DFA and Ciena have set a new benchmark for fibre transmission in South Africa, completing a world-first trial that achieved 1.6 Tbps over a single wavelength. Conducted between Isando and Midrand on DFA’s core network, the trial delivered four times the performance of previous 400 Gbps demonstrations. The test used Ciena’s WaveRouter and WaveLogic 6 Extreme solutions, integrated by South African system integrator Willcom.
The milestone builds on Phase 1 of DFA’s R800 million network upgrade, which included new underground distribution cabinets to improve service delivery. With the successful trial, DFA plans to roll out next-generation services in selected regions before scaling nationwide. The company, part of the MAZIV group, says the upgrade enhances its ability to meet growing digital demands across enterprises and service providers.
By integrating Ciena’s WaveLogic optics and routing in a unified architecture, DFA gains the ability to aggregate services at 400 Gbps, 800 Gbps, and 1.6 Tbps. The deployment will also use Ciena’s Navigator Network Control Suite for multi-layer automation, enabling DFA to scale WAN capacity where needed. According to Ciena, this positions DFA to meet surging demand for high-speed services while future-proofing South Africa’s digital infrastructure.
- DFA trialed 1.6 Tbps transmission over a single wavelength, a 4x leap over prior 400 Gbps trials.
- The trial spanned a 40 km route on DFA’s high-capacity core network between Isando and Midrand.
- Ciena’s WaveRouter and WaveLogic 6 Extreme powered the trial, deployed with partner Willcom.
- DFA is investing R800 million in a national upgrade, with new distribution cabinets in dense areas.
- Future network services will integrate 400 Gbps, 800 Gbps, and 1.6 Tbps capabilities under one system.
“With Ciena’s optical and routing technologies, DFA is better positioned to deliver high-scale 400 Gbps aggregation today while preparing its network to scale up to 1.6 Tbps and beyond,” said Virginie Hollebecque, Vice President, EMEA, Ciena.
🌐 Analysis: DFA (Dark Fibre Africa) has emerged as South Africa’s leading wholesale open-access fibre infrastructure provider since its launch in 2007. The company, now part of the MAZIV group alongside Vumatel, SADV, and Rise Telecoms, focuses on building and operating high-capacity dark fibre networks that serve ISPs, mobile operators, data centers, and enterprises. Its model centers on open-access, meaning it leases fibre infrastructure rather than competing in retail broadband, helping accelerate competition and digital adoption across South Africa.
DFA has rolled out thousands of kilometers of metro and long-haul fibre, connecting major urban centers and secondary towns, with growing emphasis on enterprise and mobile backhaul. Its investment strategy, most recently the R800 million upgrade, includes building Dry Underground Distribution Cabinets (DUDCs) in dense urban zones to accelerate service provisioning and improve resilience. This effort positions DFA to play a central role in South Africa’s national broadband ambitions, bridging the gap between wholesale fibre and last-mile service providers.
The company’s parent, MAZIV, is majority owned by Vodacom and Remgro, reflecting both telco and investment backing. By aligning with global vendors such as Ciena and local integrators like Willcom, DFA gains access to cutting-edge coherent optics and routing needed to scale to terabit-class connectivity. In a competitive regional landscape where Liquid Intelligent Technologies and Telkom SA are also expanding infrastructure, DFA’s focus on open access and high-capacity backbone services makes it a critical enabler of South Africa’s digital economy and future AI-driven connectivity needs.
