A memorandum of understanding was signed last Friday, June 29, 2012, between the State of Cameroon and MTN Group International for the use of submarine cable fiber optic WACS, which now has a point landing place in Limbe. After the MOU, a legal entity of Cameroon, the Cameroonian branch to manage the submarine cable fiber optic WACS, will be established by mutual agreement with the MTN Group for the operation of this cable.
For Jean-Pierre Biyiti bi Essam, the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications of Cameroon, the MOU “provides a framework for collaboration between the State of Cameroon and MTN Dubai Limited”. “It will be made from this day, a team that will partner with yours, to work for the urgent establishment of that legal entity.
By signing the MoU object of this ceremony, we recognize that adopting an approach that favors open access to international fiber optic cable is the best way to get affordable international bandwidth which will help boost growth markets at national level “, said Minister of Cameroon.
John Unterhost, the representative of MTN Group, for his part said the group chose Cameroon for its potential. “We had the onerous task of choosing among the 10 countries where we operate along the Atlantic Ocean where the WACS is deployed and we have chosen Cameroon. Cameroon is an important market for MTN, it is becoming more and more as a hub for telecommunications infrastructure in Central Africa. This is one of the top 5 countries where MTN has settled and we have always had relationships with the government and people of Cameroon. The MTN Group is therefore proud to be a partner in the vision of the Cameroon government for technological development, “he says.
According to a statement from MTN Cameroon, WACS submarine cable, along nearly 14500 km, linking Europe and Africa across the Atlantic Ocean. “It represents an investment of nearly 400 billion francs CFA supported largely by the South African government and large South African companies such as MTN Group, Vodacom, Telkom SA, Broadband Infraco and Neotel. It was built to provide broadband access to South African universities and make fiber available to other African countries. 15 countries of the West African coast are well connected to the WACS. The Cameroon is part of MTN Group’s proposal, “said the statement which states that WACS will provide in Cameroon huge transmission capacity of 5.12 terabytes.
The WACS submarine cable is the second fiber optic cable serving Cameroon. The first, commissioned in 2002, has already reached saturation according to many experts. This is the submarine cable SAT-3, which is the landing point in Douala.
Beaugas-Orain Djoyum – Ecofin
