Eighteen months since the unveiling of uncapped Internet access, local Internet service provider (ISP), MWeb yesterday established a point-of-presence at the vendor-neutral Teraco Data Centre, in Durban.
The ISP is inviting other service providers to peer with it at the data centre on a settlement free basis, called open peering.
Rudi Jansen, MWeb's CEO, says the company embarked on a policy of open peering last year, whereby ISPs agree to exchange traffic on each other's networks, at no cost.
Since then, it has formed significant relationships with network operators in Cape Town and Johannesburg. MWeb has been a major player in making uncapped Internet access a success in SA, it notes.
“Transit links in SA remain very expensive, with local lines costing significantly more than international broadband prices. As such, we maintain open peering is a vital step in creating an affordable and efficient local broadband market,” says Jansen.
Peering has reduced local bandwidth costs by doing away with transit fees, leading to lower prices for consumers. The MWeb connection at the Teraco Data Centre will also reduce latency, as ISPs in Durban can hand over traffic at a closer peering point, the ISP says.
“A faster, better Internet access experience at lower costs, especially for uncapped ADSL customers, is taking SA a step closer to ubiquitous broadband,” says Jansen.
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