Wholesale fibre optic supplier, Liquid Telecom, has appointed Ekinops to carry out its dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) network across South Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambia.

DWDM is a technique used to increase the bandwidth of existing fibre optic network communications as it allows for the transmission of different data signals. Meanwhile, Ekinops is a french fibre communications equipment supplier.

Experts say DWDM is one of the most effective solutions for fibre exhaust problems, which occur when optical fibres run out of transmission capacity.

The expansion of Liquid Telecom’s African network is expected to “help bring the internet
to areas starving for reliable, high-speed access”, say officials.

The new network is also said to carry multiple 10G wavelengths and has the capacity to support “many more 10G and 100G services,” the companies said in a joint news release on Tuesday.

“We choose to build and own our fibre networks in Africa wherever possible, and we trust Ekinops to help us cross the massive distances found in this continent,” said Nic Rudnick, the chief executive officer of Liquid Telecom, a division of telecommunications giant, Econet Wireless Group.

Liquid Telecom says it has established the biggest fibre network in Africa, running from the north of Uganda to Cape Town in South Africa.

Jonathan Amir, the vice president for Ekinops regional sales said his company would help Liquid
expand its “optical network cost-effectively” to “overcome geographical challenges”.

“Their network will enable millions of new people to connect to the Internet and we are very proud
they chose us as their partner,” he said.

Ekinops and Liquid Telecom said in their news release on Tuesday that long-haul optical networks require an amplifier site every 100 km in order to amplify the signal.

They said in rural Africa, which has wide open spaces and where distances between towns can reach up-to 400 km, this presented a major challenge.

“The costs of building an amplifier site every 100 km – including the power generator, site security, and roads to access the site – are enormous,” said the two firms.