Cheaper, Faster Internet Soon

^{Milestone:  Mayor Obed Mlaba with City Manager, Dr Michael Sutcliffe share a laugh with Martin Cele of SmartXchange, Head of Geographic Info Systems & Policy, Jacquie Subban and Prof Francesco Petruccione of UKZN}

Story Written By Derrick Dlamini

eThekwini’s much-anticipated fibre optic broadband network is now operational and is primed for roll out to the public, it was revealed this week. Jacquie Subban, Head of the City’s Geographical Information Systems and Policy Unit, said the network would provide businesses and residents with faster, more affordable internet connectivity and low-cost local phone calls.

“We have upgraded the city’s extensive optic fibre Network to Carrier Class status. We will have opened the network to business and educational institutions before the end of the 2008 financial year,” she said. Dimension Data has been appointed as the service provider to manage the network on a three-year contract. Subban said the roll-out plan, including its “footprint”, costs and timeframes, would be announced at the planned Smart City Conference and Expo, from 1-2 October at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre.

“The City will now start wholesaling spare capacity – of which there is a huge surplus – and a roll-out process will be decided upon over the next three months,” said Subban. Smart city Mayor, Obed Mlaba, said: “Durban’s long journey to becoming a ‘smart city’ was drawing closer to reality, after it was first being conceptualized eight years ago.“I have often heard of smart cities in South Africa, but I only know of one, Durban. “Our city has quietly carried on with creating infrastructure and making it the reality that it is today-while othercities have talked a lot about similar initiatives,” he said.

Officials said the network would ultimately span all businesses and residents in the metropolitan area. Similar initiatives have been proved successful in major cities worldwide, including Singapore.

DlaminiSD@durban.gov.za