Limelight Networks, which provides network services to content providers, has opened a point-of-presence (PoP) in South Africa, to cash in on the growing consumption of online content in Africa
Companies like Limelight store versions of different content in locations known as point-of-presence, helping users access content without delay.
The new PoP is situated at a data centre owned by Teraco, alongside Africa’s largest Internet Exchange (IXP), NAPAfrica Johannesburg.
The company said in a statement that global mobile Content Delivery Network (CDN) market is predicted to reach US$70.3bn by 2025, indicating strong growth of online video content, increasing use of internet services and the rise of mobile web access.
Growing population and increasing incomes have seen telecom operators expand their services in the continent to cater to increasing consumption of online content.
“CDNs already host a large proportion of global internet traffic and it’s predicted that in five years CDN traffic will exceed 70 percent of total online traffic, making it the new Internet. Limelight is a top global CDN and we are excited to see the impact of their investment into Africa,” Lex Van Wyk, CEO of Teraco, said.
“Movies, music and sports are the foundation of digital content for most countries, and South Africa is no different. The decision to address the African market with further infrastructure investment is directly related to the rapidly growing demand for CDN services and capabilities locally. As connectivity improves, it is essential to provide the highest quality online experiences to stay competitive. We look forward to bringing a range of exciting new services to the region through local sales partnerships,” said Simon Beech, head of EMEA partnerships at Limelight Networks.
