Huawei awarded ultra-broadband network roll out contract by Telkom

Huawei announced it has been selected by Telkom South Africa to deploy the company’s next-generation ultra-broadband network access.

Telkom, Africa’s largest integrated communications company, offers integrated communications solutions to both homes and enterprises in South Africa. To maintain its competitive advantage and further grow its market share, Telkom will migrate its fixed network to a fibre-based ultra-broadband network, thereby increasing its access bandwidth, and helping to address voice and data service challenges. Deployment of the countrywide network will involve four million users.

By employing Huawei’s SingleFAN solution, the network will achieve a downlink rate of up to 100 Mbps per user, providing enhanced products and services including voice, data, and IPTV.

Last month Comm. Reported how ZTE South Africa CEO Cris Fuentes said the company was terminating its relationship with local firm ZTE Mzanzi, in which it owns 40 per cent. ZTE Mzanzi successfully asked a court to stop Telkom from rolling out a ZAR 13 billion (US$1.59 billion) network upgrade that had been awarded to Huawei and Alcatel-Lucent.

ZTE Mzanzi believed Telkom’s bidding process was not fair and that its tender was never properly considered, despite complying with all of Telkom’s requirements, including those on empowerment and technical capability.