{
    "title": "Seacom launches Seacom PeeringReach to extend South Africa's exchange fabric into local municipalities, reducing connectivity costs",
    "modified_at": "2026-04-21 08:00:03",
    "published_at": "2026-04-21 08:00:00",
    "url": "https://news.seacom.media/seacom-launches-seacom-peeringreach-to-extend-south-africas-exchange-fabric-into-local-municipalities-reducing-connectivity-costs",
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    "body": "<p><strong>JOHANNESBURG, 21 April 2026 - Seacom today announced the launch of </strong><em><strong>Seacom PeeringReach</strong></em><strong> at ZANOG iWeek 2026, Irene Country Lodge. </strong><em><strong>Seacom PeeringReach</strong></em><strong> is a cost-effective Layer 2 connectivity solution designed to extend South Africa&#039;s Internet Exchange (IXP) fabric directly into local municipalities and regional hubs,</strong> <strong>addressing the high costs and complexity traditionally associated with accessing national exchange connectivity. </strong></p><p>Delivered over Seacom&#039;s national long-distance fibre backbone, <em>Seacom PeeringReach</em> provides reliable, SLA-backed access to South Africa&rsquo;s leading Internet Exchanges, including JINX, CINX, DINX and NAPAfrica. The service offers a simpler, more affordable alternative to indirect routing via upstream providers or large\u2011scale infrastructure investments, helping customers connect directly to the IXP ecosystem.</p><p><strong>Unlocking broader exchange access at a lower cost</strong></p><p>Historically, gaining access to South Africa&#039;s peering ecosystem often required indirect connectivity paths or significant investment in national infrastructure, creating cost and operational barriers for networks operating in smaller towns and municipalities. <em>Seacom PeeringReach</em> removes these barriers by extending exchange access into local and regional areas through a single, integrated Layer 2 service.</p><p> By making exchange connectivity more accessible and affordable, the solution enables ISPs, regional carriers, enterprises and content providers to improve network efficiency and performance, regardless of geographic location.</p><p>&quot;This launch is about fundamentally rebalancing access to South Africa&#039;s digital infrastructure,&quot; said Prenesh Padayechee, Group Chief Technology &amp; Operations Officer, Digital Infrastructure at Seacom. &quot;<em>Seacom PeeringReach</em> gives networks in local municipalities a more \u200b cost-effective way to connect into the national peering ecosystem, helping them improve performance while keeping connectivity costs under control.&quot;</p><p><strong>Improving efficiency and simplifying network operations</strong></p><p>A key benefit of <em>Seacom PeeringReach</em> is its dedicated Layer 2 design, which eliminates the inefficiencies associated with indirect, multi-hop routing paths. By enabling more direct access to Internet Exchanges, the service improves traffic efficiency, predictability and overall network performance.</p><p>For many operators, expanding network reach has traditionally involved lengthy and expensive infrastructure projects. <em>Seacom PeeringReach</em> changes this by enabling growth through simple provisioning rather than construction, significantly reducing both cost and time to market.</p><p>&quot;PeeringReach is not just a connectivity product; it is an affordable enablement platform,&quot; added Padayachee. &quot;We are helping regional networks scale faster, operate more efficiently, and participate more meaningfully and affordably in the digital economy. By levelling the playing field for regional networks, <em>Seacom PeeringReach</em> improves national traffic efficiency, resilience and digital inclusion, reinforcing Seacom&#039;s role as a key national interconnection enabler,&quot; he says. </p><p>The service supports bandwidth options from 1 Gbps to 10 Gbps without requiring major infrastructure investment. \u200b </p><p><strong>Strengthening South Africa&#039;s digital ecosystem</strong></p><p>The introduction of <em>Seacom PeeringReach</em> reinforces Seacom&#039;s role as a national interconnection enabler, extending exchange access to areas that have historically been underserved. Through this approach, Seacom is:</p><ul class=\"release-content-list release-content-list--bulleted release-content-list--align-inherit\"><li><span>Lowering the cost barrier to Internet Exchange access</span></li><li><span>Enabling more affordable connectivity for local and regional \u200b networks</span></li><li><span>Improving national traffic efficiency and resilience</span></li><li><span>Enabling broader digital inclusion and economic participation</span></li></ul><p>Seacom designed the service for a wide range of customers, including ISPs serving local municipalities, regional carriers, enterprises with network-dependent operations, and content and cloud providers seeking improved performance in regional markets.</p><p><strong>Launch at ZANOG iWeek 2026</strong></p><p>The official unveiling of <em>Seacom PeeringReach</em> at ZANOG iWeek, a key gathering of network operators and internet infrastructure stakeholders, highlights Seacom&#039;s strategic role in advancing national interconnection and delivering high-performance, reliable and cost-effective connectivity solutions across South Africa.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>FIN<br>\u200b</strong>(550 words, excluding headline)</p>\n    <figure\n        class=\"release-content-image release-content-image--contained release-content-image--align-center\"\n        data-component=\"image-zoom-popup\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-selector=\".release-content-image__image\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-i18n=\"data:application/json;base64,eyJEb3dubG9hZCI6IkRvd25sb2FkIn0=\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-tracking-views-event=\"Story Image View\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-tracking-download-event=\"Story Image Download\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-placement=\"content\"\n    >\n        <div class=\"image-thumbnail-rollover\" style=\"width: 55.69%\">\n            <img\n                src=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/1ba5d196-9070-414f-80ed-1aed008ec3dc/-/crop/2728x2261/0,0/-/preview/-/resize/1200x/-/format/auto/\"\n                                    srcset=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/1ba5d196-9070-414f-80ed-1aed008ec3dc/-/crop/2728x2261/0,0/-/preview/-/resize/1200x/-/format/auto/ 1x, https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/1ba5d196-9070-414f-80ed-1aed008ec3dc/-/crop/2728x2261/0,0/-/preview/-/resize/2400x/-/format/auto/ 2x\"\n                                class=\"release-content-image__image image-thumbnail-rollover__image\"\n                data-description=\"Prenesh Padayechee, Group Chief Technology &amp;amp; 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