Tanzania Telecommunications Company Limited (TTCL), which manages and operates the Tanzanian National ICT Broadband Backbone (NICTBB), is now expanding its fibre optic connectivity to Burundi following the successful connection of some Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) member states.

The US$5.9-million connection deal to Burundi will be managed through the NICTBB.

At the signing of the connection agreement between TTCL and Burundi Backbone System (BBS) recently, BBS executive officer Elia Ntihagowumwe said, "The ten-year agreement will see the connection of Burundi to Seacom and EASSY undersea cable systems."

TTCL representative Vedastus Mwita said the value of the initial agreement will increase once TTCL upgrades the supply from the initial 2.5bps.

Mwita was quoted by the East African Newspaper as saying, "TTLC will provide data and high speed internet as it stores data at the national internet datacentre, which will benefit corporate customers operating in both countries."

In August 2019, TTCL announced it will manage the implementation of fibre optic connectivity to link up all SADC member states.

To date Malawi, Rwanda and Zambia have been connected, while Angola, DRC, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles and South Africa, among other member states, are scheduled to be connected.

According to Atashasta Nditiya, Tanzania's deputy Minister of Works, Transport and Communications, the decision to engage TTCL in the SADC fibre optic connectivity project was taken during the telecommunications meeting of government officials from the SADC countries held in Tanzania.

Nditiya said it was agreed to expand Tanzania's fibre optic cable network so that communication becomes easy within the region in order for member states to easily exchange various information.