The City of Johannesburg is undertaking a project to develop a broadband network for the city. The Joburg broadband network project (JBNP) is currently in the adjudication phase of a two-stage tender process that will determine a partner to provide the broadband network for the city.



The request-for-information phase of the tender process was initiated on February 28 and by closure, over 20 responses had been received.

Stephan Mkhawane, of Ernest & Young’s business advisory services, explains that the adjudication process should result in a short list of respondents by the end of May. Those on the short list must then construct demonstration networks which will be adjudicated and the list will be shortened further for participation in the subsequent request for proposals.

Respondents are expected to demonstrate proof of their technology and capabilities by deploying a broadband network in a limited area.



Douglas Cohen of the City of Johannesburg: economic development, says that the project has been in the pipeline for the past two years and has been motivated by the unchanging theme of high cost and limited accessibility.



“We realised that there are huge parts of Joburg that don’t have access to a fixed line and residents pay very high prices. There is an opportunity for the city to play a role, mainly for socioeconomic reasons. “We believe that the high cost of telecommunications is an inhibiter of the economy and we believe that the city is ideally placed to address that, having the infrastructure, licensing and spectrum available,” he comments.



Cohen notes that in 2005 a broadband strategy for the city was developed that included ten projects to work on.

“Some easy to carry out, with low impact, and some high impact, we ranked the projects with the broadband network at the top of the list.”

He adds that some of the projects have already been implemented, such as a 3-D model of the city for radio frequency planning.



It must be clarified that the City of Johannesburg is not looking to create a telecommunications operator. It is aiming to lower the cost of doing business, increase access, make the city more marketable and increase access points for eGovernment, with applications ranging from connected traffic lights and automated utility meter reading to health services.

Ultimately, the roll-out may extend to schools, universities and small businesses.



Office of the chief information officer: programme manager for communication networks Jabulani Zimu believes that the Internet protocol-based services and applications provide the ideal platform and are a tool that should be employed to augment one’s knowledge and that without it people are missing out on a vital opportunity to expand their intelligence and improve themselves and their businesses. “Access to information allows people to be more knowledgeable and to make informed decisions,” he remarks.



He says that the upcoming demonstrations will allow insight into what the end-user will experience in terms of voice communication, email, Internet access, fax and smart devices.

Zimu emphasises that increasing bandwidth will create an enabling environment in which people of the city can prosper.



Roll-out of the JBNP will be phased and is set to begin in the first quarter 2008, with completion proposed for 2009.

Cohen comments that the project needs to make an impact in terms of both the city’s own service delivery and price reductions for end-users. He adds that it is possible as the network will use the Internet as a platform.

The City of Johannesburg metropolitan municipality also already owns telecoms infrastructure, and has a private telephone network licence.