Tata Communications, a leading provider of a new world of communications, and its subsidiary Neotel, South Africa’s first converged communication national operator, today announced that they have launched service on the SEACOM cable system, the first undersea submarine cable system that will connect the African continent to Europe, Asia and India.

With the SEACOM system, Tata Communications will be able to provide fully integrated network services from South Africa, Mozambique, Tanzania and Kenya to its networks in Europe, Asia and India.

As part of its commitment to expand communications services to and from emerging markets, SEACOM will enhance connectivity for businesses based out of Europe, Asia and India by providing them with cable and capacity options into South Africa never before available. Tata Communications’ subsidiary Tata Communications Transformation Services Limited (TCTS) will manage the network administration, operations and maintenance of the 17,000 km cable system supporting 1.28 Tbps of capacity.

“As a truly global service provider, Tata Communications is able to provide end-to-end solutions in India, Europe and South Africa, as well as onward connectivity to major business destinations in the US and Asia,” said Byron Clatterbuck, Senior Vice President, Global Transmission Services at Tata Communications. “The SEACOM cable system sets Tata Communications apart from our competitors by bringing unprecedented business value to enterprises and service providers.”

Tata Communications is operating the landing point in Mumbai while Neotel, will manage the landing point in South Africa. Customers will enjoy seamless connectivity between the SEACOM cable system and the Tata Communications global network, along with Neotel’s converged network in South Africa.

Earlier this year, Tata Communications announced its increased shareholding in Neotel which effectively made Neotel the only operator in South Africa that is involved in all of the current and planned submarine cable systems confirmed to land in South Africa. Thus far, Neotel has made an investment of R20m in the landing station and facilities necessary to land SEACOM, not including backhaul connectivity. Neotel has just concluded a backhaul agreement with SEACOM that allows for capacity to terminate in Johannesburg rather than Mtunzini, creating a tremendous impact on the costs of capacity.

The launch of SEACOM, which augments the SAT3/SAFE cable system, also means that Tata Communications and Neotel are now able to provide a fully redundant service by supplying access via multiple routes to anywhere in the world, and can reach Europe, for the first time, via three different routes: SAT3, SEACOM and SAFE – SEA-ME-WE3/4.

“SEACOM will add another alternative to the market, and consumers will benefit from the resulting competition,” says Stefano Mattiello, Chief Sales and Customer Service Officer at Neotel. “The relationship between Tata Communications and Neotel, and their involvement in all of the international cables, means that businesses and consumers will now really have access to a seamless service connecting them to the rest of the world at affordable rates.”

Through SEACOM, Tata Communications is able to expand the reach of the Tata Global Network (TGN) to destinations on the East Coast of Africa. Additionally, the SEACOM cable system strengthens Tata Communications world-class IP and MPLS services, which are primed for significant growth in the rapidly growing region.
(Courtesy: NetEvents)

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