Bayobab Kenya, part of the Bayobab Group under MTN Group, has announced the completion of a long-distance fiber network connecting Mombasa to Malaba and Busia. This fiber network extends to the border of Kenya and Uganda, where it interconnects into Uganda for onward connectivity to Rwanda, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The fiber follows Kenya Railway's meter gauge railway line route, spanning over 1,000 kilometers on the Kenyan side, providing an opportunity for towns along the route to be connected to the internet, Bayobab said.
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Bayobab Kenya's New Fiber Network
The new fiber route complements Bayobab Kenya's first phase of the project launched in 2022, which connected Mombasa to Malaba along the Kenya Pipeline, offering critical network diversity and redundancy. The company mentioned that Internet Service Providers (ISPs) looking to expand or enhance connectivity in the areas along the route will be able to leverage Bayobab Kenya's open-access long-distance fiber infrastructure as an efficient, high-capacity backbone.
Bayobab's Ambition 2025 Fiber Expansion
Bayobab Kenya said, "Our Mombasa-to-Malaba Fiber Project in Kenya is a testament to our vision for a connected and empowered country and continent. By connecting Mombasa to Malaba, we aim to create a seamless pathway to Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan, and the DRC, fostering economic development and growth across these countries."
"The initiative is a key component of Bayobab’s Ambition 2025 goal to build 135,000 kilometers of fiber across Africa," Bayobab Kenya added.
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Enhancing Connectivity in Africa
Bayobab said this new route represents a significant milestone in boosting reliability and ensuring low-latency connectivity inland and cross-border between the East and West coasts of Africa. It will also link landlocked countries to subsea cables at the port of Mombasa using the shortest route and provide a unique route to protect and strengthen services for Bayobab Kenya's existing and new customers.