Digital News South Africa

Broadband integration for residential communications

Developer Zotos Construction has contracted Gauteng broadband-based Services Company Goal Technology Solutions (GTS) to supply the upmarket Park24 development in Kyalami with integrated broadband Internet access and telephone services for all units, as well as surveillance cameras, security communication, and access control. The announcement was made on 14 September 2006.

While the technology itself is not entirely new, says GTS CEO Adrian Maguire, it is significant that a developer of Zotos Property Group's stature has sought a complete broadband solution in a residential development application.

"The residential market is demanding cost-effective broadband services provisioning on one seamlessly integrated homogenous network, and with backbone bandwidths of more than 200Mbps possible, that is a very real possibility," says Maguire.

"The inherent-cost effectiveness of marrying all functions within residential developments - from essential services such as access control and security to value-added service like Internet access and email to all residents - is very attractive."

Broadband across electricity grids is one of the most stable systems available, according to GTS, accessible by simply plugging into any electrical wall socket within the estate.

"Convergence of systems in residential and business environments is a marked trend," says Maguire. "Not only do system and communication management integration save substantial costs, but management and availability of information becomes streamlined and sustainable within a secure environment. South Africa has an advanced electricity grid and the potential for leveraging this network to the benefit of all South Africans technologically is immense."

The technology will use the existing electricity grid within the estate.

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