Mauritius’ leading telecommunications company is currently in discussions with operators such as Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd. and Orange SA to establish a new undersea cable network that will connect Africa, Indian Ocean islands, and Asia. This initiative aims to enhance redundancy in a region frequently affected by cable breakdowns. The proposed line, known as T4, will replace the aging South Africa Far East cable, which is set to reach the end of its operational life in 2027. According to Kapil Reesaul, the CEO of Mauritius Telecom Ltd. based in Port Louis, T4 is projected to have a capacity that is 1,000 times greater than the existing SAFE cable.
Reesaul emphasized the necessity of securing connectivity to the far east, given the recent series of cable disruptions in the region. The urgency for additional cable infrastructure was underscored by a recent disruption that impacted Mauritius, highlighting the vulnerability of the Indian Ocean island nation to such incidents. The new undersea cable project aims to mitigate these risks and ensure reliable connectivity between Mauritius, India, and Singapore.
The proposed T4 cable will roughly follow the path of the existing SAFE cable, spanning approximately 13,500 kilometers from South Africa, through Madagascar, La Reunion, Mauritius, to India, and Singapore. Mauritius Telecom has already invested $60 million in the T3 cable to South Africa and is also connected via the LION/LION2-EASSY-EIG cable on the northern route. Reesaul pointed out that establishing redundancy towards the far east is crucial for future-proofing the network, especially if India and Singapore emerge as major connectivity hubs.
Several other operators, including Telkom SA, Telekom Malaysia Bhd, Cable & Wireless Ltd. of Seychelles, and potentially China Telecom Corp., are expected to join the consortium for the T4 project. Reesaul estimated the project’s cost to be in the range of $150 million to $200 million, with a timeline of at least two years for completion. Taking the lead on the T4 initiative aligns with Mauritius Telecom’s ambition to expand its operations and become a regional telecommunications provider.
