Pan-African telecoms company, Liquid Telecom has launched the fastest direct land-based fibre link connecting East to West Africa. This coast-to-coast digital corridor follows the completion of Liquid Telecom’s new high-capacity fibre link running 2,600-kilometre (km) across the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
This expansion connects millions of DRC citizens and thousands of businesses to Liquid Telecom’s ‘One Africa’ broadband network linking the African continent to the rest of the world. This aims to create a foundation for social mobility, economic diversification and private sector-led growth both in the DRC and more widely across Africa. It also underscores the company’s commitment to bring high-speed connectivity to every African on the continent.
Until recently, no direct, land-based fibre network existed between East and West Africa. Network traffic between Kinshasa in the DRC and Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, for example, was routed via London. Liquid Telecom’s East to West fibre link promises significantly reduced latency between major continents via Africa. It also meets the growing demand from global enterprises for fast, reliable, high-capacity and cost-effective communication across the southern hemisphere.
This new extension connects the DRC to neighbouring Tanzania and Zambia with onward connectivity to Liquid Telecom’s ‘One Africa’ broadband network fast approaching 70,000km. It is central to the company’s vision to create a single fibre network spanning the entire African continent – North to South and East to West.
“Liquid Telecom has connected East to West Africa with the most direct digital corridor across the southern hemisphere. We have set a new benchmark and achieved a historic milestone in our vision to create a more connected Africa,” says Nic Rudnick, Group CEO at Liquid Telecom.
“By linking the DRC to Liquid Telecom’s rapidly expanding pan-African fibre network and the rest of the world, this transformative infrastructure is creating a foundation for digital growth. Fast, reliable broadband connectivity will advance society, fuel innovation and help champion pan-Africa trade.”
“Bringing major continents closer together via the most direct fibre link connecting East to West Africa via DRC is history in the making,” continues Rudnick.
“In 2018 Liquid Telecom launched direct land-based fibre link between Cape Town and Cairo and in July this year, we started work on connecting South Sudan to the rest of the continent. By connecting East to West Africa via DRC with a direct land-based fibre link, more African cities, more communities and more businesses will have access to reliable and faster internet connections than ever, and many for the first time. This will bring proven economic and social benefits throughout the country, including vastly improved healthcare, education, social welfare and trade as we continue to expand Liquid Telecom’s ‘One Africa’ Broadband Network.”
Edited by Jenna Cook
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