PCCW, Phase3 Ink Deal on West Africa Communications Solutions

PCCW Global, a Hong Kong based international operating division of HKT, Hong Kong's premier telecom service provider, has signed a collaborative agreement with Phase3 Telecom, a West African market leader in telecommunications infrastructure and broadband solutions.

Co-operation between the two companies will enable new and advanced communications solutions for Nigeria and other West African countries with Phase3 Telecom now having access to PCCW Global’s vast international MPLS network covering major African cities such as Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, Maputo, Johannesburg, and Cape Town, as well as 3,000 other cities around the world.

PCCW Global will also gain improved access to networks in Nigeria via Phase3 Telecom's robust fiber infrastructure.

PCCW Global operates an international network which covers more than 3,000 cities in 130 countries worldwide, providing services based on the latest Ethernet, IP, fiber and satellite transmission technologies in major cities across the globe as well as to markets in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America.

Phase3 Telecom is a National Long Distance Operator (NLDO) licensed by the Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC) to provide transmission services to Nigerian telecommunications operators, Internet service providers and corporations using fiber optic systems carried along electricity infrastructure.

Mr. Stanley Jegede, Phase3 Telecom’s chief executive officer, said, “We have deployed more than 6,000 km of fiber optic cable to date with another 3,000 km planned for the next 18 months while commissioning several Points of Presence at sites in all key cities.

“This partnership is a strong endorsement of the quality of the network we have built and a clear step forwards in our mission to connect all Nigerians with each other, and with the rest of the world. PCCW Global’s extensive network provides us with an unrivalled offering for corporate and institutional clients looking for a truly global solution, locally. We will continue to expand our West African network, and diversify our business with additional products distributed through our infrastructure."

He added that PCCW Global has a solid track record in providing superior data, voice, high-definition video solutions and managed services based on cutting-edge technologies.

The company’s African MPLS capability consists of an extensive network covering most of the continent and is served by PoPs in a variety of African cities.

On his part, Mr. James Welch, PCCW Global's vice president and head of Sales of EEMEA, said, “PCCW Global is keen to explore new opportunities with Phase3 Telecom, as our collaboration opens up new connectivity in West Africa. We are looking at facilitating improved communications for Nigerian businesses and beyond, thanks to our cost-effective and reliable communications solutions.”

Phase3 Telecom is on track to complete an additional aerial cable system connecting Lagos with Cotonou, the largest city and economic center of West Africa’s Benin.

The move will offer alternative routes and increased resilience for Nigerian and multinational enterprises wanting to connect with other West African markets at low cost.

PCCW Global and Phase3 Telecom will continue to collaborate to enable the expansion of advanced telecommunications services across Nigeria and throughout the African continent in order to deliver the most innovative communications solutions for businesses operating in the region.

In January, PCCW Global announced that it will collaborate with 16 other prominent service providers to construct the Asia Africa Europe-1 (AAE-1) cable system, which will interconnect Hong Kong, Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Europe.

AAE-1 will be the first high-capacity system to link all the leading Southeast Asian nations with Africa and Europe via the Middle East, thereby supporting unprecedented Asia-Africa trade growth.