Telecommunications firm Telkom Group has approved the legal and structural separation of wholesale network infrastructure provider Openserve, effective September 1.

This is in line with the group’s strategy to transform and unlock value by separating the operating businesses to become standalone entities, which started with BCX and subsequently Gyro, which now operate as separate legal entities wholly owned by Telkom.

“Openserve follows suit as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Telkom Group, which will promote and drive autonomous ability and market visibility,” says Telkom Group CEO Serame Taukobong.

“Since the inception of Openserve in 2015, we have made significant strides in laying the foundation for our future success, by focusing on launching innovative products and services, providing superior interactions through our frontline staff and leveraging our innovative digital channels to create a differentiated customer experience,” says Openserve CEO Althon Beukes.

Openserve accelerated its fibre-to-the-home network in South Africa to provide open access connectivity to more than 890 000 homes, with a current connectivity rate of 46.6%.

Further, the subsidiary will serve as the landing station partner for Google’s extensive Equiano submarine cable system developed to run from western Europe, along the west coast of Africa to South Africa’s facilities in Melkbosstrand, in the Western Cape.

Openserve, confident that the ongoing increase in demand for data consumption will drive the growth in fibre connectivity, is positioning its network to provide a connected experience to more and more communities across South Africa.

The next phase of the journey focuses on unlocking greater value through the legal and structural separation, positioning Openserve to respond to the ever-changing regulatory and competitive environment and enabling the company to continue to focus on growth ambitions, Beukes concludes.