Liquid Telecom Expands African Satellite OPeration

3 March 2014

As part of a multi-million dollar (US) investment in its satellite business, Liquid Telecom is the first operator to build a satellite hub at Teraco’s vendor-neutral earth station in South Africa.  This hub enables Liquid Telecom to route African traffic in Africa rather than backhauling it via Europe as many operators need to do. By keeping African data in Africa, Liquid Telecom has reduced latency and increased connectivity speeds for its customers.

Liquid Telecom has built Africa’s largest single fibre network which spans more than 17,000 km from Uganda to Cape Town. The expansion of its pan-African satellite business complements the fibre enabling Liquid Telecom to provide high-speed, cost-effective broadband services to more remote areas where it is neither commercially viable nor practical to lay fibre.

Satellite is usually deployed to provide connectivity to national parks, out of town offices, remote mining and exploration companies. However, most VSAT services are neither fast nor robust enough to manage MPLS or private VPN services which businesses frequently need.

Liquid Telecom’s latest satellite investment means that African businesses will feel the benefits of high-speed broadband connectivity and associated business tools no matter where they are physically located. Liquid Telecom will also be able to connect customers to its satellite network very quickly and has sourced best-in-market VSAT equipment.

Nic Rudnick, CEO of Liquid Telecom, said “Our fibre and satellite networks complement each other and enable us to meet the ever-increasing demand for connectivity from across Africa. Teraco is the most connected point in southern Africa and our investment in the earth station and the expansion of our satellite capabilities reflects our commitment to building Africa’s digital future.”

Liquid Telecom’s fibre and satellite networks provide a variety of wholesale broadband services including MPLS and VPN systems to cellular, wireless and fixed line providers, ISPs, financial institutions and businesses of all sizes in eastern, central and southern Africa.

Lex van Wyk, CEO of Teraco Data Environments, said “We welcome Liquid Telecom’s investment in our site.  Liquid Telecom is known for being an innovative company and for recognising future trends and responding to them, which is why they remain well ahead of the competition.”