Hong Kong’s PCCW Global has signed a collaborative agreement with Phase3 Telecom, a West African telecom operator.
Phase3 plans to offer advanced communications solutions for Nigeria and other West African countries via the PCCW Global’s vast international MPLS network, which covers major African cities like Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, Maputo, Johannesburg and Cape Town, as well as 3,000 other cities around the world. PCCW Global will also gain improved access to networks in Nigeria via Phase3 Telecom’s fiber infrastructure.
“We have deployed more than 6,000 km of fiber optic cable to date with another 3,000 km planned for the next 18 months while commissioning several points of presence at sites in all key cities,” said Stanley Jegede, Phase3 Telecom’s CEO. “This partnership is a strong endorsement of the quality of the network we have built and a clear step forwards in our mission to connect all Nigerians with each other, and with the rest of the world. PCCW Global’s extensive network provides us with an unrivalled offering for corporate and institutional clients looking for a truly global solution, locally. We will continue to expand our West African network, and diversify our business with additional products distributed through our infrastructure.”
Phase3 Telecom is on track to complete an additional aerial cable system connecting Lagos with Cotonou, the largest city and economic center of West Africa’s Benin. The move will offer alternative routes and increased resilience for Nigerian and multinational enterprises wanting to connect with other West African markets.
“PCCW Global is keen to explore new opportunities with Phase3 Telecom, as our collaboration opens up new connectivity in West Africa,” said James Welch, PCCW Global’s vice president and head of sales of EMEA. “We are looking at facilitating improved communications for Nigerian businesses and beyond, thanks to our cost-effective and reliable communications solutions.”
In January, PCCW Global announced that it will collaborate with 16 other prominent service providers to construct the Asia Africa Europe-1 (AAE-1) cable system, which will interconnect Hong Kong, Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Europe. AAE-1 will be the first high-capacity system to link all the leading Southeast Asian nations with Africa and Europe via the Middle East, thereby supporting West Africa’sAsia-Africa trade growth.
