Telco Systems, a provider of innovative SDN/NFV, CE 2.0, MPLS and IP solutions, and Dimension Data, a technology services provider, have jointly announced that Telco Systems is in the process of upgrading Dimensions Data’s carrier Ethernet network in Kenya
Dimension Data provides advanced cloud, communication, connectivity and carrier services to public and private sector organisations in Kenya and other countries in the region, including South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania and Uganda.
The upgrade to the network, which is expected to be completed early next year will see Telco Systems doubling the capacity of Dimension Data’s Ethernet carrier network in Kenya. This network upgrade will double the bandwidth and Internet service speeds for local businesses and home users at a time when the demand for connectivity in Kenya increased by 5.1% between April and June as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the latest industry report published earlier this month by the Kenya Communications Authority (CA), subscriptions in the country rose to 40.9 million in the quarter ended June, up from 38.9 million in the period ending March.
The regulator attributed the increase in demand for online access to information, coupled with the transfer of more services to digital space during the pandemic period. Students who have switched to online learning are among those who have pushed the rise in Internet subscriptions.
Through this partnership, Telco Systems will deploy an additional several hundred units of its T-Marc 3348 demarcation devices, which are compact high-capacity demarcation devices with high port density for cost-effective Ethernet service provider connectivity.
With SDN support for network configuration and modelling using NETCONF and YANG, the newly deployed T-Marc 3348 devices will enable Dimension Data to further enhance its vision to enhance customer experience through business automation.
“This network upgrade project clearly demonstrates the importance of network expansions for delivering reliable connectivity in emerging markets and ensuring business continuity as the demand for bandwidth continues to rise,” said Ariel Efrati, CEO at Telco Systems.
“Our strategic partnership with Telco Systems, which spans over a decade and across multiple upgrades, is a key factor in the success of our network operations,” said Richard Hechle, managing director of Dimension Data, East and West Africa. “Telco Systems has consistently delivered networking innovations that we need to cost-effectively expand our service offering, improve our customer experience and promote automated operations.”
