Infraco is a go

SA's first long-distance open-access carrier network was officially opened to the South African market this evening, offering a 12 125 km fibre optic network capable of bandwidth services between 155Mbps and 10Gbps.

The state-owned enterprise (SOE) was formed three years ago when government combined Eskom and Transnet's ICT infrastructure, with the aim of providing a backbone that would aid in reducing the costs of communication in SA.

Now Infraco will officially begin to sell high-capacity long-distance transmission services to licensed fixed and mobile network operators, Internet service providers and other value-added network service providers on a cost-plus basis.

Speaking at the launch event being held in Summer Place in Hyde Park last night, Broadband Infraco CEO Dave Smith explained the company offers high capacity network bandwidth services in increments from 155Mbps and 10Gbps.

"Our national fibre optic network is fully operational between the major metropolitan centres and is being extended to smaller cities, towns, rural areas and a growing regional network to South Africa's borders with other SADC states," he added.

"In the years since our inception we have practically doubled the combined footprint and trebled the combined capacity of the assets we initially acquired to start the business late in 2007."

This footprint will enable its wholesale offering to deliver cost effective retail services to its customers, explained Smith.

Broadband Infraco's target wholesale customer base includes fixed and mobile network operators and service providers, metro network operators, internet and value added service providers, multinational operators and licensed operators in previously under-serviced areas.

Our national fibre optic network is fully operational.

Dave Smit, Broadband Infraco CEO

"Wholesale customers can acquire national connectivity at lower cost and negate the need to invest capital in building their own long distance networks," said Smith.

This can enable scarce capital resources to be directed at other elements of the value chain, such as metropolitan and access fibre optic networks as well as value added services.

"Wholesale customers will also be able to leverage Broadband Infraco's network presence and geographic reach in the market to secure network diversity and deliver improved service levels to their customers," stated Smith.

Broadband Infraco chairman Andrew Mthembu said that the SOE was born of the national need for affordable long distance broadband products and services and the accelerated development of the required network capacity that was not being met by other players in the market.

"The company is preparing to provide the long-distance bandwidth needed for specific projects of national interest that will have economic and skills development benefits for the country as a whole. We are proactively engineering our network platform to contribute to the national economy in its broadest sense, in line with global best practice models and in compliance with our mandate," he said.

Mthembu added that Broadband Infraco will contribute significantly to the expansion of available bandwidth in the sub-Saharan Africa region by developing network gateways near to the borders of our neighbouring countries.

Click here to view the gallery from the Broadband Infraco Launch.