Telkom SA welcomes the start of the much anticipated 2013 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) and is geared and ready to deliver a range of critical services required to host this major sporting event.
The 2013 AFCON takes place from 19 January until 10 February.
Telkom SA has been requested to render a range of Information Technology and Telecommunications (IT&T) services for the duration.
“Having prepared for the 2013 AFCON in record time, Telkom is pleased to help tie together this nation-building event. Smooth technical operations are crucial for the success of such occasions and we will deliver nothing less,” said Telkom SA Business Managing Director, Dr Brian Armstrong.
Telkom SA was chosen as the ICT partner for the event for several reasons, including a credible track record and technical expertise based on the successes attained during the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup and 2010 FIFA World Cup.
For the first time at a major sporting event, Telkom SA will be providing a range of both voice and data mobile services and products.
Best practices adopted during the 2010 FIFA World Cup will help ensure optimal availability, high throughput performance and sound broadband delivery.
The Company’s delivery of services for the 2013 AFCON is subject to the completion of commercial arrangements between the relevant parties.
“The experience of the 2010 FIFA World Cup has helped Telkom greatly in delivering on critical services for events like the AFCON. The scales of the two events are vastly different and as a result, so are the risks. We could not be better prepared,” said Dr Armstrong.
Telkom will also deliver an IP based Virtual Private Network (VPN) for the purposes of voice, data and video traffic. This will ensure that the Local Organising Committee’s (LOC’s) Sandton headquarters will be connected in real-time to the five stadiums being used (Johannesburg, Nelspruit, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Rustenburg) at any point in time. The service will be proactively managed from the Telkom National Network Operations Centre (NNOC) in Centurion.
To ensure that this African sporting event can be broadcast internationally, Telkom SA has made provision for Internet access for both national and international communication to be used by the international media fraternity.
This will enable journalists and commentators to file their respective stories on time. Wireless access (WiFi) services will be deployed at locations such as the media tribune, broadcast compound, and accreditation centres at each of the utilised stadiums.
“Every precaution has been taken to avoid network failures, including additional redundancy via dual access infrastructure and 24/7 network management,” said Dr Armstrong.
Telkom SA will also be deploying six telepresence units at the stadiums and LOC headquarters in Sandton to support the operational requirements of the AFCON LOC.
Staff writer
