The landing of The East African Marine System (TEAMS) undersea communications cable in Mombasa this month has gone largely unheralded, reports BizCommunity.com.

The TEAMS cable is the first telecommunications cable linking East Africa directly with the rest of the world. The region has previously been reliant on expensive satellite uplinks for international communication and internet access.

The improved internet access afforded by TEAMS will allow East African businesses to expand both overseas and into the rest of Africa. This will hopefully boost economic and social development in the region.