Service providers are rejoicing at the recent policy announcement by the Minister of Communications regarding the liberalisation of the telecommunications industry. However, while most providers are scrambling to gear themselves up for 1 February 2005, BIDVest Network Solutions is ready to deploy its expertise and experience to the market.
"BIDVest Network Solutions, the network specialist company in the BIDVest Group, has been providing Voice-Over-Data services for the past four years" says executive director, Julian Liebenberg. We were one of the first companies to establish a MPLS network and the first VANS operator deploying voice over data services to its customers.
DR Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri announced, "As of 1 February 2005 value added network services may carry voice using any protocol."
"Although The BIDVest Group is a major customer of BIDVest Network Solutions, we also have a number of customers outside of the BIDVest Group. Until now, legislation has prevented us from taking our Voice-Over-Data offering to companies outside of Bidvest, thus limiting our service offerings to these customers."
Liebenberg says it is not just about having an infrastructure, but the technical experience, management expertise and established best practices to provide voice services. "We believe we have a four year head start on our competitors," he says.
"We are very excited at the opportunities that lie ahead of us. We already connect to international toll saving mechanisms and will be able to realise massive cost savings for customers with international requirements. BIDVest Network Solutions customers save up to 50% of their national and international call charges whilst attracting no call charges for telephone calls between their branches. This presents companies with the opportunity of saving more than 50% on their total communication costs."
Another striking announcement from the Minister "As of 1 February 2005 value added network services may also be provided by means of telecommunications facilities other than those provided by Telkom and the Second National Operator or any of them." The establishment of wireless hotspots is now also a feasible business opportunity through the extensive BIDVest Network Solutions footprint. There is a BIDVest presence in every airport and in most shopping centres in South Africa, for example Rennies Foreign Exchange, Rennies Travel, Waltons, Budget Rent-A-Car and FedEx. We also have a presence in many game lodges. Every branch of every BIDVest subsidiary company is an extension of our network and from these offices we are able to provide wireless Internet access. We have a potential 500 wireless hotspots without the need to negotiate a lease or establish telecommunication links. This large footprint could extend BIDVest Network Solutions` existing infrastructure to many millions of wireless Internet users.
"The provisioning of bandwidth within our network is another opportunity which will reduce costs. On certain lines, we will reduce our total cost of ownership by 92% through self-provisioning bandwidth."
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