The project included wavelength upgrades using the latest dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) technology from Ekinops, a provider of optical transport solutions, enabling Liquid Telecom to offer the biggest lit backhaul capacity in Africa, the company said.
In addition, with speeds 10 times faster than the previously used 10G service, Liquid is also able to offer increased speeds to its wholesale and enterprise customers.
With upgrades starting in the cities of Kigali in Rwanda, Kampala and Tororo in Uganda and Nairobi and Mombasa in Kenya, Liquid Telecom will be able to offer 100G to these areas for the first time, with further upgrades planned for the rest of the East African ring in the near future.
The East African ring, which was completed in 2014, forms part of Liquid Telecom’s pan-African fibre network. Stretching over 50,000km, it connects together Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania, with Liquid Telecom’s fibre networks in Burundi and the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as providing direct access to international subsea cables.
Nic Rudnick, group CEO of Liquid Telecom, said: “By upgrading to 100G, Liquid Telecom is ensuring that its fibre backbone can meet the rising demand for high-bandwidth, video and internet services from businesses and consumers across the region. Through continuous investment, the East Africa Fibre Ring is setting new network standards for the region.”
In February of this year, the company completed its acquisition of the Tanzanian internet service provider Raha, which further enhanced the company’s fibre ring. Liquid says it plans to invest further in the rollout of fibre across Tanzania, enabling greater access to high-speed, reliable broadband for its customers.
