Alcatel-Lucent to build fiber-optic network in Ghana
Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) has agreed with the National Information Technology Agency (NITA), the information and communications technology (ICT) policy arm of Ghana’s Ministry of Communications, to design and build a 600-km backbone fiber-optic network to support the country’s e-Ghana program. The project is a national initiative to develop local IT services and improve the transparency and efficiency of government functions.
The new fiber-optic network will support high-speed links between central government functions and remote and rural locations. Alcatel-Lucent also will provide a national data center facility to support the network alongside its ICT global alliance partner HP. The systems house also will also manage network operations of Ghana’s entire e-government program for three years, beginning this November.
The Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), an office of the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs tasked with combating poverty through the promotion of human rights and economic growth, is facilitating financing for the project.
The new network, which will link Ghana’s north and south as well as international submarine gateways via its eastern corridor, will use Alcatel-Lucent’s 100-Gbps-capable optical coherent technology within the 1830 Photonic Service Switch (PSS). The network will be designed to expand easily to support anticipated increases in future demand. The government intends to extend use of e-services to the health, education, justice, immigration, parliament, and other sectors over the next few years.
“By delivering a new network and data center, Alcatel-Lucent will enable us to streamline government processes between central and rural divisions and provide a consistent external view,” William Tevie, director general of NITA, said. “This is an important step toward realizing the vision of giving our people access to a range of critical services how and when they need them.”
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