Facebook will build a $1 billion fiber optic cable for faster Africa broadband

Facebook is using its ‘2Africa’ project to build a 37,000 kilometer fiber optic cable in collaboration with telecom operators MTN, Telecom Egypt. Orange, Vodafone and China Mobile that is expected to provide connections to 23 countries and enhance broadband access and reliability across the continent. This project follows various efforts by Facebook in 2013, 2016, 2017 and 2019 from the ‘Internet.org’ to a satellite and a public wifi initiative all geared to increasing access across the continent. Recent reports have shown that expanding the base of Internet users in Africa is still high relative to earning power and global technology providers may continue to play a big role in achieving this.