Internet users in Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Uganda have voiced dissatisfaction over poor connectivity, with service providers in East Africa acknowledging the issue and assuring customers that efforts are underway to address it.
The connectivity problems stem from faults in the undersea cables linking the region to the global network through South Africa, explained industry expert Ben Roberts to the media.
Cloudflare Radar, a monitoring tool for internet connectivity, highlighted Tanzania as one of the worst-affected countries, experiencing a significant drop in traffic to just 30% of expected levels.
The impact of this issue has been significant, with Tanzania’s Citizen newspaper referring to it as an “internet blackout affecting major network channels.”
On social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter), frustrated users have reached out to service providers for updates.
Airtel Kenya responded to one user’s query about streaming the Manchester United versus Arsenal English Premier League match, acknowledging the network issue and apologizing for the inconvenience.
Safaricom, another provider in Kenya, also confirmed experiencing challenges.
Similar reports came from Airtel Uganda and MTN Rwanda, both acknowledging intermittent internet service and issues with international links.
Cloudflare Radar also noted that countries like Malawi, Mozambique, and Madagascar were affected by the connectivity disruptions.
Mr. Roberts, representing Liquid Intelligent Technologies, confirmed that the Eassy cable, which runs along East Africa’s coast, had been cut, along with another cable, near Durban in South Africa.
He dismissed sabotage as the cause, attributing the incidents to an unfortunate coincidence.
While alternative cables exist, the impact on services due to the damage to the Eassy link is substantial, particularly for companies with data centers in South Africa.
However, efforts are underway to reroute data and gradually improve connectivity. Similar cable failures in March affected countries across Africa, causing frustration among millions of users.
Source-BBC
