Liquid Telecom accelerates fiber access in Botswana

Liquid Telecom is expanding fiber access in Botswana by activating 82km of fiber in a cross-border network into the Southern African country.

The pan-African telecoms group said the implementation gives more people in Botswana access to Liquid Telecom's African footprint of more than 73,000km of fiber and increased access to the global digital economy.

This expansion connects the Lobatse Border to Gaborone with the intent to create efficient mobility and connectivity in Botswana, providing more citizens and businesses with access to Liquid's One Africa broadband network.

"We know that fiber is key to providing Africa with high-speed, affordable digital connectivity and have plans to create even more valuable connections throughout the continent," Odirile Tamajobe, MD of Liquid Telecom Botswana, said in an emailed statement.

Prior to this fiber implementation, Liquid Telecom Botswana did not have a cross-border connectivity network.

"Fiber technology represents a digital evolution in many African countries. Only fiber can deliver the speeds that enable Africans to experience what Liquid Telecom calls 'the real Internet'," said Wellington Makamure, CEO of Liquid Telecom Southern Africa.

"Access to high-definition digital media is almost unachievable for any household or business unless they are connected to a high-speed fiber line. Reliable and fast connectivity is vital to growing a country's economy by opening doors to e-commerce and other global digital opportunities," Makamure added.

This expansion also focuses on growing Liquid Telecom's wholesale, enterprise and retail offering across Botswana.

The group said that the Botswana operations will form a crucial part of Liquid Telecom's focus on the Southern Africa region, alongside Zimbabwe, Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia.

In Botswana, Liquid Telecom has operated as a joint venture with the Botswana Power Corporation (BPC), owning 42.5% of the company since 2016. But local newspaper The Voice this week reported that Liquid Telecom is buying back BPC's stake and that Botswana's Competition and Consumer Authority has approved the sale.

Liquid Telecom operates as a communications solutions provider across 13 countries. primarily in Eastern, Southern and South Africa. Besides its 73,000km fiber network, the group operates data centers in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Nairobi, Harare and Kigali, with a combined potential 19,000 square meters of rack space and 78MW of power.

— The Staff, Connecting Africa