Every landing point of this cable has another cable within 50 km.
No alerts from our monitoring on this cable in the last 180 days. Events feed →
Counted: other international cables landing in the same country (domestic cables between points of one country are not a way out), other cables at landing points within 50 km, and whether the country has land links. Not counted: cable capacity, operator contracts and satellite. Use as a first look at dependence, not as a statement of what would happen.
Live Performance
221
measurements
7
probes
227
days monitored
172.5
ms avg RTT
0
anomalies
Monitored from 2026-03-06 through 2026-10-20 - live ICMP round-trip time measurements via our monitoring probes. All values below are recomputed daily from raw probe data. ✓ No anomalies detected in the monitored period.
Measurement sources
Probe
Location
Samples
Avg
Min-Max
Last seen
#724
control probe
136
157.5 ms
56.2-300.5
2026-10-20
#7623
control probe
52
169.4 ms
104.1-300.5
2026-09-13
#6427 own probe
Sydney AU
11
376.3 ms
259.8-517.4
2026-10-01
own probe
Jerusalem IL
7
206.9 ms
165.6-310.0
2026-07-04
own probe
Balancer IL
7
250.0 ms
242.2-254.6
2026-07-04
own probe
Minsk BY
4
67.2 ms
56.5-85.4
2026-10-01
own probe
Odessa UA
4
74.4 ms
71.7-77.9
2026-10-01
About the MainOne Cable System
MainOne: A Key Submarine Cable Connecting West Africa to Europe
The MainOne submarine cable is a 7,000-kilometer fiber-optic system connecting West Africa to Europe, with landing points in Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Senegal, Nigeria, and Portugal. Owned by MainOne - An Equinix Company, it has been operational since 2010 according to GeoCables records. The cable is listed as in service and plays a significant role in improving connectivity for the West African region, linking it directly to Europe’s digital infrastructure.
What stands out about MainOne is the lack of publicly disclosed information about its design capacity, fiber count, supplier, and technology. While this is not unusual for privately operated cables, it limits the ability to assess its technical specifications in detail. Additionally, latency measurements and redundancy considerations provide insights into its operational performance and resilience.
MainOne spans the Atlantic Ocean, connecting Seixal in Portugal to Lagos in Nigeria, with intermediate landings in Dakar (Senegal), Accra (Ghana), and Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire). This route strategically links Europe to several major economic hubs in West Africa, facilitating international data exchange and regional connectivity. Each landing point serves as a gateway for local and regional networks to access global internet infrastructure.
Why it was built and what it carries
The cable was built to address the need for high-speed, reliable connectivity between West Africa and Europe. Before MainOne, connectivity in the region relied heavily on older systems like SAT-3/WASC, which had limited capacity and higher costs. MainOne provides improved bandwidth and lower latency, supporting the growing demand for internet services, cloud computing, and digital business solutions in West Africa.
MainOne carries a mix of internet traffic, enterprise data, and cloud services. Its owner, MainOne - An Equinix Company, focuses on providing data center and connectivity solutions, suggesting that the cable is integral to its operations in the region.
History: what can be established
According to GeoCables data, MainOne became ready for service in 2010. Industry sources generally corroborate this date, with no significant discrepancies noted. The cable has been operational for over a decade, contributing to the transformation of West Africa's digital landscape.
Capacity and technology
Publicly available information does not disclose MainOne's design capacity, fiber pairs, supplier, or technology. Without operator documentation, these details cannot be reliably stated. However, given its role in connecting West Africa to Europe, it is likely equipped with modern fiber-optic technology capable of supporting high-capacity data transmission.
Latency: the physics
Theoretical one-way light propagation over MainOne's 7,000-kilometer length is approximately 34.3 milliseconds, with a round-trip time (RTT) floor of 68.6 milliseconds. Real-world latency measurements, however, are higher due to factors such as land tails, terminal equipment, and routing inefficiencies.
GeoCables live measurements show a minimum RTT of 75.0 milliseconds between Seixal and Lagos, with an average of 165.6 milliseconds over multiple checks. These values reflect the full internet path, not just the cable itself. Measurements from other global locations, such as Sydney and Jerusalem, further illustrate the impact of routing and network congestion on end-to-end latency.
Redundancy: what happens if it breaks
MainOne operates in a corridor with multiple alternative cables at each landing point. For example:
In the event of a fault, traffic can be rerouted through these systems, minimizing disruption. Repairs typically involve deploying specialized cable ships to locate, retrieve, and fix the damaged section, a standard practice in the submarine cable industry.
Bottom line
MainOne is a 7,000-kilometer submarine cable connecting West Africa to Europe, operational since 2010.
Owned by MainOne - An Equinix Company, it has landing points in Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Senegal, Nigeria, and Portugal.
Its design capacity, fiber pairs, supplier, and technology are not publicly disclosed.
Theoretical latency is approximately 34.3 ms one-way, but real-world RTT is higher due to network factors.
Redundancy is supported by multiple alternative cables at each landing point.