Telkom, Partner Companies Commence Installation of Submarine Cable System

Djibouti Telecom, Somtel, Telkom Kenya and SubCom on Tuesday announced the landing of the Djibouti Africa Regional Express 1 (DARE1) submarine cable system at La Siesta Beach – Djibouti.

This milestone now means that the cable installation process has now begun.

With a design capacity of more than 36 terabits per second (Tbps) and 4,854 km long, the DARE1 cable will interconnect Kenya and Djibouti, offering a strategic alternative in the routing of traffic as well as the handling of increased continuity capacity to East Africa.

Telkom Kenya’s MD for the Carrier Services Division, Kebaso Mokogi said,“ The DARE 1 Cable System will boost Kenya’s current capacity, given that it will be the largest, it will also provide an alternative redundant international connection, more important powered by newer and more reliable technology.’’

In addition to the installation of the trunk, the installation of the two branch legs to the system’s four landing stations has also commenced.

The landing stations, located in Djibouti (Djibouti), Bosaso (Puntland), Mogadishu (Somalia), and Mombasa (Kenya), will help enhance connectivity in the East African region, enabling more efficient communications.

There are two installation vessels executing the project with marine operations scheduled for completion in March 2020. While the marine vessels and crew work to install the trunk and branches, installation of the terrestrial cable and terminal equipment that will be used for the DARE1 system, is also underway. 

Djibouti Telecom’s Director-General, Mohamed Assoweh Bouh said, “We are looking forward to the cable’s operationalization later in June, this year, with competitive cross-connect and IP traffic transit costs between Djibouti, Somalia and Kenya, including capacity development and skill transfer.”

The DARE1 Submarine Cable System has marked all major milestones associated with the manufacture, loading and movement of the intended submarine cable, which took place late last year.

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