To increase Internet connectivity across the continent, tech giant, Google, has revealed plans to construct a new fibre optic line named Umoja that will connect Africa to Australia.
Brian Quigley, Google Cloud’s VP for global network infrastructure, confirmed the plans in a blog post on Thursday.
The cable, dubbed Umoja Fibre, will be anchored in Kenya and go through South Africa, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa, including the area home to Google Cloud, before making its way over the Indian Ocean to Australia.
Umoja, which is the Swahili word for unity, joins Equiano in an initiative called Africa Connect.
Together with Liquid Technologies, Umoja constructed its terrestrial path to provide a highly scalable route throughout Africa, complete with access points that will let additional nations utilise the network.
The announcement coincides with the main cloud hyperscalers competing for enterprise funding, with Google attempting to overtake AWS and Microsoft’s Azure.
“Establishing a new route distinct from existing connectivity routes is critical to maintaining a resilient network for a region that has historically experienced high-impact outages,” Brian said on Thursday.
Dr. William S. Ruto, the president of the Republic of Kenya, expressed his happiness over Google’s commitment to digital connection, saying that it was a historic moment for Australia, Kenya, and Africa.
The new intercontinental fibre optic line, in his opinion, will greatly improve the nation’s regional and international digital infrastructure.
“By strengthening our digital backbone, we are not only improving reliability but also paving the way for increased digital inclusion, innovation, and economic opportunities for our people and businesses,” he said.
We earlier reported that Google has announced plans to invest €1 billion ($1.1 billion) to expand its main data centre in Finland due to the location’s access to green energy.
