PCCW Global, the international operating division of HKT and Kenyan technology service provider TESPOK have signed an MoU to provide Africa’s first mobile data roaming exchange point, an IPX based networking infrastructure.
This will keep roaming data on the continent while dramatically improving user experience, gaining network efficiencies, decreasing costs, and reducing loads on international cable infrastructure, said PCCW Global in a statement.
Growing demand for bandwidth-intensive applications such as YouTube, Netflix, and WhatsApp are fueling demand for 3G and 4G high-speed mobile networks throughout Africa. However, providing these services to roaming mobile users is fraught with difficulties because most roaming data currently transfers via the closest data Internet exchange points located in distant locations. The increased latency caused by this inefficient network scenario explains why roaming customers are frequently frustrated by poor service quality.
The PCCW Global and TESPOK solution is to set up a local African data roaming Internet exchange point strategically located in Kenya. The exchange point itself will be connected to PCCW Global’s tier one network consistently ranked within the top 10 for global IP peering.
Sameh Sobhy, VP, Middle East, Turkey & Africa, PCCW Global
Since African data roaming traffic is doubling year on year, the collaboration with TESPOK is an important step for the continent. Once an MNO is connected to the service, roaming customers will benefit from vastly improved quality in Africa, while facilitating cost efficiencies.
Fiona Asonga, CEO, TESPOK
PCCW Global is one of the largest network providers in Africa. We expect that the company’s unique routing capabilities will decrease connectivity costs for operators who make use of this African Union supported GRX (Global Roaming Exchange)
