State-owned Broadband Infraco will unveil its R1 billion network to the market on 18 November, at an official event in Johannesburg.
Infraco is expected to outline its value proposition to the South African market, as well as its strategy regarding the roll-out of future products and services. Minister of public enterprises Malusi Gigaba is set to deliver a keynote address at the event.
Infraco 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.
The long-distance open-access carrier will 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.
This is expected to expand the reach of broadband in the country - a target outlined in Infraco's hard-earned licence. The state-owned company has been plagued by licensing issues since its inception.
According to the Broadband Infraco Act, the telecommunications regulator - the Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) - had to issue it an individual-electronic communications network services (I-ECNS) licence and an ECS licence.
However, commercial ISPs objected to Broadband Infraco receiving an ECS licence, as they claimed it would give the company an unfair advantage in a highly-competitive environment.
ICASA bowed to then communications minister Siphiwe Nyanda's policy directive in January and only awarded the I-ECNS licence, even though the law stipulates that both should be awarded.
CEO Dave Smith says the company will operate within a wholesale model only and will target both fixed and mobile operators, as well as Internet service providers.
Smith says the new network will offer improvements on capacity, resilience and accessibility. “We have established other points of presence in existing data centres and through other channels, such as Neotel's metro links.”
The quality of the network has also been enhanced to achieve availability levels of 99.95%.
Infraco has completed 11 800km of fibre-optic cable, which connects Gauteng to the major metropolitan centres of Bloemfontein, Kimberley, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, East London, Durban, Nelspruit and Polokwane.
Related story:
Infraco set for November debut
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