October 5, 2004 Orlando, FL--Communications provider Terracom (Kigali, Rwanda) has begun a nationwide rollout of Alloptic's Ethernet passive optical network (EPON) equipment in the central African country of Rwanda. The initial deployment is in the capital city of Kigali with emphasis placed on providing fiber connectivity to schools, government offices, and foreign embassies.
The network will connect Rwandese to each other and to the world. Terracom's fiber network will be the largest in central Africa, providing connections to over 200,000 students and all government ministries. The network will span the entire country from end-to-end, carrying telephone, Internet and TV. Alloptic (Livermore, CA) offers standards-based Ethernet PON equipment that enables service providers to deploy voice (TDM and IP), video (RF and IP), and data services.
"We are pleased to be working with the Rwandan government and President Paul Kagame to provide Rwanda with a world class communications infrastructure" says Greg Wylar, American entrepreneur, philanthropist, and driving force behind Terracom. "With one of the most stable governments in Africa, Rwanda has lacked a communications infrastructure. This massive fiber-optic build-out is making Rwandan communications comparable to the infrastructures deployed in the United States and far ahead of any other country in the region. Call centers and businesses are looking to relocate in Rwanda because the communications systems are by far the best in the region."
Alloptic's Gigabit Ethernet PON technology has been deployed worldwide. The environmentally hardened design and passive architecture make the access technology ideal for many environments.
"After reviewing numerous technology options, Alloptic was the only provider that offered a true future-proof network architecture, based on the widely understood Ethernet standard, and was robust enough to handle our environment which requires low power consumption at the endpoints and no powering in the middle," explains Wyler. "The technology and management system has far exceeded our expectation; the equipment has worked flawlessly; and the customer support we have received from Alloptic has been excellent."
"We are very proud of our relationship with Terracom," said Mike Serrano, director of product marketing at Alloptic. "Like all companies, Terracom, is faced with the challenge of managing capital and operating costs while building a future-proof network. Alloptic's Ethernet-based, passive optical network is allowing them to provide a state-of-the-art access network, and as domestic municipalities have learned, a communications access network has the potential to drive economic development and private investment."