APA-Cape Town (South Africa) Liquid Dataport, a subsidiary of pan-African technology group Liquid Intelligent Technologies, has announced a new collaboration with global satellite communication giant Intelsat to enhance the availability and reliability of internet connectivity in Africa during power disruptions.
Liquid Dataport said in a statement that the collaboration would leverage its extensive fibre network and Intelsat’s high-performance satellite fleet to provide backup connectivity solutions for internet service providers and mobile network operators in Africa, where many countries are facing frequent and prolonged power cuts that affect the quality and stability of internet services.
“Access to high-speed connectivity is critical to the digital transformation in Africa as the continent works towards becoming a digital economy,” Liquid Dataport chief executive David Eurin said on Tuesday.
He noted that the intermittent availability of electricity has in recent years been a major hurdle to efforts by Africa to become a digital economy.
“However, due to our collaboration with Intelsat, we can now help businesses remain connected even during the hours of load-shedding,” Eurin said.
He added: “This project will prove to be a key asset to bridge the digital divide as businesses will no longer be impacted by connectivity downtime.”
One key aspect of this collaboration is Liquid’s service called “Service Continuity” that allows organisations to “maintain business-critical applications during times when there are power cuts by accessing Liquid Dataport’s low-power satellite equipment that runs off solar panels or small generators.”
This service is already available to customers in South Africa, with an emphasis on mitigating load-shedding challenges.
The partnership would enable internet service providers and mobile network operators to offer seamless and uninterrupted internet access to their customers, even when the terrestrial infrastructure is affected by power outages or other challenges.
JN/APA