Zambia connects to Europe's optic fiber network

LUSAKA, July 17 (Xinhua) -- A Zambian premier Internet firm has set up an Internet gateway into Europe using the optic fiber, becoming the first company in the southern African country to use Europe's optic fiber end-to-end, the Zambia Daily Mail reported on Friday.

Zamnet Communication Systems Limited said the move will increase and improve access speed to Internet, Daily Mail said.

The company's acting Managing Director, Raphael Maseko said the link, which became operational on July 1, was currently running trial internal tests before the services could be extended to its customers.

He said the bulk of the company's Internet traffic was expected to be through optic fiber by next month.

"This is the first such connection in Zambia and marks a milestone, in the life of the Internet in Zambia," Maseko was quoted.

The link has been made through the South Atlantic 3/West Africa Submarine Cable (SAT-3 undersea cable) that runs on the west coast of Africa into Europe, Daily Mail said.

The link has been set up in partnership with Zesco Limited, Zambia's electricity provider, and Telecom Namibia, according to Daily Mail.

Among other benefits that will result from the connection are lower end user cost of Internet, better access to multimedia and hosting contents, and use of newer technologies such as video conference.