Damaged cable causes Internet blackout in four West African countries

[The abyss]

Source: Opennet

Submitted by Rebekah Heacock on 29 July, 2009 - 14:23.
Posted in Nigeria, Sub-Saharan Africa


Five days ago, the Appfrica tech blog reported an Internet blackout in Benin, a West African country roughly the size of Ohio. The outage, which also affected neighboring Togo, Niger and Nigeria, was caused by damage to the SAT-3 submarine communications cable, which links Portugal and Spain to South Africa via the West African coastline.
The Internet blackout left Benin, Togo and Niger without an optical fiber link to the outside world, meaning Internet users in these countries have been forced to rely on rare, expensive satellite connections to get online. Appfrica managing editor Theresa Carpenter Sondjo, who is based in Benin, writes:
The line to use the computers runs out the door. Every computer is taken, and most have two or three people hovering over its operator. I am the only woman.
In Nigeria, the damage to the SAT-3 cable has affected approximately 70 percent of the country's



Read more: http://opennet.net/blog/2009/07/damaged-cable-causes-internet-blackout-four-west-african-countries

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I have not heard about this through MSM sources.

[Captain Hilts]

1. Call 'Miss Utility' before you dig!

[cloudbase]

2. That'll definitely delay

receipt of my lottery winnings.

[gulfcoastliberal]

3. Courtesy of the NSA - haven't they tapped them all by now? nt

[MercutioATC]

4. Shit happens.

Call before you dig.

[dipsydoodle]

5. I'd wondered why

the emails had ceased suggesting I forward $25000 direct from my personal account and the immediate shipment of 200 Twinkie Bars by FedEx to a Nigerian address in return for a share of US$80 Trillion sitting in a Swiss bank account following the death of Gen. I'marascal.