Pan-African telecom operator Seacom has strengthened its international IP/MPLS network by going live with a point of presence (PoP) in Slough.
Slough, just 33km west of London, contains some of the UK’s most and largest co-location data centres serving the city’s financial services sector and other key commercial clients. The area is also a key hub for transit of traffic between London and major global financial centres such as New York.
The new PoP is significant for African financial services institutions that trade in equities. It will give them a direct route to one of the UK’s most important financial interconnection points, delivering better performance and lower latency.
Seacom’s IP transit network now offers African service providers and network operators direct connectivity to a range of Tier-1 partner networks in Europe. Because it controls the infrastructure – from its global and African IP Transit networks to remote peering points in Europe – it can guarantee high levels of quality and support to its customers.
Says Mark Tinka, head of engineering at Seacom: “We are pleased to offer our network operator and commercial clients this direct route to one of the world’s most important Internet financial districts. Financial services institutions in Africa need fast, reliable connectivity with the world’s financial centres, which is one reason we have invested in this new PoP.
“In addition, this latest investment consolidates our position as Africa’s leading data network service provider, able to offer a resilient, high-quality network platform that spans the world.
“We are the only African network to have our own PoPs in Europe’s five busiest centres for Internet traffic – Stockholm, Amsterdam, London, Frankfurt and Marseille. Seacom will keep investing in providing a better experience for Africa’s growing population of broadband users.”
