Internet interruptions: Ensuring business continuity with our connectivity services

A dependable internet connection is an absolute necessity for any modern business. A recent survey by World Wide Worx reveals that 94% of South African companies rely on the internet for key activities, underlining the devastating impact an outage may have. The same goes for any modern enterprise in any African country.

This is exactly what happened in mid-March 2024. Internet services across the country were disrupted after several breakages in the undersea West Africa Cable System (WACS) damaged some fibre optic connections. Many people and businesses across Southern Africa were left without access to the internet or email services for a few hours.

While this is not a tragedy in the bigger scheme of things, internet disruptions can be extremely costly to enterprises. As a leading connectivity services provider in South Africa, we understand the value of business continuity. The events of mid-March 2024 were a wake-up call for many African enterprises to pay attention to their service level agreements (SLAs) and choose a reliable connectivity provider.

Connectivity with redundancy

SEACOM provides enterprise-grade internet connectivity solutions that ensure your business remains operational in the face of some unforeseen occurrences. Our robust and reliable network infrastructure includes connections to numerous subsea cable networks, including the Equiano cable and WACS.

This redundancy provides an important fail-safe mechanism. Our clients were lucky to have minimal downtime amid the WACS cable breakages. SEACOM deploys intelligent network architecture that automatically diverted affected traffic to the Equiano cable to ensure continuous internet connectivity.

This failsafe highlights the success of our multi-layered networking method. Our enterprise internet connectivity services go beyond just providing a stable and reliable connection. We provide a choice of customisable options to meet your specific business needs, such as enterprise internet access (EIA), wireless connectivity, and high-speed connections to cloud service providers.

Our highly qualified engineering team is also accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week to provide technical support and keep your network running smoothly. When you choose SEACOM as your connectivity partner, you can rest assured that your business will be safeguarded from internet disruptions.

Don’t be caught off guard

Disruptions like the WACS cable breakages are a stark reminder that unplanned disruptions can happen from time to time. However, with the proper precautions in place, the impact on your business can be mitigated. A multi-layered connectivity approach can guarantee business continuity. This can include the use of multiple terrestrial and subsea cable linkages.

By doing so, traffic may be easily redirected to another cable in the event of a disruption, reducing downtime and maintaining company operations. This saves money and ensures seamless communication between employees. The efficacy of this approach is aptly demonstrated by the recent disruptions in the WACS cable.

We are committed to providing dependable, high-performance internet solutions that keep you connected and productive even during unexpected outages. Our clients can rest assured knowing that their connectivity is guaranteed by our industry-leading SLAs.

Even though this recent incident caused major disruptions, it also offered a chance to create a future that is more resilient. This involves looking into new technologies and subsea cable routes that can help reduce the likelihood of disruptions even further. Businesses, the government, and connectivity providers like SEACOM should collaborate to build a stronger and more reliable internet infrastructure for South Africa.

In addition to helping companies, this will enable every South African to fully engage in the digital economy. Do not let an internet outage ruin your business. Contact SEACOM today to discuss your connectivity requirements and ensure your business stays functioning, no matter what. For more information about our connectivity services or to get a quote, email us at digitalservices@seacom.com or leave us a message.

SEACOM owns Africa’s most extensive network of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure, including subsea cables and secure internet connections. We offer a diverse range of flexible, scalable and high-quality solutions for businesses that meet world-class standards for connectivity.

SEACOM is privately owned and operated, making it agile and adaptable to the needs of the customer. This makes us the preferred ICT and internet connectivity partner for African businesses and peripheral service providers. We can guarantee high-speed, low-latency and secure internet connections to corporates and small enterprises.

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