Broadband services over the power grid
It is now legal, in terms of new regulations introduced by the minister in February, for any municipality to do this, and there is a potential to generate substantial income from it, says Charles Kuun, manager of the Tshwane digital hub.
Powerline communication technology allows data to be carried over power cables even when the power is off, provided there is an uninterrupted power-supply unit at the user end. The data is carried on copper wire from the premises to the mini-substation, it travels across the optic cable that forms part of the power grid and from there to the service provider, he says. Bandwidth can be sold to licensed value added network service providers and telecommunications carriers at wholesale prices.
“We have a private telecommunications network licence and are allowed to rent capacity to licensed service providers who will in turn provide services to businesses and consumers in the Pretoria area,” says Kuun.
Tshwane municipality started using Powerline technology three years ago to provide data communication between its 250 depots and municipal offices, but this took up only 30% of its spare cable capacity, he says.
Kuun says about six years ago the municipality realised the infrastructure could be used as a medium for data communication and that it was sitting on an asset of great value, but this remained a well- kept secret because of Telkom’s monopoly. But since the relaxing of regulations the municipality has run a number of successful pilots and is rolling out a broadband network in a local village where it can provide services to the entire community.
He says Tshwane has installed 30 radio towers that will support wireless broadband communication in the future.
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