By Femi Alabi
Telecommunications operators in Nigeria have apologised to users for outages on their different networks caused by damage to multiple submarine cables along the West African Coast.
The appeal was made in a statement signed by the Chairman, Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Mr Gbenga Adebayo and Executive Secretary of ALTON, Mr Gbolahan Awonuga.
Adebayo said that on behalf of its members, it wished to assure users of communication services that repair processes were ongoing by the responsible international service providers.
A combination of cable cuts, resulted in equipment faults on major undersea cables along the West African Coast.
The issue negatively impacted data and fixed telecom services in several West Africa countries, including Nigeria, Ghana and Ivory Coast among others.
The cuts occurred somewhere in Ivory Coast and Senegal, with an attendant disruption in Portugal.
Adebayo said that the unfortunate development had impacted on data and internet service delivery by some of its members.
“We highly regret any inconveniences caused by the damage to the submarine fibre optics cable on the international waterways.
“We seek for your continuous understanding on behalf of our members, “
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Also, Nigerian Communications Commission NCC in a statement by its Director, Public Affairs, Reuben Muoka said a combination of cable cuts, resulting in equipment faults on the major undersea cables along the West African Coast have negatively impacted on data and fixed telecom services in several countries of West Africa, including Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Cote de Ivoire, among others.
He added that the cuts occurred somewhere in Cote de’Ivoire and Senegal, with an attendant disruption in Portugal.
“Cable companies – WACs and ACE in the West Coast route from Europe, have experienced faults while SAT3 and MainOne have downtime. Similar undersea cables providing traffic from Europe to the East Coast of Africa, like Seacom, EIG, AAE1, are said to have been cut at some point around the Red Sea, resulting in degradation of services across on these routes.
“In Nigeria, and other West African countries, Internet access and speed have experienced disruptions in the networks of service providers in the affected countries.”.
Mouka noted that operators of these cables have commenced repairs already and services are gradually being restored, adding that hey have promised to work round the clock to ensure that services are restored to the affected countries within the shortest possible time.
“It is important to bring this information to the knowledge of corporate and individual consumers of these services.” He said