Bharti Airtel, a leading Indian telecom operator, has successfully landed the 2Africa Pearls subsea cable in India. This initiative, undertaken in collaboration with center3 and Meta, positions Airtel as the landing partner for this segment in the country. The 2Africa Pearls is an extension of the broader 2Africa subsea cable system, which, upon completion, is set to be the world’s longest undersea internet cable, spanning over 45,000 kilometers. This extensive network aims to connect Asia, Africa, and Europe via the Middle East, significantly enhancing global internet infrastructure.
The 2Africa subsea cable system is backed by a consortium of prominent companies, including Bayobab, center3, China Mobile International, Meta, Orange, Telecom Egypt, Vodafone Group, and WIOCC. The production and installation responsibilities have been entrusted to Alcatel Submarine Networks, ensuring state-of-the-art technology and expertise in the project’s execution.
Sharat Sinha, Director and CEO of Airtel Business, expressed enthusiasm about this development, stating, “We are thrilled to bring the 2Africa Pearls cable to India, adding to our network resilience. We are aggressively diversifying our global network and recently landed the SEA-ME-WE-6 cable in Chennai and Mumbai. We will continue investing in global cable systems and future-proof our network with an aim to deliver high uptime, reliability, and superior quality network to our customers.”
Airtel’s commitment to expanding its global network is evident in its extensive infrastructure, which spans over 400,000 route kilometers and covers 50 countries across five continents. The company has invested in 34 cable systems worldwide, including recent projects like 2Africa, Southeast Asia-Japan Cable 2, and Equiano. Notably, Airtel’s subsea global network encompasses significant cable systems such as the i2i cable network, Europe India Gateway, IMEWE, SEA-ME-WE-4, AAG, Unity, EASSy, Gulf Bridge International, and the Middle East North Africa Submarine Cable (MENA).
This strategic expansion underscores Airtel’s dedication to enhancing network resilience and delivering superior connectivity to its customers. By participating in global initiatives like the 2Africa subsea cable system, Airtel aims to strengthen its infrastructure, ensuring high uptime and reliable services. These efforts are particularly significant in the context of India’s rapidly growing digital economy, where robust and scalable internet infrastructure is crucial to meet increasing demands.
In summary, Airtel’s involvement in landing the 2Africa Pearls subsea cable in India marks a pivotal step in bolstering the country’s internet infrastructure. This endeavor not only enhances Airtel’s network capabilities but also contributes to the broader goal of global connectivity, fostering economic growth and digital inclusion across continents.