Telecommunications infrastructure firms Main One Cable and Phase3 Telecom have formed a business partnership aimed at increasing broadband penetration in Nigeria and the rest of the region.
Main One operates the undersea cable system that connects West Africa to Europe, while Phase3 operates the region’s first privately owned aerial fibre optic cable.
Phase3 CEO Stanley Jegede said the partnership would drive the availability of broadband in Nigeria.
“When two smart companies work together, they create smarter results,” he said. “Today, the impact of Information and Communications Technologies on globalisation has increased dramatically, and impacted positively on the developmental process in Africa.
The firms will jointly provide services under the partnership, integrating their networks and collaborating on service delivery. It is expected to enable Internet customers to access fast broadband at better prices.
“We believe that a robust and reliable open access network will constitute a platform for efficient e-government, e-voting, e-commerce, e-payment, e-banking, eLearning and media applications, thereby increasing sustainable human, political, economic and social development.”
Main One has been on an expansion push of late, recently adding the London Internet Exchange to the list of IXPs it is connected to. This expanded the amount of IXP within its network and spread the impact of the bandwidth now available on the West African coast.
Partnerships have been central to this expansion, as they are useful in lowering the cost of Internet.
Expanding broadband connectivity in Africa is expected to play a crucial role in boosting economies and creating jobs. Experts say that Internet connectivity is bridging the gap between continents and skill sets.
