The nationwide 100/200G DWDM backbone network currently being deployed by the National Electricity Company of Senegal will be able to offer network capacity by December 2023.
The utilities firm, known as SENELEC, noted that capacity would be available for the country’s government as well as telecom operators and both public and private companies. The predominantly aerial network uses SENELEC’s existing fibre-optic footprint, and consists of 53 backbone sites. It offers coverage in all 14 regions of Senegal.
SENELEC partnered with Huawei for the deployment, after signing a memorandum of understanding with the Chinese vendor in December 2022 aimed at pushing digital transformation. SENELEC managing director Papa Mademba Biteye noted that the agreement would allow the public company to increase its revenues while keeping a lid on costs.
Huawei Senegal Managing Director Lionel Liu said: “The DWDM transmission network will allow SENELEC to multiply the capacity of its network, to have reliable and highly available connectivity, while remaining a flexible and scalable infrastructure which will allow it to adapt and meet future connectivity needs.”
The network is now in the closing stages of its establishment phase following the completion of its first operational link between Dakar and Thies. The second phase aims to introduce a secure radio communications network that SENELEC believes could be used for critical services, electricity network automation, public services and smart energy metering. Additionally, the use of SENELEC’s fibre infrastructure will allow operators to extend their services to regions where their networks do not yet cover.
