First MEF-Certified Carrier Ethernet Service in East Africa is Here
By Many countries in sub-Saharan Africa don't have uniform broadband infrastructure in place capable of providing or delivering Ethernet services. As countries in the developed world continued to deploy applications based on software-defined networking (SDN) and network functions virtualization (NFV), sub-Saharan countries, which includes East Africa will also have to do the same. One of the steps to make this possible is with MEF CE 2.0 E-Access certification, which was given to DataNet Africa with the help of ADVA Optical Networking and its ADVA FSP 150 intelligent Ethernet access solution line.
DataNet Africa is the first operator in the East Africa region to provide wholesale MEF-certified Ethernet access circuits with a network built on the ADVA FSP 150. This has allowed the company to provide comprehensive Ethernet services with proven carrier class performance, as well as put systems in place to deliver applications based on SDN and NFV. African businesses can now start leveraging the technology to seek new revenue streams and streamline their operations to lower costs.
Ishkhan Martirosyan, CTO, DataNet Africa, said, "What the East African market requires is assured, cost-effective data transport. With next-generation connectivity services, businesses in East Africa will now have a significant competitive edge. What’s more, our infrastructure will soon be ready for applications powered by SDN and NFV. Our customers will then be able to further reduce costs while increasing agility and speed when it comes to deploying new services."
The Metro Ethernet Forum, MEF Certification Program enables service providers to certify their Carrier Ethernet services comply with the specifications the organization has established. The CE 2.0 Certifications were established in 2012 with rigorous testing by a third party MEF-approved test lab using 634 test cases derived from the MEF specifications. This has resulted in the successful global deployment of Carrier Ethernet with more than 200 certified service products.
"Securing MEF CE 2.0 certification means that DataNet Africa’s network has achieved the gold standard for connectivity services. It’s a guarantee for carriers and businesses that they can rely on the highest possible industry standards. Our FSP 150 technology provides carrier-class assurance, enabling DataNet Africa’s service provider customers the opportunity to offer profitable and differentiated Ethernet services," said Günter Landers, sales director, Africa, ADVA Optical Networking.
The ADVA FSP 150 was instrumental for the successful certification of DataNet Africa's infrastructure by providing carrier-class performance, scalability and resiliency for Carrier Ethernet transport. The FSP 150 line are built on the latest Etherjack technology to give operators advanced CFM, EFM and OAM capabilities.
With this certification, DataNet Africa will have certified Ethernet access circuits, interconnect links and external network-to-network interfaces. This will allow the company to start providing secure Carrier Ethernet services for local and international companies in different industries, including finance, government, healthcare and others.
Edited by Maurice Nagle
