SA is getting a new fixed-line telecommunications network operator, TechCentral can report exclusively. The company, called Metrofibre Networx, enjoys the backing of several heavy hitters, including former Absa CEO Steve Booysen and Dark Fibre Africa co-founder Malcolm Kirby.

Metrofibre Networx, which is led by Kirby as CEO, will focus almost exclusively on delivering high-speed fibre connectivity to businesses. It plans to begin offering services in the Pretoria and Centurion areas in the initial phase, with plans to extend capacity to the Midrand, Rosebank and Sandton areas, too.

The company is at the final stages of raising funding — believed to be worth at least several hundred million rand — to begin the first phase of its fibre network roll-out. Kirby says he expects funding discussions to be concluded by mid-August.

Booysen is leading the fundraising process for Metrofibre.

The company, whose shareholders are Booysen, Kirby, and Kirby’s former colleagues at Dark Fibre Africa, Johan van der Lith and Eugene Slabbert, plans to offer fibre bandwidth to businesses in speed increments of between 2Mbit/s and 10Gbit/s. Speeds of up to several hundred gigabits per second will be available for specific applications.

Metrofibre Networx will use Dark Fibre Africa, with which the company has close ties, for its backhaul connectivity. It will focus on areas where Dark Fibre has already built fibre rings.

The company is already running test fibre networks at its laboratories in Midrand. It plans to build a carrier-class fibre network using metro Ethernet technology. It plans to sell services to business customers through accredited partners.

Unlike the big, incumbent operators, Kirby says Metrofibre Networx is not focusing on the country’s 200 largest companies. Rather, it wants to build fibre mainly to small and medium enterprises and the mid-tier corporate segment.

It will target businesses within 2km of Dark Fibre Africa’s fibre rings. Gauteng is the main focus area initially, though if customers demand it it may begin a network roll-out in Cape Town, too.

Metrofibre Networx has no plans — at least not yet — to provide fibre directly into people’s homes. But the company says there have been “one or two” service providers that have already asked the company to consider it. “If it makes sense we’ll do it, but that’s not the target.” — Duncan McLeod, TechCentral