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UAE’s e& to anchor subsea cable for global connectivity  

By Pramod Kumar
Head, Person, Face e&
2Africa project promises to elevate the overall digital landscape in the region, said Nabil Baccouche, e& group chief carrier and wholesale officer

The 2Africa subsea cable, the world’s largest subsea cable, is to be anchored in the UAE by e& Carrier & Wholesale, a subsidiary of the UAE telco e& (formerly Etisalat).

Kalba in Fujairah will be the gateway for the subsea cable to the emirate, where e& already has an existing cable landing station.

The 2Africa consortium, which includes the Zambian company Bayobab, center3, a subsidiary of the Saudi Telecom Group, China Mobile International, Meta, the holding company for Facebook, Orange, Telecom Egypt, Vodafone Group, and WIOCC, the West Indian Ocean Cable Company, is developing a 45,000km submarine cable system, connecting Europe, Asia, and Africa. 

The cable will deliver internet capacity across substantial parts of Africa and the Middle East.

As the designated landing partner for 2Africa in the UAE, e& will lead the development of the infrastructure for the landing station and will be responsible for maintenance.

“e&’s involvement in this transformative project will significantly enhance the Internet user experience in the UAE,” said Nabil Baccouche, group chief carrier and wholesale officer at e&.

Around 20 subsea cable systems land in the UAE, most of which are managed by e&.

The international network run by e& Carrier & Wholesale links 160 global carriers, with its international mobile network reaching more than 800 destinations.

The company has a footprint across 16 countries and two regional offices in Europe and Asia to offer mobile, data, voice, and satellite services to mobile operators and carriers.

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