Mobile Telecommunications Ltd (MTC) has warned customers of possible internet disruptions as scheduled maintenance work on the West African Cable System (WACS) is currently underway.
The maintenance , MTC said, began on 1 June and is expected to continue until 16 June 2025.
The WACS cable is a major undersea broadband infrastructure linking Southern and West Africa to Europe, with a landing point in Swakopmund, Namibia.
It provides vital internet connectivity to the country and the region.
During the maintenance period, MTC said internet connectivity in areas that rely on WACS, including Namibia, may experience temporary interruptions.
Three of MTC’s internet links that depend on the cable are affected.
“To minimise the impact of WACS maintenance, we have invested in our redundancy links and alternative infrastructure. This allows us to maintain acceptable service levels and ensure that the impact on our customers is kept to a minimum, as per industry standards,” said Tim Ekandjo, MTC’s Chief Brand, Marketing, Communications, and Sustainability Officer.
As a precautionary measure, MTC said it has re-routed internet traffic through back-up links.
Ekandjo added that the company’s technical team is closely monitoring the network for any issues requiring swift intervention.
“WACS maintenance is a regular occurrence and is usually scheduled to allow for repairs, upgrades, or other necessary work on the cable,” he said.
The WACS cable spans roughly 14,000 kilometres and has a design capacity of at least 5.12 terabits per second.
It connects Namibia to a number of countries, including South Africa, Angola, Nigeria, the UK and others, supporting internet, e-commerce, voice, video and data services.
The cable system was built at a total cost of US$600 million, with Namibia investing around US$75 million in partnership with Botswana on a 50/50 basis.
