Corporate News
Kenya embarks on building alternative fibre optic cable route
A participant at the Kenya ICT Board and Mobile Web conference in Nairobi on February 3, 2010. The government is working on TEAMs back-ups. Photo/LIZ MUTHONI
Posted Thursday, February 4 2010 at 00:00
This, however, does not mean that the terrestrial fibre cable are immune to cuts going by the recent happenings within the country showing they are more prone to cuts than the undersea cables.
Telecoms operators and infrastructure providers have experienced several cuts on their networks citing sabotage in some cases while others have been linked to accidents, for example, during the road construction.
Stern action
However, Dr Ndemo says he does not foresee the Thika-Moyale cable, which is owned by the government and managed by Telkom Kenya, experiencing cuts due to sabotage since operators will have to share it.
Meanwhile, the government is investigating if the recent cable cuts are a result of sabotage.
If the destruction is found to be linked to malice, the government may be forced to take stern action, including cancelling the licence of the provider found guilty.
The Kenya Communications (Amendment) Act says any person found guilty of cable vandalism is liable to five-year jail term or a fine of Sh1 million.
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