2,000km FibreCo network launched in South Africa

FibreCo Telecommunications announced in a statement on Wednesday (13 November 2013) that its fibre network connecting Johannesburg, Bloemfontein, East London and Cape Town has gone live.

According to FibreCo, its network is open-access and provides the shortest and fastest optical fibre connectivity between these cities today.

The company is a partnership between Cell C, Internet Solutions, and Convergence Partners, which signed an agreement with ZTE Corporation of China in September 2011 for the construction of the fibre optic cable system.

BT, Cell C, and Internet Solutions are also the first 3 key anchor tenants on the network, FibreCo said.

In addition to the anchor tenants, FibreCo said it has entered into a strategic partnership with MTN, which will have access to the FibreCo route between Johannesburg and East London, complementing MTN’s own national and access fibre optic network footprint.

“MTN is the first operator to light up new capacity on FibreCo’s network into East London, a key landing point in a province with one the highest levels of “broadband deprivation” nationally, according to research by the Department of Communications,” FibreCo said.

According to FibreCo, it complete the physical installation of around 1,000 km of linear fibre-optic cable in 14 months.

Over the period, FibreCo said it also collaborated extensively with other fibre infrastructure operators and broadband networks in order to avoid duplication of fibre routes.

FibreCo said that this provided both environmental benefits and economic efficiencies which will ultimately benefit internet users.

More FibreCo articles

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FibreCo appoints ZTE for SA fibre network

FibreCo: Our pricing will turn SA broadband market upside down

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