Global Tier 1 carrier Cogent Communications is now live at Digital Parks Africa’s (DPA) Samrand data centre, giving customers direct access to one of the world’s largest Internet Protocol (IP) backbone networks from within the facility.
As a Tier 1 Internet Service Provider (ISP), Cogent owns and operates a global network enabling high performance and direct connections to data centres and end user locations, only exchanging traffic with other Tier 1 ISPs where necessary and without the need to buy internet service from any other provider.
For DPA customers, this means closer proximity to global content and fewer intermediary networks between source and destination.
The milestone strengthens DPA’s international connectivity capabilities, enabling enhanced global routing, traffic exchange, and overall network performance for customers operating within the facility.
The partnership reflects the growing interdependence between high-density data centre infrastructure and the global connectivity required to support cloud services, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and next-generation compute environments.
With Cogent’s presence, DPA customers gain direct access to a vast international network, enabling greater visibility and control over global routing and traffic exchange. At the same time, DPA provides the resilient, scalable foundation needed for Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)‑driven deployments powering the next wave of digital growth.
Mark Harris, Chief Revenue Officer and VP of Global Sales at Cogent, says through this partnership DPA customers now gain direct access to a Tier 1 global network with more than 22 000 customers and over 7 600 independently connected networks. That reach becomes immediately available to anyone operating within the DPA environment.
He emphasises that Cogent’s end‑to‑end control of traffic flow is a key differentiator.
“Most traffic entering our network from DPA stays on our backbone all the way to its destination. That gives customers a single, accountable partner, consistent quality, and fair pricing. Africa is a major growth opportunity for us, and our partnership with DPA allows us to bring simplicity, performance, and mutual value to customers across the continent.”
The partnership also unlocks new opportunities for direct traffic exchange and interconnection, with Cogent being one of the few true Tier 1 ISPs with extensive global reach into content networks worldwide.
Speed and efficiency
“The real advantage is how quickly and efficiently traffic can move from point to point without transiting multiple networks. We carry more than two zettabytes of data across our backbone every day, which speaks to the scale and efficiency customers gain through DPA,” he says.
“In an AI‑driven world, that level of direct interconnection and data movement is essential. This partnership gives DPA customers immediate access to that capability, creating a faster, cleaner and more controlled path for global traffic exchange.”
“With a true Tier 1 like Cogent inside DPA, customers are only one or two network hops away from the world’s content, reducing reliance on intermediaries and improving performance, quality and control. Very few ISPs can offer that level of end‑to‑end reach,” Harris explains.
Critical enabler
Access to Tier 1 global carriers also strengthens DPA’s position as an interconnection point in the South African market, enabling international‑scale workloads to be delivered locally.
“For customers that need global reach, Content Delivery Networks (CDNs), hyperscalers, and international service providers, Tier 1 connectivity is a critical enabler, says DPA Chief Operations Officer Jacques de Jager.
“It allows them to bring their content into South Africa and serve it from local compute and storage with far greater efficiency. While some local businesses rely mainly on regional internet exchanges, global organisations need seamless access to their content and users worldwide. Tier 1 access gives them that reach and positions DPA as a natural landing point for international players entering the South African market.”
The partnership extends DPA customers’ reach to a network spanning more than 300 major business markets across 57 countries.
