BURUNDI BACKBONE SYSTEMS

BURUNDI BACKBONE SYSTEMS

Committed to the economic development and attractiveness of Burundi

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Network Burundi Backbone Systems is applying its technological capabilities to enrich all walks of Burundian life Writer: Matthew Staff | Project Manager: Kane Weller

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s an infrastructure operator specialising in the design, construction, technical operation and marketing of high speed networks, Burundi Backbone Systems (BBS) continues to enrich its country on a much more all-encompassing level.

While offering state-of-theart technologies and innovative infrastructure as an initial service, the overall ramifications become a whole lot more significant when analysing the economic and facilitative repercussions of BBS’s operations.

As a partner to government institutions through the framework of the Government Communication network (COMGOV) the Company’s impetus truly emanates from the top down, and goes on to infiltrate areas of university education, banking, public services, enterprises of all kinds, and even individuals.

The Company explains on its website: “BBS is committed to the economic development and attractiveness of the territories by deploying optical fibre, particularly in the heart of business areas.

Specific offers are dedicated to operators so that they can benefit local businesses with their best services.”

BBS further compounds its national influence via its role within the wider consortium of Burundian telecommunications operators that joined forces to build a national fibre network with assistance from the World Bank. Joining the enriching association shortly after its launch in 2013, the national broadband connectivity enabler can now claim to have contributed to the country’s largest fibre-optic network.

Expanding the network

The COMGOV project (Government Communication) was formally initiated seven months after BBS’s initiation under the financing of the Government of Burundi and with the aforementioned, pivotal support of the World Bank.

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NEW FACE. REVITALISED OUTLOOK. At PTA Bank (Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank), we have been facilitaang trade, socio-economic development and regional economic integraaon across our 21 Member States since 1985. We also offer membership to insstuuonal shareholders. Our services include Trade Finance, Project and Infrastructure Finance, Short – Term Lending and Special Purpose Funds Management.

In order to clearly outline our role as we move forward, we have taken on a new face and name. PTA Bank will now be known as TDB (Trade and Development Bank). Under TDB, we will connnue what was started over 30 years ago with renewed enthusiasm and commitment, under the same guiding principles and mandate.

TDB Financial Highlights • Bank Net Loan Porrolio: 3.24 Billion USD (31st December 2016) • Trade Finance Loans Porrolio (Net): 2.39 Billion USD (31st December 2016) • Diversity of Bank Porrolio by sector on – net basis (31st December 2016): Agribusiness 21%, Banking and Finance 15%, Manufacturing and Heavy Industries 13%, Petrochemicals 14% • Bank Shareholding (December 2016): Regional member 69.21%, Non-regional member 9.77%, Insstuuonal Shareholding (including class B shares) 21.02%

Integraang and Advancing the region.

Burundi Backbone Systems (“BBS”) was created as a Special Purpose Vehicle to implement Burundi’s Naaonal Fibre Backbone project.The BBS cable is a fully integrated mull-technology network cable that will link Burundi to region and the rest of the world.

In line with its mand mandate of integraang and advancing the region, TDB has been supporrng financially this project since 2013.

N The Naaonal Fibre Backbone project is one of the largest infrastructure projects in Burundi.

The concept involves the installaaon of a fibre oppc cable to connect all the 17 provinces of Burundi and 6 border points. The cable will measure approximately 1,250 km, have 20 points of presence, 5 microwave links, ne network operaaons centres, a separate mirror site at Bujumbura and a metropolitan network for Bujumbura. Internaaonal conneccons will be done at the borders with Rwanda, Tanzania and DR Congo.

On compleeon, BBS will provide access to worldwide dessnaaons through interconneccvity with the already installed fibre oppc cables in Rwanda and Tanzania.

By creaang direct communicaaons channels between Burundi and the rest of the World, the project will help minimize costly and inefficient dependence on satellite transmission.

Mauriius Principal Office 2nd Floor, Blue Tower, Rue de L’Insstute, Ebene, P.O. Box 43, Reduit, Mauriius Mobile Phone: +230 4967204 Switchboard: +230 4967204 Nairobi Regional Office Pla Lenana road, 197 Lenana Plaza, P.O. Box 48596, 00100,Nairobi, Kenya.

Switchboard: +254 732192000 Fax: +254 (20) 2711510 Bujumbura Principal Office 224625 ChaussОe du Prince Louis Rwagasore, P. O. Box 1750 Esatkena, Bujumbura, Burundi.

Switchboard : +257 22224625 / 22220313 Fax: +257 22224966 Harare Regional Office 70 Enterprise Road, NewlandsHarare, Zimbabwe Switchboard: +256 4788330-3/788336-9 Fax: +256 4788345

www.tdbgroup.org

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”In its desire to contribute to the education and professional training of young Burundians, BBS is expanding this network by connecting all the universities of Burundi, both private and public,” the business adds.

High speed guaranteed

Later placed under the tutelage of SETIC it has gone on to be a flagship involvement for the Company and a landmark stage of the country’s wider infrastructural evolution.

“The project executed by BBS consisted of connecting 46 public institutions to BBS fibre optics and providing 100Mbps of internet capacity and 440Mbps of national capacity,” the Company notes.

There are now around 70 connected institutions, and this has gone on to pave the way for the Company’s further involvement in a series of significant projects.

The BERNET project (Burundi Education and Research Network) soon followed, comprising 14 universities that were connected with an MPLS network and to the internet.

As a fully protected network with around 10 aggregation sites, the implementation has not only sped up the educative network, but it has also facilitated advanced learning facilities through the form of e-learning.

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In its desire to contribute to the education and professional training of young Burundians, BBS is expanding this network by connecting all the universities of Burundi, both private and public

As the partner of choice across a number of public and private domains and having worked on numerous nationally important projects over the years, inevitably BBS’s product range and service assortment has diversified extensively.

“Wherever you are, whoever you are, we have a solution to help you grow your business,” the Company affirms to this end.

On the IP transit side, BBS continues: “Our IP Transit network was built from scratch and is designed for the lowest latencies, the smallest number of jumps, reliability and stable roundtrip times. IP Transit Networks offer a multi-destination IP transit service that offers the best route selection for your destination to the internet with built-in redundancy and fault tolerance; delivering superior service to carriers, ISPs and application service providers (ASPs), content players, and other users who demand high quality performance and connectivity in the internet backbone and major eye networks.”

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he Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank - trading under Trade and Development Bank (TDB) - was established in 1985 as a regional development financial institution.

The Bank is a supra-national legal entity established by Charter, which is legally binding for all members and sets out key objectives, membership, capital structure and organisation of the Bank and identifies the transactions that the Bank may engage in over time. The Bank has two main policy organs, namely the Board of Governors and the Board of Directors.

TDB was established to foster trade, socio-economic development and regional economic integration for its Member States.

The Bank’s membership is composed of and open to Member States (or their Designated Institutions), African Institutions, other African and non-African States (or their Designated Institutions) and any African or non-African Public or Private Institution or corporate bodies.

The Bank covers three main areas of financial operations, namely trade finance, project and infrastructure finance and funds management.

Within its trade finance offering the Bank’s products include import and export financing, structured commodity finance, guarantees and bonds, pre and post shipment finance, issuance of letters and credit, receivable backed and asset financing.

In project and infrastructure finance its financing solutions include project finance, corporate finance, leasing and guarantees among many others.

Key purpose and objectives One of the Bank’s main aims is to advance regional economic integration and growth through trade and investment, while also promoting the development of infrastructure, exports and enterprises in Member States.

TDB also provides debt, quasi-equity and equity financing, as well as non-financial products and services to eligible entities and projects in the Member States. It is also important to the Bank to foster development and deepening of financial and capital markets and Member States.

Unique expertise As a leading financier of exports and imports within the Tripartite region, the Bank has a particularly unique range of expertise and a strong regional presence. As TDB operates within fast growing African economies where the demand for financing is especially robust, there are many opportunities for growth.

TDB’s net profit has demonstrated accelerated growth due to a successful strategy implementation which is focused on solid risk management practices, performance and development impact.

In order to achieve this accelerated growth, TDB has had to regularly improve margins and profits through sector diversification and the increased quality of the portfolio. The Bank has an excellent range of products available for its clients and partners and is the reason it is as successful as it is today.

T +257 222 24625, +257 222 20313 E info@tdbgroup.org

www.tdbgroup.org

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Built around reliability, flexibility and efficiency, the resultant IP fibre network is ready to meet the complete range of capacity needs in order to grow clients’ businesses.

Internet traffic for each beneficiary becomes more concerted and more reliable, and is backed up by BBS’s equally prevalent transmission services.

The business continues: “Today, BBS operates and markets from its points of presence - across the entire territory of Burundi - a last-generation transmission service that addresses all telecom players seeking a very high speed guaranteed.”

Development of the nation

Transparency and security are two

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The Burundi Backbone System Company is aware of the role of new information technologies and the importance of educating youth for the development of the nation

final facets brought to the table as a consequence of the Company’s innovative and groundbreaking unveilings; epitomised by its NOC (Network Operations Centre).

Designed and organised to meet the characteristics of the open network operated by BBS, the NOC allows for the same maintenance, reactivity and capacity evolution synonymous with Burundi Backbone Systems.

“The NOC provides supervision and maintenance of all services offered by BBS and a dedicated hotline is available 24-seven,” the Company details.”The NOC enables BBS to provide quality assurance to its customers and ensures continuous process monitoring and improvement.”

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While seemingly an internal development, the link between BBS’s success and the success of Burundi overall has become naturally intertwined.

The more advanced and successful BBS’s products and services become, the faster Burundi’s fibre evolution will occur. And it’s not simply a case of unveiling an improvement and letting the country run with it either.

The Company goes on to play an active role in a number of sectors, seeking more bespoke and befitting solutions for the betterment of an industry or an economic driver within the country.

With tourism for instance, BBS’s optical fibre has not only brought better internet quality but has improved the overall customer or visitor experience through enhanced flexibility.

“Today, the internet has become an ideal means of communication; whether on a national or international level, with the family or for business.

Thanks to fibre optics, BBS offers its customers a broadband connection, stable and at an affordable price,” the Company explained in a recent press release.

“Wherever you are, whoever you are, we have a solution to help you grow your business.”

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From a security perspective, the impact is equally prominent, aiding against the growing threat of cyber crimes by formulating an offering able to combat such challenges.

And finally, as the ultimate epitome of BBS’s influence in the years to come; education is paramount.

“The Burundi Backbone System Company is aware of the role of new information technologies and the importance of educating youth for the development of the nation,” the Company aptly concludes.

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20 Mwambutsa Q.Kigobe Burundi Tel: +257 71 500 038 sales@bbs.bi

www.bbs.bi

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