The IPX-based networking infrastructure will keep roaming data on the continent while dramatically improving user experience, gaining network efficiencies, decreasing costs, and reducing loads on international cable infrastructure.
Fiona Asonga (pictured), CEO of TESPOK, said: “We expect that the [PCCW Global’s] unique routing capabilities will decrease connectivity costs for operators who make use of this African Union supported Global Roaming Exchange (GRX).”
TESPOK – Technology Service Providers of Kenya – is a professional, non-profit organisation representing the interests of technology service providers in Kenya.
TESPOK and PCCW Global pointed out that growing demand for bandwidth-intensive applications such as YouTube, Netflix, and WhatsApp are fuelling demand for 3G and 4G high-speed mobile networks throughout Africa.
Sameh Sobhy, PCCW Global’s VP for the Middle East, Turkey and Africa, said: “Since African data roaming traffic is doubling year on year, the collaboration with TESPOK is an important step for the continent. Once an MNO is connected to the service, roaming customers will benefit from vastly improved quality in Africa, while facilitating cost efficiencies.”
At the same time PCCW Global said it had completed a major internet infrastructure upgrade in Mozambique.
The company gave no details but said this was a “significant upgrade of its internet backbone [that] will dramatically improve connectivity in the traditionally underserved southern African nation and, as a consequence, vastly improve international communications and increase the number of internet users in the country while lowering overall connectivity costs”.
