Vodacom part of MTN and Neotel plan?
MTN SA and Neotel recently announced a joint agreement to co-build a national long-distance fibre optic network. The network will cover a distance of 5 000 km, connecting the major centres across South Africa.
The initial fibre segment of this national network will connect Johannesburg and Durban while onward connectivity to Mtunzini will allow for interconnection with in-progress African East Coast submarine cables EASSy and SEACOM.
This new network will compete directly against existing national fibre networks from Telkom and Infraco and provide additional national bandwidth capacity.
Neotel currently uses, and partly operates, the Infraco national network and despite Neotel MD, Ajay Pandey, insisting that not much will change with its Infraco arrangement it is highly likely that the second national operator is looking towards it own network for future needs.
Vodacom also part of it?
What was not announced is that Vodacom may form part of this project. Vodacom has previously indicated that it plans to connect its existing and future data centres in Gauteng, Cape Town and Durban via its own national network, and it is hardly surprising that Vodacom seeks to partner with MTN and Neotel in building a national fibre network.
The three operators are however tight lipped regarding Vodacom’s involvement. A person close to the deal has confirmed Vodacom’s involvement in the MTN/Neotel national fibre network, but Vodacom did not officially want to confirm this.
“Vodacom has been building metropolitan fibre networks for the last 2 years, and has also been closely involved in the discussions around a national fibre network. Vodacom will make more information about our transmission plans available at the appropriate time,” said Dot Field, Chief Communications Officer for the Vodacom Group.
Neotel said that they are always keen to get other partners involved, but would not comment on Vodacom’s involvement in this project.
Neotel did say that the project costs will be shared by the parties concerned, and that MTN and Neotel are currently the only parties involved. “Other than the two entities [MTN and Neotel], Neotel has an agreement with SANRAL to build this network along national roads.”
MTN however denies any agreement with Vodacom. “As far as MTN is concerned, there is no such agreement in place,” said Vodacom’s biggest competitor.
Vodacom part of the MTN, Neotel plans? – Give your view
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