Johannesburg, 30 Jan 2013
Neotel has appointed Jasco Carrier to install a complete core-to-edge national fibre network for converged communications operator Neotel. The solution, which consists of ADVA's FSP 3000 scalable Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) core network system, FSP 150 Metro Ethernet Connectivity solutions, and a Reconfigurable Optical Add-Drop Multiplexer (ROADM), will light up the R2 billion, 5 000km national long-distance fibre-optic network Neotel is building, in partnership with MTN and Vodacom.
The ADVA implementation will keep pace with the laying of the fibre, which is estimated to be worth EUR7 million over a two- to three-year period.
Jasco will perform a full end-to-end implementation of the ADVA FSP 3000 and ADVA FSP 150 system. It will plan, design, implement and maintain the solution, and provide high-level support. Together, these solutions facilitate a complete next-generation national long-distance network to enable Neotel to deliver high-speed telecommunications and Internet services to the South African market.
Using the FSP 3000 to deliver the core network, the FSP 150 modules enable this to be branched off with Metro Ethernet to deliver localised services, with the ROADM enabling routing from a single point to multiple Metro Ethernet points.
Explains Dr Angus Hay, GM: Strategic Business Development at Neotel: "Selecting the system that will allow us to light up the network and beginning implementation are important milestones. A motivator for selection of Jasco for this project was the strong relationship between Neotel and what was formerly known as Spescom Telecommunications, along with Jasco Telecom's solid reputation for service excellence and telecoms expertise." Spescom Telecommunications won a contract in 2006 for the roll-out of Neotel's next-generation SDH equipment and was recently incorporated into Jasco ICT's Carrier division as Jasco Telecom Solutions.
The ADVA-enabled national and metro networks support Neotel's ongoing deployment of fibre to the curb. "This means we don't have to wait for local loop unbundling to bring the immense throughput of fibre-optic networks to both large and small enterprises in South Africa. We believe that our Neo One and NeoBroadband offerings are helping to satisfy the massive demand for more bandwidth countrywide, and are providing these customers with their first real experience of next-generation telecommunications and cloud services," adds Hay.
Notes Paul McKibbin, Divisional MD of Jasco Carrier: "This is a highly strategic contract for Jasco Carrier, positioning the company with its new brand well. It will certainly drive recognition of our competence, expertise and technology access in this market. We see our relationship with Neotel as a partnership, with significant scope for future growth as a supplier and provider of specialised services and support offerings to the network provider.
"As a value added reseller of ADVA equipment, Jasco Carrier has made extensive use of ADVA's solutions for customer implementations. The ADVA FSP 3000 platform is a proven world-class WDM transport solution specifically designed for service providers and large enterprises, and we are confident of its performance. The FSP 150 solution works seamlessly with the ROADM module within this core solution to provide multi-directional routing, which is critical for Metro Ethernet services. We also have a highly skilled and qualified resource base that is fully capable of implementing and supporting the product," says McKibbin.
Using seamlessly integrating ADVA solutions with the ROADM module reduces technological footprint and vastly improves efficiency. Whereas in the past, switching network traffic from one direction to another required de-multiplexing to electrical signal, sending and then re-multiplexing, the ROADM module in ADVA sends signals directly in multiplex, improving efficiency and reducing power and technology footprints. This in turn allows for reduced capital expense on outlay and reduced operational expense with regard to ongoing running costs.
The ADVA solution roll-out began in October 2011 and is an ongoing project which will keep pace with implementation of the fibre network. Construction on the national long-distance network began in late 2009 and the first routes from Johannesburg to Durban have been completed. The second set of routes linking Johannesburg to Cape Town are well under way.
For more information, visit Jasco at www.jasco.co.za.
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