Paratus express route from Johannesburg to Europe goes live

Connectivity solutions provider Paratus Group has launched what it calls the fastest "fiber express route" from Johannesburg, South Africa, to Europe, making use of Google's Equiano undersea cable infrastructure.

Paratus's new 1,890km fiber link runs from Johannesburg through Botswana to Namibia's Swakopmund. That connects to the Equiano subsea cable that runs from Namibia to Lisbon and on to London and the rest of Europe.

Using Infinera FlexILS and GX Series DWDM equipment, Paratus said this route boasts a latency of 123 milliseconds and a capacity of 800 Gbit/s, which means quicker data transfers and smoother online experiences.

Furthermore, the route includes Paratus's recently completed Botswana Kalahari Fiber (BKF), which connects Botswana to the Equiano landing station in Swakopmund. The Johannesburg link connects to the BKF in Lobatse, Botswana.

"Culminating in this unique express route, we can now offer carriers and operators a diverse and unequalled transmission route to Europe," said Paratus Group Chief Commercial Officer Martin Cox.

"This is an exciting time for network operators in South Africa because they can now procure the fastest and most robust connectivity from Johannesburg to Europe," continued Paratus Group CEO Schalk Erasmus.

The new live route connects to the Equiano subsea cable that runs from Namibia to Lisbon and on to London and the rest of Europe. (Source: Fiber optic photo created by freepik)

The news comes at a time when Africa has been experiencing network disruptions due to recent subsea cable breaks off the coast of Abidjan in Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) on the west coast of Africa.

Paratus African footprint

Paratus operates in seven African countries – Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zambia – and its extended network provides satellite connectivity service in more than 35 African countries. The group's footprint extends beyond Africa to international points of presence (PoPs) in the UK, Europe and the US.

In January 2024, the company signed a deal with satellite operator Eutelsat OneWeb to enhance its connectivity offering in South Africa and provide satellite connectivity to more rural areas.

Furthermore, its subsidiary, Fast Congo, signed a long-term agreement with Group Vivendi Africa (GVA) to provide fiber capacity between Muanda and Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in November 2023.

In October 2023, it launched two cross-border fiber links between Mozambique and South Africa.

In September 2023, Paratus Group also announced it had signed a reseller agreement to provide Starlink's satellite Internet services across Africa.

In June 2023, Paratus Botswana completed a metro fiber ring around the capital city of Gaborone, to provide high-speed connectivity to businesses and individuals in the area.

*Top image source: Paratus Group.

— Matshepo Sehloho, Associate Editor, Connecting Africa