Google · South Korea · India · Datacenter Dynamics
Google readies "connectivity hub" in the Eastern Cape, South Africa
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Google has announced plans for four "connectivity hubs" in Africa during the company's Cloud Summit in Africa.
Key facts
- The initiative builds on Google's $1 billion investment in supporting Africa's digital transformation, as revealed in 2021
- Beyond the Digital Exchange Ports, Google has said it will establish an applied AI lab in Ghana, partner with The Akuna Group for AI education, and soon open applications for the 2026 South African
- Google has invested in some 30 subsea cables in the past 15 years, more than any other hyperscaler, both privately and as part of multi-party consortia
- As part of the company's "Building for Africa" effort, Google is establishing what it calls Digital Exchange Ports on the continent, the first of which will be located in the Eastern Cape, South
Summary
As part of the company's "Building for Africa" effort, Google is establishing what it calls Digital Exchange Ports on the continent, the first of which will be located in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. According to the company, these will "anchor the country as a strategic international switching point, directly connecting the continent to Australia via the Umoja subsea cable, as well as a new subsea route to India, to support African internet connectivity. Google said that the Digital Exchange Points will strengthen resilience and ensure reliable cloud services across the continent. Currently, most subsea cables connecting South Africa land in and around Cape Town, on the west coast of the country.