CMC Networks, a global Tier 1 service provider, has added Low Earth Orbit (LEO), Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) and Geostationary Orbit (GEO) satellite connectivity to its portfolio of solutions
This multi-orbit approach addresses the diverse connectivity needs of remote regions and challenging environments across Africa and the Middle East, removing the limits on digital transformation.
On March 15, 2024, Africa experienced another connectivity incident resulting in a major internet outage affecting West and Central Africa due to a break in submarine cable systems. Four of the nine subsea cables connecting South Africa to the rest of the world were reported as damaged due to incidents on either side of the continent.
During this time, significant issues were experienced in South Africa's internet infrastructure. This event underscored the vulnerabilities of submarine cables, critical infrastructures for internet connectivity across continents. CMC Networks, which utilises multiple submarine cable systems, could divert traffic and utilise optimal routes to bypass the outage.
CMC Networks' satellite solutions enable wide-reaching, high-performance, and resilient networking, utilizing constellations from world-leading providers. The distributed nature of the constellations adds redundancy and minimizes downtime on customers' networks, improving business continuity and enhancing user experiences, reducing reliance on subsea cable infrastructure.
"The recent damage to subsea cables and the subsequent disruption to businesses across South Africa has highlighted the need for a wide variety of connectivity options and digital infrastructure that has the resiliency to ensure business continuity during unforeseen events. Our satellite solutions enable service providers and enterprises to manage risk and maximise uptime," said Marisa Trisolino, CEO at CMC Networks.
CMC Networks' LEO satellites, sitting just over 1,000km above the Earth's surface, provide ultra-low latency connectivity for primary or backup connectivity solutions, and consumer Internet use cases such as high-frequency trading, high-performance computing applications, and more, with a round-trip delay (RTD) of +-80ms. The MEO satellites, with an altitude of 8,000km, offer 150ms low-latency connectivity and a larger Earth view, providing fiber-like broadband performance for enterprise-grade networking. The GEO satellites orbit 36,000km from Earth, maintaining a fixed position, and provide reliable connectivity for less-latency-sensitive applications and services such as broadcast TV and low-speed data communication.
“Our goal at CMC Networks is to accelerate digital transformation across Africa and the Middle East, no matter the location. With the addition of LEO, MEO and GEO satellite solutions, we can provide seamless connectivity across geographies and during network and power outages,” commented Trisolino. “The recent damage to subsea cables and the subsequent disruption to businesses across South Africa has highlighted the need for a wide variety of connectivity options and digital infrastructure that has the resiliency to ensure business continuity during unforeseen events. Our satellite solutions enable service providers and enterprises to manage risk and maximise uptime.”
CMC Networks operates in 51 out of 54 countries in Africa and 12 countries in the Middle East, as well as 110+ interconnect locations across Europe, the Americas, and Asia Pacific. The LEO, MEO, and GEO satellites add to its portfolio of network solutions spanning AI, cloud on-ramps, cybersecurity, EDGE Cloud, SDN, virtualisation, and more.
