Transworld Associates (TWA) has announced its agreement to land the world’s largest subsea cable system, 2Africa, in Karachi, Pakistan. This monumental project, which is already in service in parts of the African continent, will enhance global connectivity for Pakistan and position the country as a critical node in international data networks.
2Africa is one of the most ambitious cable projects globally, extending over 45,000 kilometers and connecting 46 cable landing stations across 33 countries in Africa, Asia, and Europe. The consortium behind 2Africa consists of eight international build parties, China Mobile International, Bayobab, center3, Meta, Orange, Telecom Egypt, Vodafone, and WIOCC.
China Mobile International and Meta are the consortium parties for the 2Africa landing in Karachi. They are contracting with Transworld Associates, who will own and run this landing.
Designed with a capacity of up to 180 Tbps on 16 fiber pairs, 2Africa aims to meet the increasing demand for internet and data services worldwide. “The 2Africa subsea cable is perfectly synchronized for hosting direct connectivity with global content providers.” Saad Muzaffar Waraich, President of Transworld Associates said. “TWA will lead the development of the essential infrastructure for the carrier neutral cable landing station and will manage the maintenance of the system for the foreseeable future. This initiative aligns with Pakistan’s vision of becoming a regional connectivity hub and is expected to help boost the country’s digital economy. Moreover, in the near future, a Tier-3 level carrier neutral data center, co-located at our Cable Landing Station will be connected with 2Africa and other subsea cable systems”.
Ismail Shah, Meta’s Head of Connectivity Policy for the Asia Pacific region said, “Pakistan is set to experience increased capacity, ensuring more robust and resilient internet services. Meta is happy to support 2Africa – we hope the strategic connectivity from this subsea cable system will pave the way for greater integration with global markets and facilitate the growth of digital services across the nation.”
After previously landing SMW-5 and TW1 in Pakistan, landing the 2Africa cable is a stepping-stone for Transworld Associates towards achieving an ambition of becoming a strategic partner of choice for the landing of submarine cable systems at a carrier neutral and state-of-the-art Cable Landing Station in Pakistan.
