Broadband Network for Eastern Cape
Itel is a licensed ‘Under Serviced Area Licensee’ (USAL) for the OR Tambo district, which includes the towns of Umtata, Mqanduli, Libode, Tsolo, Qumbu, Ngqeleni, Tabankulu, Port St Johns, Lusikisiki, Flagstaff and Bizana.
Andile Nontso, director of Itel, says plans include the deployment of a wireless access network, similar to the one deployed by UniNet in Knysna, to deliver fixed and mobile voice and data services throughout the district. The first phase of this project is expected to be complete before July next year.
In 2005, UniNet deployed the first ‘completely WiFi covered town in Africa’ in partnership with the Knysna Municipality. The Knysna project aims to provide the municipality with cost-effective communication across the region as well as low-cost broadband Internet and voice services for the community.
UniNet and ITel intend to offer large cost savings to the communities that the network will service, including many under-serviced areas. The health department requirements in the clinics will be addressed as well as the connectivity requirements for the OR Tambo District Municipality.
USALs have had to contend with the high costs of rolling out infrastructure in these under-serviced areas. David Jarvis, CEO of UniNet, says his company will build the network at roughly a quarter of the cost of other WiMAX or CDMA solutions available in SA, with similar coverage. UniNet will jointly operate the network with Itel for an initial five-year contract period.
The announcement comes at a time when many USALs are required to report their progress with infrastructure roll-out plans to the Universal service agency of South Africa (USASA) during November this year. Itel plans to secure Local and Provincial government business as the network is deployed across the region to service the rural and urban OR Tambo communities.
Itel says that it will reduce costs of telecommunication in the region for government and consumers. This is in line with the Freedom Charter, which says that every South African must have access to affordable telecommunications.
The roll-out will include public pay phones throughout the region, which will empower small businesses in the area to become resellers. Local economic development initiatives will also be launched to aid in empowering under-serviced communities to participate more easily in the economy, and to have better access to e-government services.
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