Johannesburg, 17 Nov 2017
BrightWave Technologies, in partnership with Microsoft, last night won international recognition from the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) for its role in bridging the digital divide in South Africa.
BrightWave's innovative solution in the deployment of a rural broadband network in OR Tambo District Municipality, won the Best Wireless Deployment in Rural or Remote Areas Award at the WBA Industry Awards 2017, at the WBA Wireless Global Congress event in New York (http://www.wirelessglobalcongress.com).
Judged by a panel of independent industry experts, analysts and journalists, the annual awards honour the most exceptional - and best practice - networks, smart cities and remote wireless deployments from operators and technology vendors across the globe.
BrightWave is a 100% black-owned and managed new age telco company that is at the forefront of conceptualising, designing, scoping and deploying large-scale broadband networks and services aimed at digital transformation of municipalities in South Africa. The partnership between BrightWave and Microsoft allowed the deployment of broadband access to more than 213 000 students at 609 primary and secondary schools, as well as several healthcare clinics in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. This marks progress in closing the digital divide and the commitments Microsoft has made via its Affordable Access Initiative (AAI) programme, a holistic, partnership-based programme that invests in Internet connectivity, energy access, and IOT (Internet of things) projects in unserved and underserved communities.
Having successfully deployed and commercialised the single largest concentration of WiFi hotspots in the largest township (Soweto) in South Africa (close to 500 hotspots accessible to over 2 million inhabitants of Soweto township), the deployment in OR Tambo District Municipality is a ground-breaking public private partnership that brings together a government agency (Universal Service and Access Agency of South Africa), BrightWave and Microsoft and heralds the beginning of SA Connect, our National broadband policy aimed at connecting 22 million South Africans by 2022 who have been digitally excluded.
"Each year, we are astounded by the extremely high standard of the awards submissions and this year was no exception," said Shrikant Shenwai, CEO of the Wireless Broadband Alliance. "It's exciting to see the commitment in terms of innovation, technical and business expertise, as well as the passion, that vendors and operators across the globe are feeding into the WiFi industry. I am looking forward to seeing what the next 12 months brings, and how the WiFi ecosystem will continue to grow and flourish further.
"Yet again, the entries for the WBA Industry Award were of an exceptional standard. The winners, those shortlisted and those who entered, should all be extremely proud of their achievements - they certainly made our decision-making a lot harder," added the WBA Awards judges. "What resonated from each and every award submission was a clear commitment to making a positive impact on the WiFi industry as a whole."
BrightWave CEO Charles Mwaura said: "Although both national and regional government departments work to overcome the digital divide, they cannot do it alone - the job is simply too big. The hotspots are in areas already frequented by the community - primary healthcare clinics and schools - allowing the community Internet access while standing in queues for other services. On the unemployment front alone, the difference is huge: unemployed youth in rural settlements can search for and apply for jobs, conduct job interviews via Skype - and are getting employed."
BrightWave is more confident than ever that - through its partnerships with Microsoft and others such as the Universal Services Access Agency of South Africa (USAASA) and its initial seed capital funders, the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa - it is well under way to meeting the goal to help bridge the digital divide and make 'Broadband for All' a reality.
Link up with BrightWave Technologies on the following media platforms:
www.brightwave.co.za www.twitter.com/BrightWave_ZA
www.instagram.com/brightwave_za
www.facebook.com/brightwave01
www.za.linkedin.com/company/brightwave-technologies-ptyy-ltd
https://www.wballiance.com/wireless-broadband-alliance-industry-awards-2017-winners-announced/
http://awards.wirelessglobalcongress.com/winners-2017/win-cat5/
www.wirelessglobalcongress.com
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