Africom’s public data network avails affordable data
services
Africom’s provision of a new public data network has
made the electronic transmission of data from one physical
location to another easier and more affordable than ever before.
The limitations of the only telecommunications network previously
available resulted in a number of public and private institutions
and companies investing in their own telecommunications infrastructure.
To achieve this, most companies where utilising Africom’s
information communications technology expertise to establish
direct point-to-point data telecommunications links between
one office and another.
The establishment of Africom’s public data network has
however, rendered this unnecessary in those areas covered
by the network. Africom is investing significantly in order
to avail telecommunications infrastructure. At present most
of Harare is covered and work is already in progress to establish
a network in Bulawayo that will, in turn, be linked to the
Harare network. Eventually Africom expects the network to
cover the whole country.
Africom is the first private company to obtain a data telecommunications
licence from the Posts and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority
of Zimbabwe (Potraz) and to set up a public data telecommunications
network.
The network in Harare combines the use of broadband wireless
channels and fibre optic cables that Africom has laid in the
city centre and other parts of the city.
Instead of investing in their own infrastructure, companies
can now make use of the public network infrastructure that
Africom has invested in.
Africom uses its own licensed frequencies, enabling it to
guarantee the quality of data transmissions.
The network allows subscribers access to high-speed data
transmission platforms. It can be used for Internet access,
file transfers, financial applications, such as automated
teller machine (ATM) and electronic point of sale transactions,
and for any other applications where data needs to be sent
from one location to another.
The equipment used for the network is state-of-the art. When
new broad band equipment was commissioned in November, Mrs
Nduku explained to journalists who attended the commissioning
that the compact automatic exchange that was officially commissioned
could do the same work as a large telephone exchange.
At Africom’s headquarters in Eastlea, the company is
able to remotely monitor and manage the entire network. Any
fault is immediately shown on the screen, enabling engineers
to take steps to rectify the fault, even before the customer
becomes aware of it and reports it.
Africom still provides point-to-point transmission in areas
not yet covered by its network, including to some remote parts
of the country. Finding solutions to information communication
technology challenges is its speciality.
Mrs Nduku said Africom sees efficient and affordable information
communication technology as critical for business development.
“Africom is committed to providing efficient information
communication technology, not only in Zimbabwe but elsewhere
in the region and throughout the continent of Africa. Being
able to transmit information quickly and efficiently is essential
for business development and indeed for national economic
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