Togo aims to fiber-optimize the country's powerline network, according to the minister of digital economy and digital transformation.
Describing the strategy as cost-effective, Lawson said, according to business media outlet Quartz, "One of the costs of deploying fiber is digging up the ground and burying the cables deep. Instead of doing that, we're going to deploy the cable on poles that carry the wires. Imagine telling residents that you will provide them with high-speed Internet and electricity at an affordable price."
However, reports suggest that in order to provide this service, the Togolese government would need at least 300 million euros ($334 million). While discussions with lenders are ongoing, "we want to reduce the risk of the government project by providing funding to ensure that the price point is low. If it is led entirely by the private sector, they will need a return on investment, which could lead to high prices." The move follows Togo's connection to Google's Equiano submarine cable, which CommsUpdate notes should be ready for service in the fourth quarter of 2022. The cable is being deployed by CSquared Woezon, a joint venture between CSquared and Société d'Infrastructures Numériques (SIN), a Togolese state-owned telecommunications asset.
Earlier, CSquared Woezon landed the Equiano cable and established a branch in Togo to provide up to 1 TB/sec of capacity between Portugal and South Africa. Pioneer Consulting has been providing general subsea consulting services to CSquared Woezon, initially focusing on the design, procurement and implementation of cable landing stations and system transmission equipment.
