Mugabo Jean Pierre

EDITOR––Member countries of the East African Community should be proud of the surging number of telecom cables promising to connect the region with the rest of the world at the most affordable and fastest means.

It is widely believed that the region will use these cables to surf cost effective high-speed Internet contrary to the low speed Internet connection that comes from long time traditional satellite set-ups.

Currently, SEACOM cable is the only one selling connection to Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania.

When SEACOM was commercially launching in August 2009, it was expected that the cost of Internet connection to the final user would go down dramatically in the five countries.

However, it is unfortunate that users are still paying the same price they were paying before SEACOM became commercial.

One would assume that the Internet/telecom regulators in the five countries are reluctant to influence the ISPs to lower the cost in favour of the end users and consequently in favour of easing doing business in the region.

It is on this note that EAC Internet/telecom regulators should urgently act on the internet price before TEAMS and EASsy cables start selling the connection.



Mugabo Jean Pierre

Kigali, Rwanda.