Dark Fiber Africa Mtunzini fiber link goes live.(SERVICES)

Dark Fiber Africa has switched on a new, R350 million fiber system linking Gauteng and Mtunzini on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast, saying the new route should put renewed downward pressure on broadband prices.

The route is the first between Johannesburg and the coastal town to operate on "open-access principals." Dark Fiber Africa believes this could have a significant impact on the cost of connectivity for Internet service providers and telecommunications operators.

Mtunzini is the site of three submarine cable-landing points: Seacom, the East Africa Submarine System (Eassy), and the Sat-3/Safe cables all land there. Dark Fiber Africa will provide access to all three undersea systems.