SEACOM launched Africa's first broadband submarine cable system along the continent's Southern coasts in 2009.

The cable is a loose tube design that determines the amount and relative location along the transmission path of each type of fibre.

On 23 July 2009, the 17,000 kilometres (11,000 mi) cable began operations, providing the eastern and southern African countries of Djibouti, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, and South Africa with high-speed Internet connectivity to Europe and Asia.

The cable was officially switched on in simultaneous events held across the region, in Mombasa, Kenya, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

The continent's first broadband submarine cable system operator will add 1.7 Tbit/s to its network, bringing its total capacity to 3.2 Tbit/s along Africa's eastern and Southern coasts.