• Liquid Intelligent Technologies says it will launch satellite-based internet services across Africa thanks to a new deal with Eutelsat.
• Liquid Dataport is being integrated into Eutelsat’s low Earth orbit satellite network.
• This allows even the most remote areas across Africa to have access to “high speed solutions,” Liquid says.

The Johannesburg-based Liquid Intelligent Technologies, operating across the continent, has announced on Tuesday that through a deal struck with Eutelsat Group that will see enterprise-grade low Earth orbit satellite services launched across Africa.

Eutelsat is one of Africa’s first satellite operators, and has been a mainstay in South African technology, being the satellite partner for MultiChoice and DStv. This new agreement with Liquid will see “new possibilities for connectivity,” according to Liquid CEO Ahmed El Beheiry.

“Our collaboration with Eutelsat signifies a milestone in bringing cutting-edge LEO services to our customers across multiple countries in Africa, empowering them with high-speed solutions,” he said.

The partnership means that Liquid Dataport can now deliver low-latency satellite services to customers as it has been integrated into Eutelsat’s OneWEB LEO Satellite network.

“On a continent where satellite technology is relatively new and limited in its reach, for Liquid Dataport’s customers, this translates to enhanced performance for applications like cloud computing, video conferencing, and real time applications, amongst others,” Liquid explains in a statement sent to Hypertext.

“Looking beyond these conventional offerings, Liquid Dataport’s LEO services, in partnership with Eutelsat, also include enterprise access with Internet breakout, including Point-to-Point services, providing a versatile and robust solution for diverse business needs,” it adds.

Liquid is now planning a “systematic expansion of services” as the integration between Liquid Dataport and OneWeb’s network coverage matures. The company is hoping to bring it services via satellite to remote regions of the continent

“This strategic move anticipates the expected surge in new LEO satellite constellations over the next three years, providing agile and cost-effective solutions for entering and expanding markets,” Liquid says.

Another company that offers connectivity through LEO satellite constellations is Elon Musk-owned firm Starlink, which is available in Nigeria, Mozambique, Rwanda and Kenya, but not in South Africa, due to regulatory concerns.

Liquid manages an enormous fibre network and land-based connectivity line, spanning over 110 000KM throughout the continent, and several African nations including South Africa, this latest deal could see it reach areas where the land-based cables do not reach, similar to what Starlink offers.

It will be interesting to see what Liquid is able to offer with this new Eutelsat partnership, and how it measures against companies like Starlink. Starlink says it offers low-latency internet thanks to its moving satellites, while other companies offer geostationary satellites that move along Earth’s orbit and thus give higher latency internet.

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