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The partnership is Vodafone’s 11th landing for the 2Africa cable globally
Vodafone has landed the 2Africa subsea cable system in Bude, Cornwall. The cable is the largest subsea cable project in the world, spanning 45,000 kilometers to connect Europe, Asia, and Africa once it is fully operational.
Once complete the cable will benefit more than 3 billion people in 33 countries, 30% of the global population.
As the cable’s lead UK landing partner, Vodafone will be responsible for bringing the cable to the UK shores, burying it, connecting it to the landing station and providing onward connectivity to the London area. Strangely, Vodafone has named its portion of the cable “SHARP” standing for ‘The System Honouring the Achievements of Rick Perry’, after the company’s Head of Subsea Partnerships, Rick Perry.
Perry said that “2Africa is the world’s most ambitious cable system and will help to narrow the digital divide in Africa,” in the press release.
The company says that the cable “will facilitate faster and more reliable connectivity for UK businesses wanting to deliver digital services to Africa, and vice versa.”
The cable was first announced in May 2020, by a consortium comprised of global giants such as China Mobile, Meta, MTN GlobalConnect, Orange, stc, Telecom Egypt, Vodafone and WIOCC. Alcatel Submarine Networks is leading the cable’s manufacture and installation. The project is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
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