Cape Town is home to many technology start-ups and a base for many global software companies, retail chains and financial companies. To drive growth and encourage new businesses to the area, the City of Cape Town wants to reduce the cost of broadband in order to expand access.
The new IP-based ultra-broadband infrastructure will help to lower the cost of broadband connectivity, connect under-served communities and stimulate new digital business development, while facilitating high-speed local government services.
With just 34% of South Africa's population connected to the internet in 2013, the national government wants to see that number increased to 50%, connected at 5Mbps, by 2016 and 90% by 2020 under the national broadband plan.
Working with its former subsidiary, Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise (divested to China Huaxin in 2014) and Bytes Systems Integration, Alcatel-Lucent is providing its IP routing portfolio - including the powerful 7950 Extensible Routing System - for the development of a high-performance IP network infrastructure. This will initially enable high-speed government administration and management services including access for emergency services. In addition, the City of Cape Town wants to encourage infrastructure sharing to allow third party communications providers to connect underserved communities, facilitate the delivery of e-services and drive socio-economic growth.
"The development of this high-speed communications infrastructure will further reduce the cost of broadband services through enabling open access to the city's broadband infrastructure for commercial service providers. This is facilitating easy access and driving competition hence reducing broadband services cost to the citizens. As a result of this, commercial ISPs are also using the city's broadband infrastructure to provide internet access to the public via Wi-Fi Zones," said Leon Van Wyk, telecommunications manager for the City of Cape Town.
Rob Griggs, MD of Bytes Systems Integration, said they are entrusted with global technology collaborations by some of the world's leading organisations to manage and support these product solution sets on behalf of their clients. "We have the credentials and track record that will ensure that the City of Cape Town has the support needed for the network design and support services required in delivering a secure and reliable network that offers broadband for all."
