government's ability to facilitate necessary approvals and licenses. This endorsement is expected to attract further investments;

The telecom company’s investments underscore its commitment to reducing Tanzania's digital divide and enhancing digital inclusion through robust broadband connectivity.”