Neotel wants to work with small wireless Internet service providers as it struggles to roll out connectivity to rural and underserved parts of the country.
Mike Silber, policy and special projects specialist at Neotel, says as one of the few telecommunications network licensees with community service obligations the company is mandated to deploy network connectivity to rural schools and clinics.
According to Neotel presentations, the operator must extend connectivity to 2 500 rural public clinics and 2 500 public schools or further education and training facilities.
Silber now says the company is keen to turn to wireless service providers as “potential last-mile carriers” in rural areas to help it meet its target.
The idea, he says, is Neotel will build backhaul coverage to these areas to serve schools and clinics, and then on-sell capacity to partner service providers. Backhaul networks will be provided by means of fibre and microwave links.
On Thursday, Silber told members of the Wireless Access Providers’ Association, which represents wireless Internet service providers, that Neotel is keen to work with them.
Silber admits Neotel is frustrated that it doesn’t have clear definitions of what constitutes an underserved area or facility, and is working with various government departments to make the requirements of its licence less confusing. — Duncan McLeod, TechCentral
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