Johannesburg, South Africa SEACOM, Africa’s leading telecommunications and managed services provider, today celebrated its 15th corporate anniversary by spotlighting the group’s impact on the continent’s ICT and connectivity journey.
“15 years ago today, Africa’s trajectory was forever changed with the introduction of fibre connectivity. In that time, the SEACOM group has evolved to become not just a leading connectivity provider, but an industry leader in the provision of IT and enterprise managed services. We owe these achievements to the hard work and commitment of all our SEACOM colleagues, and the ongoing loyalty and support of our clients, partners, and stakeholders,” said Alpheus Mangale, Group Chief Executive Officer at SEACOM.
Connecting to the future
The genesis of SEACOM can be traced back to 23 July 2009, when Africa’s first high-capacity subsea cable went live. Connecting South Africa, Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya, Djibouti, France, and India, and supported by landing stations along the Eastern and Southern African coast, the 17 000-kilometre-long cable connects Africa to Europe and Asia with high-speed internet access. In 2018, the SEACOM cable was further upgraded by 1.5Tbps capacity, taking it to 3Tbps capacity, enabling further access and answering Africa’s growing connectivity needs.
In 2011, SEACOM established its first Point of Presence (PoP) in Teraco Isando, Johannesburg. This kickstarted a new digital era in South Africa characterised by lower latency and improved performance. And, in 2016, SEACOM introduced direct-to-business fibre services in South Africa, further transforming the local connectivity market.
With the necessary infrastructure in place, SEACOM set about defining and benchmarking the connectivity experience across key African markets. With each year, the group expanded and offered more products and services. Today, alongside offering enterprise-grade connectivity, SEACOM offers digital IT services, cloud, and cybersecurity solutions that enable African consumers and businesses.
“With each innovation, SEACOM has always adopted a strategic, integrated, and cost-effective approach to how we provide connectivity and associated services. At the same time, we’re always looking ahead to the future and incorporating the next generation of connectivity technologies into our business. This was best exemplified this year with the launch of SEACOM’s all-new low earth orbit (LEO) satellite service, a testament to our five-year strategy adopted back in 2022 and our ambition to become a fully converged telecommunications provider. Along with the launch of our all-new website, 2024 is a year to celebrate like never before,” Mangale explained.
15 years of SEACOM:
2009 – SEACOM goes live in South Africa, Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Djibouti after its first subsea cable is connected to Asia and Europe.
2010 – Internet Protocol (IP) services launched, providing internet connectivity for customers.
2011 – SEACOM establishes a point of presence (PoP) in Teraco Isando; Africa’s largest data centre.
2012 – SEACOM’s West Africa Cable System (WACS) goes live, providing a redundant cable ring around Africa.
2013 – SEACOM upgrades its submarine network capacity to boost internet connectivity on the continent. SEACOM also gives 100Mbps internet access to four innovation hubs in Nairobi, Kenya.
2014 – SEACOM establishes PoP in Uganda.
2015 – SEACOM Business is established in South Africa to provide numerous IT services to customers.
2016 – SEACOM adds peering points in Europe and Africa to boost the customer’s internet experience. It also establishes PoP in Rwanda and launches SEACOM Business in Kenya.
2017 – SEACOM launches PoP in Botswana and acquires MacroLan to extend fibre reach in South Africa.
2018 – SEACOM upgrades the Subsea Cable System to 1.5Tbps and acquires FibreCo, completing the ‘African Ring’ with 3500km of trans-South African fibre.
2019 – SEACOM provides the first 100G international service to a customer between South Africa and Europe. SEACOM Business is also launched in Uganda.
2020 – SEACOM South Africa launches WonderNet, an internet service provider (ISP) that offers fibre to the home.
2021 – SEACOM acquires Hirani Telecom’s Metro Fibre Network in Kenya. This allowed the company to grow its on-net capabilities.
2022 – SEACOM acquires EOH Network Solutions to diversify its delivery of enterprise and managed service solutions across South Africa and Africa.
2023 – SEACOM partners with British Telecoms (BT) to provide cyber-security solutions. SEACOM sells WonderNet.
2024 – SEACOM launches LEO satellite services.
The impact of connectivity with SEACOM
Africa’s digital transformation has been made possible by its ever-growing network of high-capacity subsea and terrestrial fibre optic cables. Today, thanks to a consistent upward trend over the last decade, Africa is home to more Internet users than ever before. Combined with a high smartphone penetration rate, Africans can connect to digital platforms and services with devices using high-speed Internet access. This includes essential services such as banking, healthcare, and commerce, with the resulting e-commerce sector being one of the most promising sectors on the continent.
At the same time, the work of the telecommunications industry and enterprises like SEACOM is enabling local entrepreneurs and businesses to advance their digitisation agendas and connect with international markets, promoting socioeconomic growth and effectively building and reinforcing Africa’s position in the global digital economy.
“15 years’ worth of creating new opportunities is what makes SEACOM such a prolific success story for Africa’s citizenry. It goes to show not just our commitment to our customers and the greater African community, but also what it is possible when we are connected and able to leverage next-generation technologies such as cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI), the technologies that will define business transformation and growth for the foreseeable future. SEACOM will continue empowering Africa for a digitally connected future. Here’s to the 15 years that have passed, and the next, exciting 15 that are yet to come,” Mangale concluded.