FEASTFeasibility Study for African – European Research and Education Network

27th October 2009

Michael Nowlan, DANTE

Introduction

• Look at Telecoms Market

• Look at Telecoms Infrastructure

• Look at Regulatory Environment

• Look at NREN Capacity

• Make Recommendations as to whether the EU should invest in the region to enhance Research and Education Networking

Introduction… cont.

Africa is Huge

• Land area of 30,321,130 Km. sq.

• Could fit: China, USA, India, Europe, Argentina and New Zealand into land mass of Africa

• Above areas are 30,211,551 Km. sq.

African Country ComparisonsPop

2008 MInternet

Penetration (07)

Mobile Penetration

(2008)

GDP Ranking

Kenya 38 7.9% 24.2% 188

South Africa 44 10.5% 84.2% 104

Rwanda 10 1.5% 5.0% 216

Mozambique 21 0.9% 13.5% 214

Malawi 14 1.0% 4.6% 218

Uganda 31 6.4% 10.0% 211

Tanzania 40 1.0% 16.3% 202

Zimbabwe 12 10.9% 67.1% 229

Africa 955 5.3% ~30%

World 6,676 21.9% >61%

8

SEAMEWE3

EASSy: Northern Backhaul (Ack: WIOCC)

Existing Optic FiberNew Fiber

• Northern backhaul essentially complete

Port Sudan

EASSy

9

• 4,300km fibre ring• Completion due by end 2009

Telkom Kenya; UTL; MTN Uganda; MTN Rwanda; RwandaTel; Burundi; TTCL

EASSy

East African Backhaul System (Ack: WIOCC)

10

SAFE

SAT-3 / WASC

TdM FSS

Existing FiberNew Fiber

•Network linking Namibia and Zambia is complete

•Construction commenced by ZamTel linking Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Malawi, Congo and Tanzania completion in the fourth quarter of 2009 EASSy

Southern Africa Backhaul System (Ack: WIOCC)

Current Infrastructure

• South Africa and some of Mozambique connected by sea cable

• Current link terminates at the UbuntuNet router in London and connects to GÉANT

• Kenya tunnels via VSAT to the router in London• All others have public VSAT connections to

commodity internet• July 2009 should have changed much of this ?

Summary of FEAST project

• A feasibility study to pave the way for a network implementation

• Study telecoms market and regulatory environment

• Study status of NRENs in countries• Perform Request for Information from

telecoms suppliers• Limited response to RFI, but a network is

possible

FEAST Partners

• DANTE running the European GÉANT the multi gigabit interconnector for the European NRENs.

• DANTE initiated regional networks in the Mediterranean Region (EUMEDCONNECT), Latin America (CLARA), Asia (TEIN 1/2/3, CAREN)

• TERENA: the association of European NRENs• KTH: the Royal technical High school in Stockholm,

Sweden• African NRENs, UbuntuNet Alliance, AAU• European Commission

FEAST findings

• NRENs exist in the region and are ready to connect• Intercontinental infrastructure exists and is growing• Serious demand for services in Africa• Institutions paying for VSAT connectivity at exorbitant

prices• Serious demand for African research by the rest of the

world• Serious problems in sourcing skilled staff for NRENs,

exacerbated by new cables• Specific application requirements in Africa: Health,

Climate, Agriculture, Education, Environment• Conclusions are that there are enough "nearly ready"

NRENs and infrastructure

Regulatory Regimes

• Generally liberalised

• Some monopolies/duopolies

• Regulators very supportive

• Licences issued or derogations provided

NREN Readiness

• Organisation and Human Resources

• Acceptable Use and Connection Policies

• Interconnected Campus Networks

• Number Plan from AFRINIC

• Lighthouse Demonstrators

Expected AfricaConnect project

• Funded by the European Commission (expected) and the national NRENs in Africa

• Funding for infrastructure, human capacity building, applications development

• Aimed at a sustainable network in 3 year timeframe

• African network connected to Europe and the world

UbuntuNet Backbone Vision

Sea Cable Usage

• SEACOM, TEAMS, EASSy

• Use a combination of these to enhance connectivity and provide a reliable and resilient network

• Only SEACOM available today, TEAMS shortly and EASSy next year

NREN Cooperation (Twinning)

• Concept originated in Lilongwe November 2008

• Mutual support between NRENs

• Beneficial to both parties

• Non-exclusive, can have multiple twins

• Advertise NREN expertise and needs

• Exchange staff, documents, tools

Next Steps

• EC Allocates funding

• European and African NRENs form close links to build capacity in Africa

• Acquire inter-country links

• Acquire inter-continental links

• Acquire equipment

• Acquire staff…