Internet Solutions (IS) has made a move and acquired business continuity management company ContinuitySA (CSA). The amount for the acquisition has however been undisclosed.
This is the third acquisition in recent months by the pan-African communications services provider. In February 2014, IS acquired a local streaming media service provider, Antfarm, which the company said would enhance its presence in digital media by providing video content. Fast forward three months and IS ventured forward to acquire Wi-Fi provider AlwaysOn.
The company stated that the acquisition sees both IS and CSA benefit through the reciprocal leveraging of key infrastructure assets as well as professional services capability. CSA operates one of the largest recovery facilities in Southern Africa, with over 25 000m2 of facilities including 3 000m² of data centre space available in Gauteng (Midrand and Randburg), Cape Town (Bellville and Somerset West), Botswana, Mozambique and Mauritius. IS has over 12 500m2 of data centre space across the continent with sites in South Africa (Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Bloemfontein) Nigeria and Kenya, providing the client base of both companies with a greater depth and breadth of business continuity management services and IT disaster recovery services , data replication, syndicated hardware, and work area recovery services.
CSA’s African footprint together with the substantial infrastructure investments IS has and continues to make across the continent provide the company with increased capability and reach. The company will now be able to meet the increasing demand from clients for full data recovery and businesss continuity services from a single provider.
Commenting on the acquisition, IS Chief Solutions Officer Sean Nourse said, “There are a number of areas where the combined offerings of both companies will provide clients with a single end to end provider of services with enhanced delivery capability. For example, CSA’s work area recovery services provide highly secure facilities and this combined with IS’s capability to deliver immediate communications services through its VoIP solutions, means businesses will be able remain online and employees productive during any disruptive situation.”
Michael Davies, CEO, CSA sees the complementary offerings of both companies as a bonus for clients. “Business continuity is top of the C-suite agenda these days, not only in South Africa but across the continent. IS’s network and data centre infrastructure across the continent, combined with CSA’s professional services, business continuity and IT disaster recovery expertise, will ensure that clients throughout Africa will have access to world class services.”
Under the terms of the acquisition, CSA will retain brand and operational autonomy and also maintain its vendor neutral stance. Michael Davies, CEO, CSA will continue to lead the company.
Darryl Linington
