Seychelles is likely to be linked to a broadband fibre-optic cable – which will dramatically improve internet connections – by the end of next year, it was revealed yesterday.

Benjamin Choppy, principal secretary for information communications technology, told journalists that a decision is expected to be made by the end of March this year on the kind of system the country will opt for out of the four being considered.

“After that, financing will be sought for the project, which is expected to cost US $47 million,” he said during a meeting attended by representatives of international funding agencies, local communications service providers, the business community and the government.

Among the agencies present were the Agence Française de Développement, the African Development Bank (AfDB), the German government-owned Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau, the Development Bank of South Africa and the European Investment Bank.

Mr Choppy said the cable is likely to be linked to the one running along the African coast, probably at Mombasa or Dar es Salaam, or to the one passing south of Seychelles.

He said the cable will reach our shores at Beau Vallon, but he stressed that it will have no social or environmental impact.

“It will be hardly noticeable, as from there it will enter a manhole and pass in existing conduits up to Victoria from where its services will be tapped,” he said.

A company called Seychelles Cable Systems was formed in 2008 to start up the project and deal with related organisations overseas. Although it was formed by the government, private firms are welcome to be part of it.

Michel Rouilleault of the French consultancy firm Axiom was asked to do a detailed feasibility study and yesterday gave the information that Mr Choppy outlined, saying at the moment Seychelles depends on satellite links through companies that need only a few megabytes, mainly for telephony.

“But to attract more tourists or investors who would like to surf the net and download heavy files or music, we need a cable connection that would enable every person to have the potential to use several megabytes by himself or herself,” said Mr Rouilleault.

“When the cable comes, country usage may be up to 200 megabytes but by 2022 that should rise to 9,000 megabytes.”

He said the cable has an estimated life of 25 years, but those installed many more years ago are still intact and continue to work well as they are so heavily protected.

Source: NATION 1-29-10

Forrás: http://www.seychellesweekly.com/February%201,%202010/p05_broadband.html