Airtel has signed an agreement with Liquid telecom to provide broadband subscribers in Africa faster internet access speeds on its 3G and 4G networks. This follows an announcement today that Airtel will use Liquid Telecom’s terrestrial fibre network to connect its mobile base stations and enterprises.
Following the deal, Airtel will be in a position to leverage Liquid Telecom’s existing 20,000km long fibre network across East, Central and Southern Africa. The telco will also enjoy new purpose-built fibre infrastructure, to connect Airtel’s mobile base stations and enterprise customers with fibre.
“Mobile operators are relying on Internet access and data services to grow their revenues. MNOs, and in particular Airtel, have managed to attract a large number of customers on their 3G and 4G networks and now need to strengthen their backhaul to deliver a super-fast Internet access service.”
Liquid Telecom’s fibre network spans 20,000km across Burundi, DRC, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe and is complemented by its award-winning satellite service for rural areas.
The agreement enables Airtel operations to gain access to Liquid Telecom’s fibre infrastructure and to benefit from new fibre routes on an on-going basis. This will enable Airtel to rapidly connect its mobile base stations and enterprise customers with unlimited capacity.
Airtel is looking to extend the upgraded service to operational countries across the continent Burkina Faso, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Madagascar, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.
