LIQUID Telecom, a subsidiary of Econet Global says it has built a satellite hub in South Africa which enables it to route African traffic in Africa rather than back hauling it via Europe as many operators need to do.In a statement, the company says the development is part of Liquid Telecom’s multi-million dollar investment in its satellite business.
“As part of a multi-million dollar investment in the 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 back hauling it via Europe as many operators need to do.”
The company says 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 000km from Uganda to Cape Town.
“The expansion of the pan-African satellite business complements the fibre, enabling Liquid Telecom to provide high-speed and cost-effective broadband services to more remote areas where it is neither commercially viable nor practical to lay fibre,” read part of the statement.
It is the leading independent data, voice and IP provider in eastern, central and southern Africa.
Liquid Telecom, recently said it had spent over US$33 million in Zimbabwe on network infrastructure development in 2013 whilst fibre market share increased to around 70 percent in the same year.
MD Mr Wellington Makamure said the company has injected over US$110 million into the economy since 2009 when the optic fibre project was commissioned in the country. - FinX.