Gateway, Cisco partner on MPLS network across sub-Saharan Africa

Ben Uzor Jr

Gateway Business, a Vodacom Group company and leading supplier of African telecommunications services, has selected Cisco for its multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) network in Nigeria and across sub-Saharan Africa. This deployment means that Cisco technology solutions will drive an IP next generation network (NGN) for Gateway Business, employing intelligent MPLS technologies.

By utilizing Cisco technology, Gateway Business is able to use MPLS at the core of its pan-African network and a blend of fiber, wireless or satellite at the access level. Cisco’s IOS MPLS technology solution would enable Gateway Communications to build a next-generation intelligent network that delivers a wide variety of advanced, value-added services over a single infrastructure.

Over 1,500 multi-national corporations rely on Gateway to deliver business critical information between head quarters and branch offices from simple voice solutions, to private MPLS virtual private networks (VPNs) and internet access. In Nigeria, the company disclosed that it was deploying a national MPLS network, rolling out wireless broadband services across 36 different states in 2010 and 2011.

BusinessDay learnt that Gateway Communications, the group’s Carrier Services and Wholesale division, was also an investor in the West Africa Cable System (WACS), which will bring additional capacity in to Nigeria by June 2011. Through this agreement with Cisco, the company will immediately begin deploy a range of new services for customers in Nigeria, West Africa, and across the African continent.

Paul Jaikaran, executive director (Technology) Gateway Business, stated: “Gateway focuses on delivering an integrated end-user experience through high quality products and services to our customers throughout the sub Saharan region. Cisco’s leadership in IP solutions will enable us to maintain this competitive advantage by delivering converged voice, video, and data services on a common infrastructure to both consumers and business. This is another key milestone for Gateway Business as we continue to invest in and deploy world class terrestrial networks across Africa.”

In the same vein, Richard Edet, General Manager, Cisco Nigeria pointed out that innovative service providers like Gateway are rapidly bridging the digital divide and establishing connected communities. “Gateway uniquely combines impressive global coverage with an unrivalled local presence and the Cisco powered MPLS network will help take its customer offering to the next level”, he concluded.

Gateway Business is one of the largest independent providers of secure, high speed, reliable bandwidth services in Africa. The company has customers in 42 sub Saharan countries and works in partnership with Africa’s largest businesses and many of the world’s principal corporations, helping them stay connected across Africa and into the rest of the world.