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Infrastructure Developments

Duncan MartinDirector (non-exec): UbuntuNet Alliance

Director and CEO: TENET, South Africa

Development Partners’ Forum10 November 2008 Lilongwe

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Infrastructure developments in general

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Backbone network developmentin Sub-Saharan Africa

Hamilton, Paul. 2007. Analysis of the Extent of Development of Transmission Backbone Networks in Sub-Saharan Africa. Study commissioned by World Bank.

Mobile operators(mostly microwave)

Fixed line operators

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Some countries are developing “National” Backbones

• Government-led projects• Capacity intended to be available to all

operators• Often public-private partnership• NREN is often part of the motivation• May compete with existing operator’s network

– Especially in metropolitan areas

• DRC, Ethiopia, Ghana, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia

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Some countries haveliberalized telecommunications

• Several licensed operators– Operators all tend to deploy backbones in

the same areas (“concentration”)– Each backbone typically used only by its

owner– Little wholesaling of backbone capacity

• Benefits– Prices tend to fall– Cross-border connections stimulated

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Concentration

Kenya Mali Nigeria Uganda

Legend

%age of population living within range of:

incumbent’s backbone

more than one operators’ backbone

Chart from Hamilton, Paul. 2007, cited earlier.

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Legend

Submarine cable initiatives

SAT-3 (WASC-SAFE)2003. Operator Club

SEACOM (E. Africa to London)2009. Investors. Open access.

TEAMS (Mombasa to Fujairah)2009. Kenyan Govt.

EASSy (E. Africa to Port Sudan)2010. Operator consortium

WACS (Cape Town to London)2010. Operator consortium

MaIN OnE (W. Africa to Portugal)2010. Investors. Open access

Phase 2: Luanda, Cape Town

Cable

Map: Thanks to Steve Song. http://www.manypossibilities.net

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VSAT issues

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… BUT

VSAT connectivity is still the only option for the majority of

campuses

UbuntuNet focuses on securing optical fibre connectivity….

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UbuntuNet’s“Thrust to connect NRENs to Géant”

Dear Member NREN!

Connect to the Global REN:-via your VSAT, and- courtesy of Géant!

You’ll need your own ASN and IP space- AfriNIC’s 50% discount

GéantGéantCommodity Internet

London router(donated by

CISCO; hosted by DANTE)

GRE tunnels through ISP

networks

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The “VREN” idea

UbuntuNet router

UbuntuNet routers at VSAT teleports

in Europe

VSAT-dependent

campuses all over Africa

Backhauls to London

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The Bandwidth Consortium• Was part of the AVU• Rescued by IDRC• Now part of the Nigerian Universities

Forum• Bandwidth subsidy from PHEA• Acts as a VSAT purchasing consortium• Long relationship with Intelsat• Well positioned to evolve into a VREN

– IP addressing issues– Will require its own network identity (AN)

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UbuntuNet Operations Today

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UbuntuNet operations

InternetGéant

UbuntuNet, London

VSAT connection.GRE tunnel to

UbuntuNet

KENET

SAT-3 submarine cable

UbuntuNet, Johannesburg

TENET/ SANReN

Swaziland

Lesotho

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Backbone Development

Concept

Legend23 cross border links

Within-country link

16+ UbuntuNet country PoPs

UbuntuNet routing hubs

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Strategy for securingcross-border links

• 23 cross-border links to secure

• Five sub-projects– Structured to ensure routes to submarine

cable landings from land-locked NRENs

• Contracts with the two NRENs on either side of each crossing– UbuntuNet contributes to NRENs’

development in return for cross-border capacity

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SAT-3 cable to London

SEACOM cable to London

BotswanaNamibiaLesotho

UbuntuNet by end-2009

Mtunzini

Nairobi

Jo’burgTENET

Kampala

Kigali

LilongweLusaka

Dar es Salaam

Mombasa

Maputo

INDIAN OCEAN

AFRICA

Swaziland

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