[Satellite Today 07-24-09] Seacom’s submarine cable, installed to provide international fiber connectivity to Africa’s East coast, has begun commercial operation, the company announced July 23.

Seacom said it is looking to challenge satellite companies in the African connectivity market, which the company claims has benefited from monopolies. “On the West African Coast, the SAT-3/WASC/SAFE cable is controlled by incumbent operators at its landing points, through their membership of the SAT-3/WASC/SAFE consortium. As they have national monopolies on cable access, given that there are no competing cables, these operators set their prices accordingly; many alternative operators are priced out of the cable market and hence are reliant on satellite connectivity,” Seacom spokesman Suveer Ramdhani said in a statement.

Pirate activities on the route taken by Seacom’s cable-laying ships delayed the service launch by four weeks. Ramdhani said the Seacom cable has been extended so that it is also ready for use in Kenya and Uganda with access in Rwanda and Burundi likely within the next couple of months.