3.5 Billion People In Africa Are Not Connected To The Internet, Facebook Makes Underwater Cables

Facebook Illustration (Photo by Kon Karampelas on Unsplash)

JAKARTA - Facebook is reportedly contributing funds for the development of submarine cables to improve internet connectivity and networks on the African continent. The goal is none other than so that more and more people around the world are connected to social media networks.

Dubbed 2Africa, this transformational cable is one of the largest submarine cable projects in the world. This internet cable network will connect 23 countries in Africa, the Middle East and Europe.

Meanwhile, Facebook also contributed US $ 1 billion to build an internet cable network on the African continent. It aims to provide internet and Facebook access to Africa.

"Africa is currently the least connected continent, with just over a quarter of the 1.3 billion people connected to the internet. As part of our commitment, we are proud to announce that Facebook has partnered with leading African and global operators to build 2Africa," the most comprehensive submarine cable to serve the African continent and the Middle East region. " said Facebook in its official statement quoted by CNBC International, Friday, May 15.

Facebook added that to date, more than 3.5 billion people are reportedly still unable to access the internet, with the 2Africa project, Mark Zuckerberg's social media project hopes that people on the continent can connect with their distant relatives.

Later, Nokia's cable system provider, Alcatel Submarine Networks, will be tasked with installing submarine cables that will have a distance of 37,000 kilometers, claimed to be nearly the same as circumnavigating the Earth and providing nearly 3 times the total network capacity of all subsea cables serving internet networks in Africa in the future.

The 2Africa project will be made more efficient by using aluminum instead of copper fiber, as this will help increase grid capacity. Currently, Facebook is in the process of developing a new crossing linking the Red Sea to the Mediterranean, which it claims will be the first in the region in more than a decade.

"2Africa is a continuation of our ongoing efforts to expand our global network infrastructure. We have worked with partners around the world to build several submarine fiber optic cables that lead the industry in reach, capacity and flexibility," added Facebook.

The social media network bearing the blue logo is also partnering with companies such as China Mobile, South Africa MTN, France Orange and Vodafone UK as well as local network operators on the project. However, it is not clear how much money Facebook and its partners have spent behind the project.

Prior to the 2Africa project, Facebook had plans to provide internet access to remote areas using a solar-powered shuttle. Called Aquila, the company closed the project back in 2018, but has reportedly worked with Airbus to test such drones again in Australia.

It's not just Facebook, the search engine technology company Google also has an underwater cable project, called Equiano. Later, this project will connect Africa with Europe. Google also has another unit called Loon that makes hot air balloons to provide 4G internet to rural communities. Recently announced the scheme has expanded to Mozambique.