Updated technology keeps the economy on the move
Moreover, not only must this country have technologies that enable its businesses to compete, they must also be capable of interacting with overseas networks, Msimango says.
He says Telkom is a technology company and as such it is active on the global stage, interacting with its peers to ensure it is fully aware of the technologies being implemented by other telecommunications companies.
“In this way we ensure that our networks are fully compatible. This means that our network is compatible with overseas networks, allowing our companies to do business with their counterparts abroad and vice versa,” Msimango says.
As a key element in ensuring compatibility, Telkom is an active participant in the world standards bodies, in some cases chairing the meetings.
“SA is the most active African participant in the standardssetting process.”
Msimango says some years ago Telkom took the decision to deploy optical fibre in all its major metropolitan hubs.
However, it is now taking this approach further and extending optical fibre to metropolitan nodes, local residential and business areas, he says.
“Today, many customers want asymmetrical digital subscriber line (ADSL) for internet access, but in the future their needs will change and they might, for example, wish to use the service to obtain video on demand.
“Therefore, we cannot simply consider current demands — we have to look ahead and make sure that we are catering for likely future needs and not causing unnecessary delays for our customers,” Msimango says.
He says customers provide Telkom with a very good view of their projected technology needs and the types of products and services for which they will need telecommunications support.
For example, Telkom is an active participant in the outsourced network arena, and its customers rely on the company so that they can deliver their services, he says.
From this relationship, customers begin discussing their future plans and the role telecommunications will play as an enabler, Msimango says.
“The interaction between Telkom and its customers is very close and at that level it must be.
“It also makes sense from Telkom’s perspective.
“If we roll out a technology or service for which there is insufficient demand we will waste a lot of network infrastructure and resources.”
He says Telkom has made a strategic decision to become involved with the development of WiMAX.
While there are some industry commentators who argue that the technology is not ready, Telkom believes in investing in the future and not missing the technology boat, Msimango says.
While SA has an extensive copper-based network, there are many remote areas to which the cost of rolling out cable infrastructure cannot be justified.
Furthermore, given SA’s rapid development, cable infrastructure is not always available immediately, and WiMAX can provide a bridge until cable has been laid, he says.
“We are confident that the world standards are being finalised, and networks internationally are being tested for this standard. We need the technology to provide customers on the periphery of the network with broadband access.
“As Telkom, we have a responsibility to provide broadband access to the entire country, and we make sure that we deploy the appropriate technologies to achieve this objective,” he says.
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