The Knysna Project

A Partnership between UniNet and the

Knysna Municipality

“The First Completely Wi-Fi covered Town in Africa”

The Vision

• To build completely Wi-Fi covered Towns throughout Africa in partnership with government and service providers.

• To redress the imbalances that exist in the access to communications services in the region.

• To empower the community and its visitors with access to 21st Century cost-effective communications services.

• A significant portion of a municipality’s budget is spend on internal communication, esp. in developing world context.

• Municipal service delivery is severely constrained by inadequate access to communication services especially in under-serviced areas

• The “Digital Divide” is very prevalent between first and second economies within these communities.

The Business Case for Municipalities

• The Knysna Municipality awarded a Tender to build a Wireless local-loop access and transit infrastructure to cover the entire region.

• Outdoor Uni-Fi Hotspots (Wi-Fi) are also installed throughout the region, including the informal settlements.

• The Municipality uses UniNet to provision free basic internet and Voice services to the community.

• UniNet provides sustainable low-cost commercial Internet, VoIP and data services to the community.

Knysna

• Other service providers in the region can utilize the network for the delivery of services to their clients - The first open access network in SA!

• Social development initiatives are implemented in the region, based on cost effective communications services.

• UniNet operates and maintains the wholesale network services in the area.

• The project is financed through re-allocation of operational capital – no additional capital budget is required from the Municipality.

Knysna

How it works!

UniNet Technology Simulation

The UniFi User Experience

– High quality low-cost fixed line telephony and Internet.– Mobile Voice and Data access close to any UniNet CPE,

including all municipal sites, schools, libraries and Clinics.– Access to low cost VoIP and data services within the community

including throughout the informal settlements.– Portability vs Mobility– Free local calls (on-net)– Free basic internet services in libraries on all hotspots.

Voice Pricing

Comparative Rates UniNet

Cellular Pre-Paid (average) Land-Line (average)

All Prices VAT inclusive Rate Per Minute (peak / off-peak)

Cellular R 1.65 / R 1.10 R 2.85 / R 1.60 R 1.88 / R 1.17

Local R 0.37 / R 0.15 R 2.62 / R 1.45 R 0.38 / R 0.16

National R 0.79 / R 0.39 R 2.62 / R 1.45 R 0.80 / R 0.40

Calls on same Network

R 0.20 / R 0.10 R 2.55 / R 1.40 R 0.38 / R 0.16

   

Data Rates per MB

R 0.50 R 2.00 N/A

• 89 Municipal Sites– 36 Municipal Buildings

– 13 Schools; 3 Clinics; 8 Libraries

– 23 Municipal Staff home connections; 5 Charities

• Currently 120 Outdoor hotspots– Complete (90%) Fixed-wireless coverage of entire town including

formal and informal (shantytown) settlements and rural surroundings. And 30% of the town covered by Hotspots

– Municipality has just confirmed expansion of the project to bring the total to over 300 hotspots.

• Commercial Service delivery to the community– Low cost VoIP

– Always on broadband Internet

– Wholesale Access services for all licensed Service providers.

Service Delivery Summary – Knysna

• Regulatory framework for Municipal local-loop infrastructure deployments:

– The Local government body (Knysna Municipality) owns the network and is a licensed PTN. The network is installed and operated by UniNet who provides low-cost commercial services to the community provided under it’s VANS license.

• Electronic Communications Act (ECA) – Competitive marketplace – wholesale/open access – Municipalities to be class licenses for infrastructure.– UniNet would apply/lobby for conversion to Infrastructure class

licensee

The Regulatory Framework.

– 1999 UniNet Lda. Maputo was established– 2000 UniNet sets the pace and offers

broadband for USD50 always-on uncapped in Maputo.

– 2001 More than 6 fixed-wireless operators begin compete in Mozambique driving prices down.

– 2002 UniNet is started in Cape Town, with SA and Mozambiquan investors and obtains VANS license.

The UniNet Pilgrimage in Southern Africa

– July 2003 UniNet is invited to present at the UN in New York about the state of telecoms de-regulation in Southern Africa

– FCC, UNDP and UNICT taskforce assist UniNet with strategy and promise support.

– FCC advised UniNet on the creation of industry self regulatory bodies for ISM band usage as they had done in the US.

– UNICT Taskforce and the Wireless Institute support UniNet and sponsor the PR and lobby campaign.

– Dec. 2003 UniNet is sponsored to present at WSIS Geneva.– Jan 2004-2005 UniNet invited across the world to present at

Digital cities summits, Tunis WSIS and a number of local (SA) summits/conferences on telecoms.

The UniNet Pilgrimage in Southern Africa

– September 2004 UniNet receives DTI funding as a BEE startup company with the CITI bandwidth barn initiative.

– July 2005 UniNet wins Knysna Municipality tender for wireless local loop infrastructure.

– August 2005 Telkom tries to undermine the Knysna project by alleging to the Municipality and the press that UniNet’s service is illegal

– Nov 2005. UniNet completes “UniFi Knysna” Phase 1- “ The first Wi-Fi covered town in Africa”

– Nov 2005 UniNet and a number of competitors make submissions to ICASA on industry self regulation body.

The UniNet Pilgrimage in Southern Africa

– December 2005 DOC approached UniNet for information on Knysna and offered their support.

– Jan 2006 UniNet launches VoIP Carrier pre-select service.

– Jan 2006 DOC provide support to UniNet to secure financing for expansion.

– Feb 2006 UniNet commences proof of concept deployments for:

» Storm, Datapro, Openvoice, Verizon, Directel/Transtel and other major 2nd Tier ISP’s.

The UniNet Pilgrimage in Southern Africa

– Nov 2005 Worldbank – Infodev use UniNet as a exemplary open access case study in developing countries.

– May 2006 Worldbank – investigating funding expansion of Knysna project to the region, with a view to subsequent Southern African expansion.

– May 2006 UniNet, a large 2nd Tier ISP , I to I, Multisource, XoN and Redlinx form a consortium for the City of Cape Town SCAN tender.

The UniNet Pilgrimage in Southern Africa

– UN ICT Task Force best-practices case study for “Wi-Fi for development” July 2003

– Winner in the Enablis/Business report “ICT Entrepreneurs Challenge 2005” Business expansion category.

– Technology top 100 award for the Most promising Emerging company, sponsored by Department of Science and Technology and the DaVinci institute October 2005.

“…a viable solution to the roll-out of divergence technologies in SA's rural and other

underserviced areas.” TT100 Judges

Awards and Recognition

Future Plans in South Africa

• Another 4 UniFi projects planned for deployment in 2006 with Small to Medium Municipalities.

• 3 Tenders for the Metro’s Cape Town, Durban and Tswane.

• Completion of network coverage for the Eden district Municipality Riversdale to Plettenberg bay.

• Provincial government projects in Mpumalanga, Limpopo and Eastern Cape.

• 2 Rural Mozambique projects in partnership with Government,

• Organic expansion based on Service providers in partnership with UniNet.

The key to realizing social delivery and local economic development utilizing next

generation Telecoms solutions.

Local Government Partnerships