The Paratus Group said it is on the verge of establishing a highly sophisticated network hub in Angola.

According to the company, this hub is the culmination of several years of telecommunications infrastructure investments, including the recent establishment of fibre connections to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC); the inauguration of a new datacentre in Namibia; and the inclusion of new submarine cables such as the ‘Google Equiano Cable’ (for which Paratus was the landing partner when the cable landed in Namibia on 1 July).

It is also the result of the expansion of fibre and microwave coverage across Angola’s 18 provinces.

Company executives spoke of the hub in the context of continued service to the North African country after local telecommunications services provider Internet Technologies Angola (ITA) officially rebranded to Paratus Angola.

“ITA will, with immediate effect, operate under the name ‘Paratus Angola’. This identity establishes the company within the group’s broader network and pays homage to its Angolan roots from which a 19-year heritage was born,” reads an excerpt from a statement released to the media.

The companies say the brand repositioning will provide access to additional resources and seamless integration across Paratus’ transcontinental network in Africa.

Paratus Group CEO and Executive Chairman-designate Barney Harmse said: “The reimagining of ITA’s identity is a major step forward in mobilising a united brand approach towards our overarching vision as Paratus to transform Africa through exceptional digital infrastructure and customer service.”

While the intention to rename ITA has been announced, the official brand launch for Paratus Angola was held on 8 July at the company’s Angolan headquarters in Luanda.

Director General for Paratus Angola, Francisco Pinto Leite said, “Digital transformation is essential not only for the Southern African region but for the continent at large. By continually expanding our networks, we hope to positively impact the lives of millions of our people through the potential that increased connectivity brings with it, especially in health, education, and job creation.”

Paratus Group CTO and ITA co-founder Rolf Mendelsohn added: “ITA started with a vision to connect Angola with the intention to build a top-quality network in Southern Africa. Almost two decades later, we have achieved connectivity across all 18 Angolan provinces. As part of the Paratus Group, we effectively serve customers in over 35 African countries, and have access to skilled teams across the seven countries where we have operational presence. As we forge ahead, Paratus Angola seeks to connect the entire region through its quality network, and soon enough, the entire continent.”