The Internet connection is again stable in several African countries (notably Cameroon, Gabon and even Angola) connected to the submarine fiber optic system South Africa Transit 3 (SAT3). The telecoms infrastructure, cut on March 9, was finally repaired. The re-establishment of the Internet connection, which was planned for mid-April 2020, was carried out earlier than expected.
Jean-Luc Vuillemin, director of international networks for the Orange group, explained that ” the cable was buried deep under sediment, which confirms the collapse of the canyon of the Congo river on the high seas”. It was not until March 25 that the cable finally detached from the bottom and was reassembled on board the technical vessel for inspection.
It is the Orange Marine company which carried out the repairs thanks to its technical vessel Léon Thévenin which has already carried out several deployments off various African countries since the beginning of the year. Missions caused by cuts and breakdowns that have multiplied. In January, it was the double cut on the SAT-3, and its extension, the West African Cable System (WACS), is again being repaired following a new incident.