Launch day marks new era of investment in Neotel’s network and services
South African communications network operator Neotel has today officially become part of the pan-African telecoms group Liquid Intelligent Technologies, marking a new era of investment in Neotel’s network and services across South Africa.
Through substantial new capital from Liquid Intelligent Technologies, a revitalised Neotel will emerge on the South African market with significantly enhanced service offerings for enterprises and consumers.
Over the coming months, Liquid Intelligent Technologies plans to make extensive upgrades and expansions to Neotel’s network, delivering greater levels of high-speed connectivity to more customers across South Africa.
Liquid Intelligent Technologies also plans to make substantial investment in Neotel’s data centre capabilities, which currently include two Tier 3 designed state-of-the-art data centres in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
For the first time, Neotel’s operations and focus will also become pan-African. Its network in South Africa will link together with Liquid Intelligent Technologies’s extensive fibre footprint to offer access via a single connection to over 40,000km of cross border, national and metro fibre networks. This will give Liquid Intelligent Technologies unrivalled reach across Eastern, Central and Southern Africa.
Nic Rudnick, Group CEO of Liquid Intelligent Technologies, at the official Neotel launch
“I am delighted to officially welcome Neotel into the Liquid Intelligent Technologies Group,” says Nic Rudnick, Group CEO of Liquid Intelligent Technologies. “Today is an important new chapter for Neotel. The refinancing of the company’s balance sheet will see a revitalised Neotel enter the market with the ability to offer consumers and businesses greater quality services and products delivered through world-class networks. As Liquid Intelligent Technologies continues to grow, we are committed to maintaining our entrepreneurial spirit, encouraging innovation and delivering on our vision of a more connected Africa.”
Liquid Intelligent Technologies and 30% equity partner Royal Bafokeng Holdings (RBH), a community-based South African investment group, have been preparing for the integration of Neotel since receiving regulatory approval for the ZAR 6.55 billion acquisition in December 2016.
Key facts about Liquid Intelligent Technologies’s acquisition of Neotel:
- Liquid Intelligent Technologies has a strong history of acquiring businesses and transforming them to profitability. Neotel will benefit from Liquid Intelligent Technologies’s pan-African experience and technology leadership, helping to enhance systems and processes across its operations as well as drive profitability.
- The acquisition includes two of Neotel’s Tier 3 designed state-of-the-art data centres in Johannesburg and Cape Town, which offer a combined 1,700 square metres of rack space. The facilities serve major carriers, ISPs, enterprises and international service providers, and will complement the East Africa Data Centre, which Liquid Intelligent Technologies operates in Nairobi, Kenya.
- Liquid Intelligent Technologies’s growth strategy combines strategic acquisitions across Africa with ongoing investment in the rollout of fibre. It also recently completed the acquisition of Tanzania’s leading ISP Raha, which will see further investment in both Raha’s network and services across Tanzania.
