28 April 2025
Liberia is set to depend on Côte d'Ivoire for uninterrupted internet services while maintenance is carried out on its sole submarine cable. This repair work, scheduled to take place from 23-30 April, has prompted the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA) to authorize collaboration between Csquared and Orange Liberia with Ivorian operators..png?lu=243)
The LTA encouraged all service providers in Liberia to utilize these newly established cross-border fibre optic connections. The regulator expressed optimism that this intervention would help maintain stable services for end users throughout the repair period. The LTA also emphasized the importance of access, urging Csquared and Orange Liberia to provide other operators with equitable access to these connections.
Côte d'Ivoire was selected as a partner due to its robust telecommunications infrastructure and extensive international connectivity, boasting connections to six submarine cables including the Africa Coast to Europe (ACE) cable shared with Liberia. Other connections include the 2Africa, MainOne, SAT-3/WASC, WACS, and Maroc Telecom West Africa cables. Notably, Moov Africa's management of the Maroc Telecom cable helped to avert a significant outage in the region in March 2024.
Beyond its submarine capabilities, Côte d'Ivoire has developed a national fibre network spanning 33,000km and possesses an international capacity of 1.96Mbps, with approximately 1.45 million currently in use. Such advanced infrastructure positions Côte d'Ivoire among Africa’s top three countries in terms of fibre optic development, according to a recent report from the World Broadband Association and Omdia. This comprehensive setup is expected to facilitate robust data transport to Liberia.
Despite its extensive infrastructure, Côte d'Ivoire's internet services are not impervious to interruptions caused by issues on submarine cables or within the transport network, which could impact connectivity in Liberia. To mitigate the risk of such vulnerabilities, experts suggest Liberia might explore supplementary solutions, including satellite communications, as advised by the Global Telecommunications Association. Additionally, expanding interconnections with other submarine cables could further enhance the reliability of internet access for the country.
