Joburg kicks off digital project

By Staff Writer for Ericsson
Johannesburg, 24 Apr 2009

Ericsson has officially begun work on the City of Johannesburg's multibillion-rand municipal broadband network.

This follows the awarding of the contract to Ericsson earlier this year, to build and operate the city's municipal broadband network.

The proposed infrastructure and core network layout is based on fibre-optic technology and will cover all areas of the city. The aim is to increase the penetration of broadband ICT access in under-serviced areas such as Diepsloot and Alexandra, and reduce the digital divide, the city states.

"This network will solidify Johannesburg's image as an investment-friendly city with a world-class ICT infrastructure that is bound to stimulate job growth and therefore boost the economy. Moreover, this network will be financially sustainable in that it will pay for itself and for future expansion projects," says Michael Aitken, MD of Masakhe Telecommunications.

A consortium will operate the network for the city. The consortium will be made up of several companies, which will include Masakhe Telecommunications.

One step

Ericsson states initial deployments will be based on current usage statistics and any priority sites deemed by the city. Following that, bandwidth usage will be monitored and increased as the city requires. Bandwidth at any given point in the network will be available at speeds from 2Mbps to 10Gbps.

"Broadband services are recognised as one of the most critical components of development and improvement of a citizen's quality of life. This project will significantly change the everyday life of Johannesburg's population," says City of Johannesburg's Jason Ngobeni, the executive director of economic development.

Jonas Stringberg, Ericsson president, market unit sub-Saharan Africa, says the company's experience in Sweden will prove valuable for the project.

"Ericsson globally has been involved in numerous digital city network deployments that have proven successful, both in terms of being financially sustainable and achieving socio-economic objectives. We believe Johannesburg will reap the same benefits.”

The cost factor

The city says the network will be able to reduce the cost of access to ICT services to the general public and to companies operating within the city. All potential wholesale customers will have equal access to the cheap infrastructure offered by the network.

The fibre core infrastructure will also satisfy the increased demand for bandwidth within the internal city network, enabling it to provide e-services, enhance internal processes and enable work-from-home capabilities for some of its employees, the city states.

The network will also enable Internet service providers, value-added networks and licensed telecommunication operators to offer true broadband access services.

Ericsson will be tasked with ensuring the fibre core network is continually expanded according to demand and kept up to date in terms of the market demand for the latest available technology.

Masakhe will be responsible for the customer-facing responsibilities of the project. This entails billing, revenue collection and the establishment and operations of a contact centre to respond to enquiries.