Broadband Infraco scores licence

Johannesburg - South Africa's communications regulator has awarded state-owned Broadband Infraco a broadband communications network services licence, the operator said in a statement on Wednesday.

Broadband Infraco, which got the licence on October 19 from the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa), said it would provide broadband capacity to operators in southern Africa.

"This licence will allow Broadband Infraco to provide electronic communications network services to other licenced operators with the use of its own fibre optic network infrastructure," the statement said.

The telecoms company has 11 765 kms of fibre optic cable connecting major cities including Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town and Durban.

Broadband Infraco has invested in the 5.12 terabit per second West Africa Cable Systems sub-marine network that links southern and western African countries to Europe.

- Reuters