Africa focused network connectivity services and undersea cable system SEACOM has today launched SEACOM Business, an internet service segment established to provide increased levels of fibre connectivity to corporate customers.

The segment will push the company's low latency fibre network, offering customers the opportunity to take advantage of up to 10gig waves, and services, including fibre internet access, direct internet access, Ethernet (VPN) and cloud.

The newly launched enterprise segment will be headed up by Grant Parker. He explained that the segment's business model incorporates both a direct and indirect component, with direct being a targeted approach engaging with top brands, and the indirect based on partnerships to complete service delivery to the end customer.

"In the next five years, we want to generate 70% - 80% of revenue through partnerships, we want to work with people," said Parker.

Management wants to scale the business to drive 20% - 30% of revenue over the next five years.

The company has concentrated on building its capacity and 'getting it right in SA' in order to replicate the success in other regions including Kenya, and will be looking to cement its business and roll out capabilities in Mozambique, Tanzania and Uganda.

"We can only roll out capability where we have points-of-presence and fibre into those PoPs," said Byron Clatterbuck, chief executive officer at SEACOM.

Clatterbuck says that this is just the beginning of the company's plan to transform Africa's business connectivity landscape. "In the past, SEACOM focused on bringing low-cost data transmission infrastructure to other service providers in Africa. However, we were not seeing the optimal take-up of our international capabilities in the marketplace and the benefits that this can bring," he says.

SEACOM launched the first broadband submarine cable system along the East African coastline linking South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya and Mozambique with major Internet connection hubs in Europe and Asia.

Today, it offers a redundant connectivity ring around Africa's east and west coasts, optimal traffic routing, and resiliency through multiple tier-1 upstream partners in Europe and Asia. It also offers direct connectivity to African routes and content.

SEACOM now delivers these services over last-mile access through leading connectivity partnerships in various regions.

Last-mile fibre is a major focus for the company in the corporate market. Initially, the company aims to bring standard fibre to corporate customers in Kenya and South Africa.

It has already launched 20 fibre precincts in South Africa and plans to roll out another 40 by the end of the year.

Parker, an industry veteran who has worked for the likes of Internet Solutions and Dimension Data, is leading the SEACOM enterprise push. "SEACOM started out as a wholesale provider of international bandwidth, but the time is right for us to diversify our business into the enterprise market with a set of focused offerings including last-mile fibre and private networks."

"We have the network, the skills and the capabilities to unleash the value of our international network directly to corporate users, and see huge benefit for businesses in doing so. We are pleased that the market agrees with us. Our challenge now is to deliver on customer orders and let people experience our incredible service."