BY MTHANDAZO NYONI
LIQUID Intelligent Technologies (Liquid) South Africa, part of the leading pan-African technology group Liquid Intelligent Technology, has completed two key digital corridors — NLD5 and NLD6 —connecting Durban to Cape Town via the inland route.
Liquid Intelligent Technologies is owned by Econet Global, controlled by Zimbabwean billionaire Strive Masiyiwa.
The group, previously known as Liquid Telecom, said the completion of the fibre network would support the surging demand for high-speed internet as an increasing number of local businesses continue on their digital transformation journeys. It noted that increased access to high-speed fibre connectivity was critical to improving not just telecommunication services for millions of South Africans but it would also bring substantial social and economic benefits to businesses and government as the focus on the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) increases.
This route forms part of the southern corridor that Liquid has invested in connecting east to west Africa via a terrestrial network.
“The completion of these two digital corridors is yet another milestone achieved as part of our on-going investment into the South African economy. Liquid has been instrumental in the coming to fruition of routes 1 through to 8, providing a digital backbone that connects metropolitan cities like Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban to more remote areas like Nelspruit Bloemfontein, Lady Smith, Mthatha,” Liquid Intelligent Technologies South Africa CEO Deon Geyser, said.
“This is also part of our group’s continued focus on bringing world-class digital services like cloud, unified communications, internet of things (IoT), and artificial intelligence (AI) to local businesses in the public and private sectors,” Geyser said.
Spanning over 1 700 kilometres, the near-unlimited capacity and greater redundancy offered on these digital corridors will positively impact numerous industries, especially educators and healthcare practitioners, as they increase their reach to the remotest parts of the country.
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Access to improved digital services will also impact the education system in the country as the government gears to empower more youths with digital skills as newer vocations develop through the 4IR, it said. These routes symbolise Liquid’s high-level digital infrastructure capability and continued and unwavering commitment to steer and create sector growth opportunities aggressively while increasing its market share. Liquid recently completed its extensive business transformation from being a telecommunications and digital services provider to a full one-stop-shop technology group.
“This expansion is one more step that reiterates Liquid’s commitment towards improving customer service and delivery of products towards the wholesale, enterprise, and SMEs market in the country,” the company said.
The company, which is based in London, has expanded into new countries, including Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It said it would expand its managed services offerings.
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