Oni-Tel Unveils High-Speed Fibre Backbone to Transform Gauteng Connectivity

Oni-Tel Fibre Networks, a South African fibre optic infrastructure provider, has launched its new Inter-Data Centre Fibre Network, with Digital Parks Africa (DPA) as its first point of presence (PoP). The rollout marks a major step in strengthening Gauteng’s digital backbone and enabling faster, more reliable interconnectivity between key data hubs.

Speaking at the launch, Oni-Tel CEO Andre Pillay said the network was designed with simplicity, resilience, and performance in mind. For customers migrating from legacy systems, the biggest advantage is a streamlined, highly reliable infrastructure. “We don’t just install fibre; we engineer value into it,” Pillay said. “Our network is new, clean, and purpose-built. Without legacy challenges, we have the agility and efficiency to deliver a compelling alternative to traditional backhaul providers.”

He emphasised Oni-Tel’s use of smart sensing technology and proactive monitoring to detect and mitigate issues before they arise. This, he noted, allows the company to confidently measure its performance against competitors. Pillay also credited the Oni-Tel team—industry veterans with decades of experience—for bringing commitment, creativity, and a long-term vision to the project.

DPA Head of Business Development, Eckart Zollner, described the partnership as a meaningful milestone. With customers already using the network through DPA’s data centre, he said the launch was not only a technical achievement but a celebration of collaboration. “Oni-Tel is poised to create real disruption, which resonates strongly with us,” he said. “We see ourselves as disruptors too, constantly reshaping the data centre landscape.”

He added that DPA’s partner-centric model continues to define how infrastructure providers can enable growth across the continent—by offering flexible, innovative, high-performance platforms that support Africa’s expanding digital ecosystem.

The new high-speed fibre backbone connects major data centres across Gauteng, enabling seamless, low-latency communication between facilities and opening new opportunities for cloud, enterprise, and hyperscale environments. Oni-Tel is now positioned to become the first provider to introduce new infrastructure access models built specifically for data centre interconnect (DCI) and external links such as carrier PoPs, carrier hotels, and campus cross-connects.

To date, Oni-Tel has laid more than 70km of next-generation fibre, engineered for scalability, speed, and future demand—ushering in a bold new era of infrastructure participation and innovation.

//Staff writer