Economic impacts of submarine fiber optic cables and broadband connectivity in Kenya

Alan C. O'Connor; Sara Edmonds Lawrence; Benjamin Jordan Anderson; Alice Olive Brower; Alan C. O'Connor; Benjamin Jordan Anderson; Muriuki Mureithi; Judy Nyaguthii; Alice Olive Brower; Sara Edmonds Lawrence

Economic impacts of submarine fiber optic cables and broadband connectivity in Kenya

O'Connor, A. C., Anderson, B., Mureithi, M., Nyaguthii, J., Brower, A. O., & Lawrence, S. E. (2020). Economic impacts of submarine fiber optic cables and broadband connectivity in Kenya. RTI International.

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Abstract

Subsea cables are the global backbone of the Internet, connecting people, businesses, and economies around the world. They connect us to the cloud, deliver streaming video, and increase efficiency and productivity for business. Subsea cables’ importance is all the more apparent during the Covid19 pandemic when many of us have switched to working from home, remote learning, and online gaming and entertainment.

We studied the economic impacts from subsea cables that arrived in Kenya in 2009 (e.g., TEAMS) to understand how they changed the economy. Increases in Internet usage and decreases in costs because of subsea cables have led to development impacts and contributed to Kenya’s economic growth.