Cameroon and Chad have reached a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on fibre optic interconnection between the two countries.

The MoU was signed recently in Cameroon’s capital Yaounde by Cameroon’s Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, Minette Libom Li Likeng and Chad’s Minister of Posts and Digital Economy,Idriss Saleh Bachar.

The new agreement covers several legal, economic and technical aspects of the interconnection, including restoration channels for securing the communication networks and routing of network traffic to the submarine cable systems.

The agreement includes a reduction of prices for electronic communications services.

The deal could generate revenue for Cameroon as the country will serve as transit for submarine cables serving operators in Chad such as Bharti Airtel, SOS Telecom, Sotel Tchad, Sudachad, Gilat and Prestabist.

Cameroon has access to SAT3, WACS, ACE, NCSCS and SAIL which help to provide high-speed connectivity to Chadian operators.

The MoU is expected to boost transaction at low cost and facilitate digital trade using all associated technologies.

According to Minister Li Likeng, the deal will increase access to digital technology and strengthen regional integration in a bid to achieve harmonious and integrated development of the economies of the sub-region.

“Cameroon is owner of four submarine cables and we are open through solidarity of our sub-region to share what we have with Chad,” she said.

Though Cameroon’s transmission networks have been interconnected with those of Chad via fibre from the Gangui (Chad) and Kousseri (Cameroon) points since 2011, there is speculation the new deal has been prompted by the arrival of new players into Chad’s telecommunications market.