LINK AFRICA: Open Access to Drive Digital Inclusion in Africa

With the pandemic and the swift life-changes that came in 2020, a new workplace culture and a different way of doing business drove innovation. Life online became more important and increasingly critical for South Africa’s resilient business community.

But connecting is not easy for everyone. The country’s system sees some able to access high-speed fibre and others reliant on only 3G mobile access. It’s a complex problem that is bigger than just those companies active in the industry.

According to the World Bank, higher levels of internet connectivity result in better labour force participation, employment mobility, job creation, and overall job growth. In South Africa, these goals have been sought for decades, but many pin the hopes of the future on digital transformation and the Fourth Industrial Revolution. But just over a million homes have fibre to the home (FTTH), and the majority of the country’s 60 million people still go with slow or weak mobile or ADSL connectivity. Increasing participation is a must.

Link Africa is facing the challenge head on, with a new management team pushing a new strategy that could drastically change the connected landscape in the country. Established in 2013, the company is celebrating its tenth anniversary by embracing open access. This model sees multiple service provides granted access to physical infrastructure with the aim of saving cost and hassle of regularly digging trenches in the street to connect homes. The infrastructure becomes a physical asset and can receive investment from multiple sources rather than a single owner. It’s a logical step in advancing the industry, but requires thorough planning and strategic partnerships.

“Link Africa has been around for a long time, but it does feel like we are a newly invigorated and looking to the future,” says interim CIO, Steve Sutton.

With open access allowing for major opportunities, new Link Africa CEO, Imran Abbas – an industry veteran with more than 30 years’ experience in the telecoms space – is excited about a model where barriers to entry are reduced, competition increased, and greater choice and lower prices for consumers achieved. Network operators take care of the physical infrastructure and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) deliver broadband services to megabyte-hungry consumers.

OPEN ACCESS BENEFITS

Abbas highlights the success of an open access network approach in Portugal as an example to follow.

“The open access model has also helped to increase investment in broadband infrastructure, which has helped to improve broadband speeds and coverage across the country,” he says.

“I believe that there are many benefits and that’s why Link Africa is leading the way.”

Aside from improving competition and therefore reducing cost, the investment into broadband infrastructure is vial for improved speed and reliability.

“Open access reduces the need for duplication of infrastructure. The open access network approach has been successful in many countries in promoting competition, reducing costs, and increasing investment in broadband infrastructure. However, I believe the success of open access networks especially in South Africa depends on many factors, such as the regulatory environment, the level of competition, and the investment in broadband infrastructure,” Abbas says.

“We believe open access networks can provide significant benefits to business owners, both directly and indirectly in South Africa,” he adds. “Link Africa believes that by providing businesses with access to high-speed, reliable broadband services, open access networks can help businesses to be more productive, competitive, and innovative.”

The results of a successful open access system are significant, and the importance for companies is substantial. Even the most rudimentary or conventional operations will require some form of connectivity to improve their offering, and Link Africa is keen to provide.

“Open access networks can lead to improved customer service, as ISPs are incentivised to provide high-quality services to attract and retain customers. These networks can help businesses to be more competitive, as they have access to high-speed, reliable broadband services that allow them to be more productive and efficient,” says Abbas. “Open access can also help businesses to attract and retain talent, as employees are often more likely to work for companies that are located in areas with high-speed, reliable broadband services.

“They can also help businesses to serve their customers more effectively, as they have access to broadband services that allow them to process transactions, communicate with customers, and access online resources more quickly and efficiently.”

These opportunities dwarf the challenges, and Abbas and the entire leadership team are passionate about the way forward in South Africa. Despite the cost, complex regulatory environment, increased competition for ISPs, and technical challenges that come with an open access model, he is confident of long-term benefits.

“I must reiterate, despite these drawbacks, many experts and Link Africa believe that the benefits of open access networks outweigh the drawbacks. Link Africa believes that by promoting competition and reducing barriers to entry, open access networks can help to increase investment in broadband infrastructure, improve broadband speeds and coverage, and lower prices for consumers and businesses.”

He highlights New Zealand as a country which has progressed quickly as a result of open access adoption. “The government there has encouraged the development of open access fibre networks and that has helped to increase investment in broadband infrastructure, which has helped to improve broadband speeds and coverage across the country.”

While individual consumers might be more exposed to the benefits of open access through their ISP, businesses in South Africa will look to Link Africa to lead the way in a market that is nascent in the country which, like much of Africa, has been home to a wireless connectivity boom. Abbas hopes to build on a decade of success by partnering with the best to bring positivity to all.

“In general, I believe that the implementation of open access networks will benefit a wide range of businesses, including startups, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and large corporations,” he says. “Businesses that rely on broadband connectivity for their operations, such as e-commerce, cloud computing, and telecommuting, can benefit from the improved broadband speeds and coverage offered by open access networks.”

WIDER IMPACT

Alongside open access, the strategy put in place by the new leadership team has been heavily directed by innovation. With a focus on developing successful innovations and driving open access adoption, Link Africa hopes to have an impact wider than that of just its clients.

Abbas – a former Facebook executive, with senior management experience at Liquid Telecoms, Neotel, Plessey, and Telkom – suggests that Link Africa can bring the Fourth Industrial Revolution one step closer in SA, while also contributing to a growth-economy characterised by job creation.

“By providing high-quality fibre network infrastructure and internet connectivity, we are enabling businesses to operate more effectively and efficiently, driving innovation, productivity, and competitiveness,” he says, with ambition for the future. “This is creating new jobs and opportunities, stimulating economic growth, and driving progress in key areas such as healthcare, education, and sustainability. At Link Africa, we are committed to providing world-class digital infrastructure that enables businesses to thrive and succeed in today’s rapidly changing and interconnected world.

“The Fourth Industrial Revolution is all about leveraging advanced digital technologies to drive innovation, efficiency, and competitiveness. At Link Africa, we are enabling the Fourth Industrial Revolution by providing high-speed, reliable, and secure internet connectivity that is essential for businesses to take advantage of these technologies. We are also partnering with leading technology companies to provide cutting-edge solutions and services that help businesses to harness the power of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and drive growth and transformation.”

With a wide open market ahead of it, there is much opportunity for Link Africa if it can convince the majority to look at the benefits of open access. Abbas again highlights another region where the model has added more than just front-line benefits – the Netherlands. Here, implementation of open access has resulted in a highly competitive market with multiple ISPs offering quality broadband services through which consumers have access to high-speed, affordable broadband services.

“Our services are having a significant impact on the South African economy and society,” says Abbas.

INNOVATION

In 2023, when reliable connectivity is a necessity and no longer a ‘nice to have’, delivery at scale does require modern thinking. Through partnership and innovation, today’s fibre networks are engineering works of art. Information in the form of light travels through glass cabling as thin as a hair at rapid speed, and the fibre is water resistant and not valuable to criminals. It is certainly the next step forward from copper cabling.

Importantly, the company is also rolling out fibre access in smaller towns outside of the major metropolitan areas, bringing improved fibre connectivity to consumers and business customers that would have otherwise been left behind. 1800 homes within Bluff, KwaZulu-Natal, more than 3000 homes in Edenvale and New RedRuth, Gauteng, and as many as 2900 homes in Sunnydale, Sun Valley and Fish Hoek in the Western Cape were recently connected thanks to Link Africa. Residents can choose from a range of ISPs and gain service over a quality network, without having to consider moving into a large city.

“We are always working on exciting new initiatives and projects at Link Africa,” smiles Abbas. “One of our current priorities is expanding our fibre network infrastructure and connectivity services to underserved areas and communities across South Africa, to ensure that everyone has access to high-quality digital infrastructure. We are also partnering with leading technology companies to develop innovative solutions and services that leverage emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and the Internet of Things. Additionally, we are exploring new business models and revenue streams to drive growth and innovation, and to position ourselves as a leader in the digital infrastructure industry.”

Steve Sutton highlights the adoption of open access as the company’s core focus right now with hopes to add to the strong list of ISPs with which it already partners.

“Open access is a big topic for telcos right now, and it’s about allowing anyone to use existing infrastructure – a big departure from the current model. Imran is leading the transformation towards Open Access adoption with South Africa’s big Telcos. It can save a lot of money by sharing infrastructure – we pay a portion of the fee, and we save on the biggest cost which is digging trenches and laying infrastructure in the first place.”

Today, Link Africa has connected more than 10,000 homes to the fibre network, with plans for strong rollout over the coming years. Telkom, MWEB, Cool Ideas, Afrihost, Home Connect, Wibernet, XDSL, Vodacom, GoConnect, Infinity, and ASAP deliver as ISPs, and Link Africa is looking to bolster this portfolio to ensure longevity. With a strong team at the helm, developing alliances will be easier for the company which is now proven for over a decade.

“Link Africa’s success is due in no small part to the efforts of our highly skilled and dedicated leadership team, who bring a wealth of experience and expertise to their respective roles,” says Abbas. “At Link Africa, we recognise that emerging technologies such as virtual and augmented reality and the metaverse have the potential to transform the way we live, work, and interact online. That’s why we are investing in our network infrastructure and connectivity services to ensure that we are well-positioned to support these technologies effectively. We are also partnering with leading technology companies to develop cutting-edge solutions and services that enable businesses to take advantage of these technologies and drive growth and transformation.”

This commitment symbolises everything that Link Africa is about and how ambition will quickly be turned into reality. Despite challenging conditions locally and globally, this is a business choosing optimism.

“Business carries on in South Africa. The business community is tough. We have been operating in harsh environments regarding the economy for a long time,” says Sutton.

Encouraging open access uptake and driving digital inclusion is a priority of national importance and thanks to Link Africa will become more achievable while allowing businesses and individuals to elevate themselves in an ever increasingly connected world.

“Our fibre network infrastructure is designed to be reliable, secure, and scalable, ensuring that businesses can operate effectively and efficiently without interruptions or downtime,” Abbas concludes.