East Africa is currently grappling with severe internet connectivity issues, with widespread reports of slowdowns and even total blackouts across the region.
In Kenya, users have been encountering frustratingly slow internet speeds across various connections, including Fibre to the Home (FTTH) and certain mobile data services like 3G, 4G, and 5G.
These slowdowns are particularly pronounced during weekends, when digital traffic peaks due to increased streaming and online browsing.
Several providers in Kenya have taken proactive steps to communicate with customers about the ongoing issues.
Some users have received notifications attributing the sluggish internet speeds to “network congestion caused by Google and Meta downtimes at Mombasa.” Another message explains that “network congestion is due to a major fault experienced by international carriers en route to South Africa,” with assurances of urgent service improvements.
Safaricom has acknowledged the situation, stating, “We have experienced an outage on one of the undersea cables that deliver internet traffic in and out of the country.” They have activated redundancy measures to minimize service interruptions while awaiting full restoration, although users may still experience reduced internet speeds.
The root cause of these slowdowns seems to be a larger regional problem.
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Ben Roberts, Group CTIO at Liquid Intelligent Technologies, disclosed that internet connectivity to East Africa is “severely impaired,” primarily due to faults in the Eastern Africa Submarine Cable System (EASSy) and the Seacom cables.
Additionally, three critical submarine cables in the Red Sea—Seacom, EIG, and AAE1—have suffered cuts and remain unrepaired, exacerbating the disruption.
In Tanzania, the situation has escalated to a complete internet blackout, with reports indicating a lack of available online services.
However, details regarding the cause or expected duration of the blackout remain unclear.
Fibre cuts and faults in submarine cables can lead to extensive repercussions, potentially lasting from days to weeks, depending on the severity of the damage and logistical challenges involved in the repair process.
Historically, repairs have necessitated deploying specialized ships to the fault locations, a process that is both time-consuming and costly.
Adding to the complexity, a recent solar storm in May 2024 may have worsened the situation.
Solar storms can cause geomagnetic disturbances that affect satellite communications and, in some cases, submarine cable operations.
The timing of the storm aligns closely with the reported issues, suggesting it could be a contributing factor to the connectivity challenges facing East Africa.
As the region awaits resolution, the economic and social impact of these connectivity issues cannot be overlooked.
From businesses relying on cloud services to everyday communications and entertainment, the internet slowdowns and blackout are disrupting various aspects of life, highlighting the critical need for robust and reliable digital infrastructure.
