ATF 2024: Tech companies forge connectivity deals

Significant technology partnerships were announced last week at the Africa Tech Festival in Cape Town, South Africa, showcasing the vibrant and growing ecosystem.

Nokia announced that Fibertime would implement its fiber solution to enhance broadband access in underserved regions of South Africa, and global technology group e& has partnered with WIOCC to strengthen the hyperscaler ecosystem in Africa.

Google announced its 2024 cohort for the Google for Startups Accelerator Africa: Black Founders program, while Liquid Intelligent Technologies renewed its partnership with the Western Cape Government.

Here is a summary of all the deals secured at the Africa Tech Festival last week.

Nokia and Fibertime Broadband Expansion

Nokia announced that Fibertime would deploy its fiber solution to expand broadband access to underserved regions in South Africa.

The initiative aims to connect 1.5 million customers, offering affordable Internet at R5 (US$0.28) a day.

The fiber deployment will initially cover Cape Town, Johannesburg, Gqeberha, Mangaung, and Stellenbosch, with plans for rapid expansion into additional countries and communities.

Nokia added that as part of the agreement, Fibertime will deploy 500,000 Nokia Wi-Fi 6-enabled optical network terminals (ONT) over the next 36 months, prioritizing homes in underserved areas.

Fibertime will also use Nokia's ONT Easystart to automate and simplify the ONT activation process, streamlining deployments.

Additionally, Fibertime is working on an advanced network upgrade powered by Nokia’s Altiplano platform to further drive automation and scale.

"Nokia and Fibertime are also collaborating on new R&D projects to develop technologies that enhance connectivity and enable operations in Africa's most remote areas," Nokia added.

This deployment will initially cover major cities and townships, significantly improving access to education and business opportunities for low-income communities.

Liquid Intelligent Technologies' Connectivity Expansion

Liquid Intelligent Technologies renewed its partnership with the Western Cape Government, committing R2 billion (US$110.8 million) to enhance high-speed connectivity and public Wi-Fi access across the province.

"Since the onset of our partnership, Liquid South Africa has established 1,600 free public Wi-Fi hotspots and over 2,000 sites which include schools, hospitals, clinics and libraries which are used by almost 4 million citizens in the province," said Deon Geyser, CEO of Liquid Intelligent Technologies South Africa.

Liquid Intelligent Technologies renewed its partnership with the Western Cape Government. (Source: Liquid Intelligent Technologies)

"Access to high-speed connectivity is the necessary catalyst for driving digital transformation. We have increased data allocation and provided faster speeds, and through the deployment of SD-WAN [software-defined wide area network], we even improved the cybersecurity offering," he added.

e& and WIOCC Partnership

Global technology group e& has partnered with WIOCC to strengthen the hyperscaler ecosystem in Africa.

This collaboration aims to improve connectivity solutions through integrated subsea networks, promoting digital transformation in underserved markets, particularly in eastern and southern Africa.

According to a joint statement by e& and WIOCC, the partnership aims to broaden their market presence and strengthen their respective capabilities to meet increasing demand from customers for scalable, resilient and low-latency connectivity solutions.

WIOCC Group Chief Operating Officer Ryan Sher said the partnership opens new avenues for growth in underserved and emerging markets across various parts of Africa, including the eastern and southern regions where the majority of hyperscalers currently operate.

"WIOCC's carrier-grade infrastructure, combined with our deep local knowledge and vast regional footprint, allows us to deliver tailored, high-capacity connectivity solutions that support the complex needs of telcos and hyperscalers," Sher added.

Google for Startups Accelerator

Google announced the 2024 cohort for the Google for Startups Accelerator Africa: Black Founders program, providing selected startups with funding and cloud credits to foster innovation in South Africa.

The selected startups will receive up to R1 million (over $50,000) in non-dilutive funding and up to R3.6 million ($200,000) in Google Cloud credits.

Folarin Aiyegbusi, Google's head of startup ecosystem for Africa, said that the program is a testament to Google's dedication to nurturing startups in South Africa.