Paratus completes East-West route

Paratus Group, a leading pan-African telecom company, has finalised its East-West Africa fiber route, delivering a fast and resilient connection from anywhere in southern Africa to anywhere globally

This first-of-its-kind coast-to-coast terrestrial route, developed using Paratus’ fiber infrastructure, provides a vital alternative link. Growing demand for this route has accelerated, driven by frequent and disruptive network outages.

Paratus Group CEO, Schalk Erasmus, explained, “This sea-change in imperatives has arisen due to breakages in certain subsea cable systems. Operators need a more reliable route and, with our new East-West route, by connecting to the Equiano subsea cable, we can assure customers a fast and robust alternative. Our East-West fiber route isn’t just a line on a map — it’s Africa’s digital lifeline.”

Stretching from Maputo on Africa’s east coast, through Johannesburg and across Botswana and Namibia, the advanced terrestrial network reaches the Cable Landing Station in Swakopmund, Namibia, where Paratus is the Equiano Subsea Cable landing partner. This strategically designed route enhances Paratus’ regional infrastructure, providing exceptional reliability and low-latency connectivity across Southern Africa.

Paratus Group chief commercial officer, Martin Cox, highlights the network's unique blend of regional expertise and global access: “As a steadfast partner with pan-African expertise, we offer unequalled wholesale capacity solutions for network operators. Because we understand the unique connectivity needs of the various regions, we have tailored our solutions to specific requirements, and we offer carriers and operators not only a diverse East-West route but also onward transmission to Europe.

“Recent undersea cable cuts have shown the importance of robust alternatives and why we’ve built redundancy into every kilometre, ensuring Southern Africa stays connected, no matter what. This isn’t just about backup—it’s about uninterrupted operations and seamless communications. With Paratus, you’re partnering with innovators who are weaving resilience into Africa’s digital landscape.”