Global technology company Alcatel-Lucent has inked a deal in Libya to build a 1,000 km undersea cable system linking the country’s capital Tripoli to Benghazi.
The turnkey contract -- signed with the Libyan International Telecommunication Company (LITC) -- forms part of the reconstruction of Libya's telecoms infrastructure, of which parts were destroyed during the 2011 uprising.
Alcatel-Lucent‘s 100G technology is planned to be deployed for the submarine cable, resulting in it carrying a capacity in excess of 10Tbit/s per fibre pair.
The cable is expected to be completed in mid-2015.
"Broadband connectivity is a major growth opportunity for the foreseeable future and the development of a robust telecommunications infrastructure is vital,” said Dr Mohmoud Aujali, Chairman of the LITC, in a statement.
“With the help of Alcatel-Lucent, our new submarine cable system promises a significant contribution the overall developments that are being undertaken to improve the standard of living for Libyans," Aujali added.
Networking infrastructure firms increasingly eye Libya
In the aftermath of a violent 2011 uprising in Libya that resulted in the death of Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, technology infrastructure firms are increasingly turning their attention to the small country of 6.5 million people.
In January, mobile broadband specialists Nokia Solutions and Networks (NSN) officially opened a new office with advanced facilities in Tripoli, Libya with the aim of enhancing “the company’s operational agility for delivery of its mobile broadband infrastructure for all operators in the country.”
But even despite rebuilding efforts, BuddeComm research says that “Libya’s telecommunications infrastructure is superior to those in most other African countries.”
According to BuddeComm, Libya has a mobile penetration rate of 109%, while fixed line and internet usage respectively stand at 11% and 25%.
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