Fibre optics to be deployed on a rail line in West Africa

Vivendi’s subsidiary GVA (Group Vivendi Africa) is planning to deploy 5,000 km of fibre-optic cables across five West African countries (Benin, Togo, Niger, Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast). The plans are linked to a major rail infrastructure project (known as BlueLine) in which one of Vivendi’s main shareholders, Groupe Bollore, is currently investing to deploy up to 3,000 km of new rail track. In coupling the fibre optic roll-out with the rail project, GVA would reduce deployment costs.