Authorities of the telecommunication network did not preview other rapid means to provide Internet in the case of optic fibre breakdown.

Technicians and authorities of Cameroon Telecommunications, CAMTEL might not have envisaged the recent breakdown in the optic fibre connection in the South Region of Cameroon. This is obvious, as telecommunication authorities say the optic fibre connection in the South Region is not within CAMTEL's network but that of COTCO. As such, CAMTEL technicians could not at anytime independently work at the site without depending on COTCO. Whatever the case, this is not enough reason why Cameroon Telecommunications could spend more than 24 hours, being unable to provide Internet services to a majority of its customers particularly those in the capital city, Yaounde.

While observers think CAMTEL neglected its role to put in place other means to provide Internet in the case of an optic fabric breakdown, authorities of CAMTEL say rapid alternatives in the case of optic fibre breakdown could not be automatic as expected. According to the Communication Head of CAMTEL, Benjamin Gérard Assouzo'o, the other means used in providing the Internet, that is, hertzien waves and the satellites are overloaded. "It was impossible to rely on such means", the Communication Head noted.

Stressing that there is great technical difference in using hertzien waves, satellite and the optic fibre, Benjamin Gérard Assouzo'o said it was needless to turn to a module of Internet provision (hertzien waves and satellite) which is not only overloaded, but cannot satisfy certain operations of the enterprise and could not make a difference as far as the availability of the Internet is concerned. That is why after some days of Internet blackout, the enterprise had to turn to minimum services, by managing with the satellite and other internet operators who could help.

CAMTEL experts say the only solution to a major breakdown with the optic fibre is to build a national backbone for optic fibre in the country. The backbone requires huge sums of money for it to be set up and CAMTEL is not able to set it up. But with a recent convention signed between the government of Cameroon and a bank in China, there is hope that by 2010 a backbone for optic fibre will exist in the country.