Liquid Telecom’s subsidiary, Liquid Sea has started a project to build underwater cable systems linking Africa to the Middle East.
According to iTech News, the cable will run approximately 10,000km from South Africa to the Middle East and even parts of Europe. The cables will be connected to Liquid Telecom’s pan-African terrestrial network, allowing a reliable and affordable international connectivity service to countries in Eastern, Central and Southern Africa.
The project is expected to take two years and is already completely funded. Liquid Sea is a joint project of the Kenyan government and Emirates Telecommunication Technology as well as a group of local investors.
Nic Rudnik, Liquid Telecom Group CEO told iTech News that “the Liquid Sea project reaffirms our commitment to building Africa’s digital future and removing any bottlenecks in providing the fastest and most reliable access to the Internet to every single African on the continent.”
The project includes landing stations in several ports that do not currently have existing subsea cables. It will also provide connectivity to landlocked countries of Africa.
According to David Eurin, Liquid Telecom’s Group Strategy Officer, “This project will provide a step-change in the way Internet connectivity is regarded in Africa. It is of the utmost importance to us to create equal opportunity people living in both coastal and landlocked countries, the latter being too often forgotten in large international projects of this kind.”
Liquid Telecom currently has the most extensive terrestrial fiber network and is the largest of its kind in Africa.
Rudnick said, “The impact of Liquid Sea will be a far more reliable and ultra-fast connection for governments, businesses, schools and homes in both coastal and landlocked countries in Africa.”
The cables will offer speeds 10 times the capacity of existing submarine cables in the region according to Tech News Online.
According to iTech News, Liquid Telecom has been named the Best African Wholesale Carrier for the fourth consecutive year at the Global Carrier Awards.
– Jordan Connell
Sources: ITechNewsOnline, Liquid Telecom
Photo: Flickr