A leaked letter sent to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Communications, dated 16th August, 2021 by a new company ZoodLabs that is putting final touches to manage the country’s fiber optic network, has contributed a whopping SLE.5.2 billion (five point two billion Leones) towards the END OF SERVICE portfolio staff of the former infrastructure manager (Sierra Leone Cable), including stringent Tax Compliance with the National Revenue Authority (NRA). Its financial operating processes creates room for monthly tax compliance and audited to enhance full alignment.
In regulatory compliance, the institution is at the closing stage of engagement with the National Telecommunications Commission to harmonize the historic debt owed by the former management of infrastructure, and fully pay down (100%) license fee for its upcoming multi-tenancy metro infrastructure.
ZoodLabs Sierra Leone beginning 16th August 2021, started initiating its development and infrastructure plan for 2023/24 with full operationalization goals.
According to the letter, ZoodLabs is taking over the operations of the submarine Fiber Optic Network and its ancillary infrastructure in December 2020, they had completed several strategic projects.
In a Network Optimization and Upgrade, ZoodLabs met the cable landing station in a capacity of 80G. The fast-growing comprehensive technology and smart utility infrastructure company has successfully bankrolled the Country’s network optimization plan with an increase in the total throughout connectivity capacity of ½ Terabytes (500 Gigabytes-62% increment). ZoodLabs has also achieved a 100% network uptime (0% downtime) in the last six months and counting. There is a New International Point Presence in Cape Town. The company have deployed a successfully completed activation of the new International Point presence in Cape Town, connecting Sierra Leone directly with South Africa for the first time. The institution D. Uynefontein Cape Town Data Centre will enhance traffic resilience and diversification of international connectivity in the Country, uptime, and circuit protection to its primary Global exchange points in Paris and Lisbon.
Recently, Zoodlabs Sierra Leone, has activated Tier 1 IP Transit Partnership inter-connection with global tier-one IP transit Operations (Cogent & Orange), New Data Centre/ Meet me Room, Wholesale International Pricing in 60 days of operations in its transition plan, Zoodlabs SL reduced the cost of international wholesale bandwidth by 50% which is from a minimum of $20 per Mbps to a maximum of $40 per Mbps, to a new scale a minimum of $10 to a maximum of $20%.
During the first eight months of its operations, Zoodlabs has established the dipstick analysis to understand the market gaps and pain points, validate its business plan, develop the right initiatives that will enhance the digital economy-make broadband and Internet access a commonplace for every Sierra Leone. Zoodlabs have aligned its infrastructural rollout with the National Development plan and in the coming weeks Zoodlabs will be unavailing the following projects: Smart City multi-tenancy Infrastructure. Its business will soon be deploying 750km of metro fiber infrastructure in Freetown as phase one. This network when established will be the largest multi-tenancy infrastructure that will be deploy in a single City in the Mano River sub-region. The Freetown metro phase one is estimated to provide infrastructural coverage that will allow Internet Service Providers to real high-speed fiber broadband to over 150,000 homes, offices, security outlets, healthcare centers, schools, and more. There is a designed scalable multi-tenancy infrastructure that will allow 144 operators and use cases including ISPs, MNO, National Grid and Utility Network which will set the stage for electricity automation, Private Security network for classified communications cases, City SURVEILLANCE (CCTV) and signalization, and more. The 750km metro infrastructure will be bankrolled with the biggest backbone capacity of 80G (3x the cumulative market size-nationwide). The institution will optimize the infrastructure with 120 Station Terminal Cabinets and 4,200 Optical Terminal Boxes deployed in vectorized communities in Freetown.
Zoodlabs for the first time, extended its coverage in the Freetown peninsular communities from Goderich to Waterloo. Its partnership with the national grid will allow EDSA to utilize its poles to accelerate electricity expansion.
Recently the Government of Sierra Leone closed in on a USD 3O million fiber backbone Infrastructure of 660km connecting major cities and townships. Zoodlabs will be one of the biggest uptakes/clients the National Fiber Backbone Infrastructure as its multi-tenancy metro infrastructure will augment the National Backbone to build the middle layer that will allow Internet Service Providers to get closer to the communities with nearly-zero investment in network infrastructure aimed at increase in access whilst achieving affordability.
In going green, Zoodlabs will be the zero-emission multi-tenancy infrastructure in the sub-region. As part of its infrastructure capital plan, the company will be investing SLE.16.7 billion in renewable solar energy that will generate 1.2 megawatts of electricity to fully power the cable landing station and POP sites. This component of its infrastructure investment is to solidify operation connectivity; driver its suitability in reducing carbon emission and its contribution to climate change.
Fulfilling its Corporate Social Responsibility, Zoodlabs will be providing connectivity support to the House of Parliament, all Tertiary and learning institutions with two smart classrooms concept that will support interactive online lectures, Project Adopt a School targeting 50 basic and secondary schools, 10 Major Police Headquarters, 5 major Health Centers all of which will be in Freetown phase one. There would be a full sponsorship to ISPs (clients) to design a special fiber broadband packages pricing for the security communities (Military and Police settlement).
Together with its strategic partners, Cross-Boundary Energy (USAIDFUND), Nokia, Powerhive, Miro Forestry, and Netis, Zoodlabs will be sending out follow-up communications on the launch planning, they are forecasting to commence lighting up communities in December 2021. The full deployed plan will be shared with the 16 vectorized communities that will be scoped under phases.
Zoodlabs is based in Freetown with a satellite office in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Zoodlabs Group is a comprehensive technology and smart utility infrastructure company.
It is a modern technology and digital innovation and they have monitored their evolution to inform their approaches all to offer an exceptional experience. Their commitment to the African continent is driven to bridge the gaps in essential utility delivery experience. They have aligned their business model and Africa growth strategy to build solutions that will create the launch pad in building smarter communities.
Zoodlabs have made a significant investment in network stabilization and optimization, purchased equipment to replace outdated ones, modernized the network and stock up spares for hot and cold standby, and replaced the power plants with a next step to go full green before the end of the year.
