Cape Town chooses ADVA Optical Networking for city network

ADVA Optical Networking says that the Municipality of Cape Town has deployed its FSP 3000 WDM platform in the city’s not-for-profit municipally owned network. The network’s initial core ring configuration connects key municipal offices throughout the city via more than 100 km of fiber to support MPLS and 10-Gbps Ethernet services.

In addition to such anchor institutions as libraries, schools, hospitals, research institutions and other organizations, the network will ultimately provide service providers, enterprises, and communities with a shared infrastructure to offer affordable commercial services.

“We believe the network we’ve built here is a first for Africa,” commented Leon van Wyk, telecommunications manager at City of Cape Town. “By building our own dark fiber network, we’re able to drive the rollout of broadband services throughout the municipality and the region. Our mandate is primarily to provide high-bandwidth network services to government entities, including schools, clinics, hospitals, and libraries, but we also want to encourage the private sector to deliver every business, family, and organization the bandwidth they need to participate in the modern knowledge economy. Data is the currency of tomorrow and with ADVA Optical Networking’s help, support, and direction, we’ve built a strong foundation for the future.”

The network’s core currently comprises eight nodes, each outfitted with the FSP 3000. The next phase of the project will expand the core ring to all parts of the Cape Town metro area via as many as 100 new nodes. The population of Cape Town in 2010 was estimated at 3.7 million people -- with an estimated 1,060,964 household units -- and is estimated to grow to 4.25 million in 2030.

“This is an incredible project to be involved in,” commented Günter Landers, sales director, Africa, ADVA Optical Networking. “The Municipality of Cape Town is developing a network that will dramatically impact upon the community. It will provide high-speed connectivity for a whole range of government services, as well as enabling people to access applications such as remote learning, telemedicine, and video conferencing.”

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