ICT company Axiz has entered into a partnership with High Throughput Satellite (HTS) services aggregator Innova HTS to roll out broadband satellite solutions into Africa.

Axiz said Innova HTS complements its existing range of solutions aimed at enhancing its digital platform offering.

Jacques Malherbe, Axiz CTO and Managing Executive of Advanced Technologies, said: "We look forward to providing ground-breaking and innovative connectivity technology. Because of the geographical spread in both South Africa and the rest of Africa there are vast areas that have no connectivity. This hampers access to basic internet, IOT and cloud services. All these fourth industrial benefits can only be realised with connectivity."

Rob Griggs, Innova HTS director, added: "While Ka-band HTS has been in the first world for three years, extensive coverage for Africa only came about with satellites being launched from late 2017 onwards. Ka-band HTS is a game-changing industry wide innovation that is vastly expanding the market for satellite communications. Furthermore, the economic broadband speeds, low-cost Ka-band terminals and simple implementation lends itself to a channel model from a respected distributor such as Axiz".

According to Griggs the UN has declared internet access a basic human right, but hundreds of millions of Africans still remain unconnected: "Axiz and Innova HTS's vision is to accelerate the adoption of HTS satellite broadband enabled Wi-Fi to them."

There have been several partnerships established within Africa's satellite connectivity space, including between Liquid Telecom and mobile satellite communications company Kymeta to deliver enhanced satellite mobile connectivity across the continent.

In September 2018 global satellite operator Yahsat announced a joint venture with Hughes Network Systems (HUGHES), a subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation, to provide commercial Ka-band satellite broadband services in Africa.

In May 2018 Dawie de Wet, CEO of Q-KON, said with the increasing install base of IOT connected devices, added to the growing bandwidth requirements across Africa, satellite connectivity is becoming more popular in sectors such as financial services.