SimbaNET, a member of Wananchi Group and a leading provider of internet connectivity to businesses in Eastern Africa will collaborate with Tata Communications, a leading provider of A New World of Communications™, to provide a portfolio of technology and communication solutions for enterprises’ growing ICT requirements in East Africa.

According to the African Economic Outlook, East Africa is projected to record the fastest growth on the continent in 2015 and 2016. With internet penetration and mobile adoption continuing to rise year-on-year, the region is experiencing a growth in its digital economy within industries such as Financial Services, Health and Education. Technology, infrastructure and connectivity solutions will play a key role in the continents’ continued development.

The agreement will provide companies located in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda with access to enterprise solutions such as global network connectivity, direct public cloud access, unified communications and managed security services. It will also provide global businesses with connectivity to East Africa via Tata Communications’ global public IP backbone and SimbaNET’s regional IP network.

Radwan Moussalli, Senior Vice President, Middle East, Central Asia and Africa, Tata Communications says, “As a fast growing emerging market, ICT is an essential component for economic growth and overall development in East Africa. This is an important milestone for the expansion of our business with service providers in East Africa. This collaboration will provide SimbaNET and its customers access to our international services portfolio and vertical solutions as well as the ability to leverage Tata Communications’ global network.”

Rakesh Kukreja, Managing Director, SimbaNET says “We are excited about this collaboration with Tata Communications and the possibilities it holds for our Enterprise customers in East Africa. It means that businesses will now have access to tailored, tried and tested solutions that enhance their business growth, increase productivity and reduce operational costs. This is a strategic opportunity to combine the expertise and strength of Tata Communications’ global products and services with our strong regional presence and relationships.”

The enterprise solutions will be underpinned by Tata Communications’ world-class connectivity over the company’s leading global fibre network. Today, over 24% of the world’s Internet routes travel over Tata Communications’ network and the company is the only Tier-1 provider that is in the top five by routes in five continents.