During the next five years, wholesale telecom provider West Indian Ocean Cable Company (WIOCC) has announced plans to widen its customer base, develop a more competitive market, and aid in reducing both wholesale and retail Internet connectivity pricing. WIOOC also plans to develop capacity through the delivery of computer training for women to facilitate gender balance in the workforce. WIOOC will leverage a US$100 million loan from the Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund (EAIF) and the French Development Agency subsidiary Proparco. WIOCC holds shares in the submarine fiber optic cable EASSy, and delivers a fully integrated subsea and terrestrial fiber optic network across the African continent covering 55,000 km interconnecting 550 sites.