Liquid Telecom Overview
Liquid Intelligent Technologies (formerly Liquid Telecom) is Africa's largest independent fiber network operator, under Cassava Technologies, a subsidiary of the Econet Group. The fiber network spans over 110,000 kilometers, covering 12 countries. In 2009, a terrestrial cable from Cape Town to Cairo (over 10,000 kilometers) was completed, making it the shortest direct terrestrial cable from South Africa to Egypt. It connects international hubs such as London and Marseille and multiple submarine cables, with data centers in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Nairobi, and other locations. Liquid provides an IoT network platform, with Kenya's IoT network covering major agricultural areas, transport corridors (Nairobi-Mombasa, Nairobi-Tanzania/Uganda), airports, ports, and county capitals, supporting applications such as air monitoring and wildlife conservation.
Liquid provides enterprises with pan-African fiber connectivity, data centers, IoT platforms, and digital solutions, supporting scenarios such as Industry 4.0, smart agriculture, and smart cities.
Basic Information of Liquid Intelligent Technologies
- Established: 1990s (Econet Satellite Services), renamed Liquid Telecom around 2000
- Headquarters: Johannesburg, South Africa
- Parent Company: Cassava Technologies (Econet Wireless Global)
- Fiber Network: over 110,000 kilometers, covering 12 countries
- Cape Town - Cairo: Over 10,000 km of terrestrial cables, shortest from South Africa to Egypt
- Data Centers: Johannesburg, Cape Town, Nairobi, etc.
- IoT: IoT network platforms in markets like Kenya
- Business: Fiber, data centers, cloud, IoT, cybersecurity
Development History and Milestones
Liquid was formerly Econet Satellite Services, established in the 1990s. Around 2000, it was renamed Liquid Telecom, expanding its fiber and satellite business across Africa. In 2009, it completed the Cape Town to Cairo terrestrial cable. Throughout the 2010s, it continued to expand its fiber network and entered data center and cloud services. In the 2020s, it was renamed Liquid Intelligent Technologies, focusing on digitization, IoT, AI, blockchain, etc. Kenya's IoT network covers agriculture, transportation, ports, supporting Fourth Industrial Revolution applications.
Core Technical Capabilities
Pan-African fiber
110,000 kilometers of fiber optic cable, Cape Town-Cairo terrestrial cable
Data Center
Johannesburg, Cape Town, Nairobi, etc.
IoT platform
IoT coverage for agriculture, transportation, and ports in Kenya
International hub
Connecting London, Marseille, and multiple submarine cables
IoT Applications
Liquid provides an IoT network platform where enterprises collect data and optimize decisions by connecting devices and sensors. Kenya covers agricultural areas, transportation corridors, airports, and ports. Applications include cost optimization, operational efficiency, business insights, as well as air pollution monitoring and wildlife conservation. IoT networks support emerging technologies such as Industry 4.0, AI, big data, and blockchain.
Competitive Advantages
- Fiber: 110,000 km, covering 12 countries, the largest independent fiber network in Africa
- Cape Town–Cairo: The shortest land route, and a strategic path
- IoT: IoT networks and uses in markets such as Kenya
- Econet: Works with Econet mobile and Cassava fintech