Some high profile government representatives were at the launch, held at the Arthur Ashe Sports Complex in Jabavu, Soweto.
The company was formed after Ericsson South Africa was chosen to partner the city in its billion rand Joburg Broadband Network Project (JBNP) in February 2009, and is set to provide voice and data communications throughout the city.
"Our global experience has demonstrated undeniable benefits to society as a whole, making sizable contributions to the employment, health and education sectors, where broadband has been introduced as a societal norm. BWired is poised to make these advantages a reality for the City of Johannesburg," said Ericsson's head of market unit of sub-Saharan Africa, Lars Linden.
BWired is an Ericsson initiative that will make affordable broadband widely accessible to Joburgers.
Broadband refers to telecommunications infrastructure in which a wide band of frequencies is available to transmit information. Because a wide band of frequencies is available, information can be sent on many different frequencies or channels within the band at the same time, allowing more information to be transmitted in a given amount of time - much as more lanes on a highway allow more cars to travel on it at the same time.
It is becoming an increasingly important part of developed and developing economies around the world, with the use of broadband services expected to increase. It has had a positive and direct effect on employment, with studies showing a correlation between broadband penetration and an increase in employment.
"Broadband is currently also being used around the world by communities to improve public safety and by governments to improve efficiency. This has resulted in more user-friendly government services and huge cost savings," said BWired's managing director, Keith Kenneth.
The JBNP will begin with the laying of 900 kilometres of fibre optic cable in the city of gold. The roll-out is expected to take about three years to complete. The primary focus is on connectivity in rural areas, with the project beginning in Orange Farm, in the south of Joburg. Another aim is to empower small businesses.
"We believe that our vision to make broadband available in all corners of the city, from Diepsloot and Orange Farm to Soweto and Alexandra, not to mention the many other towns that fall within our jurisdiction, will soon be realised through BWired," said Johannesburg's City manager, Mavela Dlamini.
"In essence, they will be creating a whole new platform for local economic growth and social transformation in our city of gold ... With the increasing push from government at all levels to make more services available online, local governments will be able to use egovernment to deliver services and information to our citizens and customers 24 hours a day, seven days a week," he concluded.
Through its Broadband Technology Opportunities Program, BWired aims to address the promotion of human rights, greater access to educational information, expanded curricula and real-time collaboration among students.
It will also address broadband expansion as a way of promoting growth in commerce and tourism in Johannesburg, and growing health care options in medically underserved districts.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): JeVanne Gibbs
Quelle/Source: Joburg, 13.01.2010
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