He said the project continues to run as planned, with nearly 70 percent of the cable now laid in the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean.

"We expect to start testing the system at the end of April 2010, in readiness for the System Ready for Service date on 30th June 2010," Wood said.

International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Secretary General Hamadoun Toure said the landing of EASSY was timely, as it will enhance the telecommunications development in Africa, positioning Africa at par with other developed nations.

He said he was optimistic that the Internet connection costs would drastically come down, with increased competition in tandem with international trends.

"If this does not happen, then there is a big problem in regulation, which must be addressed to ensure fair competition," Toure said.