Liquid Intelligent Technologies is introducing a Eutelsat Konnect satellite ground station in South Africa, broadening broadband coverage and creating new business opportunities in Africa.
The Midrand-headquartered Liquid yesterday announced it penned a multi-year, multi-beam agreement for capacity on the Eutelsat Konnect satellite, with Eutelsat Communications.
This, it says, will address the connectivity needs of small and medium enterprise customers in Uganda, South Sudan and the eastern regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Under the agreement, Liquid, a Cassava Technologies company, will leverage capacity on the Eutelsat Konnect satellite to increase its portfolio with affordable internet services in territories underserved by terrestrial networks.
Liquid says it is already a long-standing partner of Eutelsat, as it uses Ku-band capacity on the Eutelsat 7B satellite for VSAT services in Sub-Saharan Africa, under a long-term contract that was renewed and expanded in 2021.
The new ground station will be located in Krugersdorp, South Africa, and Liquid says the gateway will help Eutelsat expand “local coverage and secure and create new business opportunities by offering enhanced broadband service performance”.
According to Liquid, Eutelsat Konnect is a new-generation, high-throughput satellite, offering unrivalled “operational flexibility and extensive in-orbit resources” to bring broadband services to Africa.
Liquid says since entering full service more than a year ago, the satellite has gained strong momentum through multiple agreements with telecommunications operators in many of the most densely populated countries on the African continent.
"We offer satellite services in over 27 African countries, impacting the lives of over 1.3 billion people," says Scott Mumford, CEO of Liquid Satellite Services.
“With this agreement, we will expand our service portfolio to include Ka-band services for the first time. We have always been early innovators and investors towards initiatives and technology that will help us realise our vision of creating a digitally-connected future that leaves no African behind.”
Michel Azibert, Eutelsat deputy CEO, comments: "This new agreement testifies to the strong appeal of our Eutelsat Konnect satellite in Sub-Saharan Africa and its pertinence in supporting telecoms operators in bridging the digital divide.
“By reinforcing our relationship with Liquid Intelligent Technologies, we will be able to leverage the Eutelsat fleet's extensive coverage of Sub-Saharan Africa, combined with Liquid Intelligent Technologies' unique expertise and local know-how to deliver best-in-class services to businesses across the continent."
The launch of Liquid’s ground station comes on the back of a recent plea by digital communications and technologies minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni for telcos to close rank with government on SA’s satellite tech plans.
The minister said satellite-based broadband can play a critical role in increasing connectivity in the country and on the African continent as a whole, a position that was supported by Shameel Joosub, Vodacom Group CEO, who is also chairperson of the Association of Communications and Technology.
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