Tata Communications to up African investments

JOHANNESBURG: Tata Communications will expand its African investments ahead of the West African Cable System (WACS) becoming operational next year, according to its chief executive officer Srinath Narasimhan.

"There is no infrastructure in place yet to deliver a full portfolio of services in West Africa, but we will have that once the WACS cable comes into operation," Narasimhan told the South African daily Business Day.

"We will start with wholesale services, setting up a point of presence for Internet protocol, Ethernet or clear bandwidth, depending on what the customers want," he added.

Tata Communications already has extensive investment in South Africa through its Neotel Consortium that is rolling out voice and data services across the country after it introduced the Seacom submarine cable linking India and the East Coast of Africa.

Tata is also exploring opportunities in the East African countries of Kenya and Tanzania in the wake of the Seacom cable.