NO THE WIDE AREA NETWORK READINESS SURVEY IN THE REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA FINAL REPORT March 2004 JAPAN INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AGENCY NORCONSULT CENTRAL STATISTICAL OFFICE Table of Contents 1.1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY............................................................................................................I 1.2 INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................1 1.3 OBJECTIVES...........................................................................................................................1 1.4 CURRENT SITUATION/BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT....................................................................2 1.4.1 Current State of the Network............................................................................................2 1.4.2 Summary Geographical and Technical Data...................................................................3 1.4.3 Detailed Provincial Data..................................................................................................4 1.5 ANALYSIS AND COMMENTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT...............................................................7 1.5.1 Data..................................................................................................................................7 1.5.2 Business............................................................................................................................8 1.5.3 Technical........................................................................................................................10 1.5.4 Organisation...................................................................................................................10 1.5.5 Applications....................................................................................................................11 1.5.6 Stakeholders...................................................................................................................11 1.6 EXISTING TELECOMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES...............................................................12 1.7 ANALYSIS AND COMMENTS TO STAFFING IN RELATION TO WAN........................................19 1.7.1 Current Staffing..............................................................................................................19 1.7.2 Training..........................................................................................................................19 1.8 CAPACITY BUILDING............................................................................................................19 1.9 LEAST COST WAN PLAN.....................................................................................................20 1.10 PROPOSED OPTIONS - DETAILS SPECIFICATIONS..................................................................21 1.10.1 Option 1: Standalone VSAT network.........................................................................21 1.10.2 Option 2: Loosely-Coupled VSAT Network on ZRA..................................................26 1.10.3 Option 3: Loosely-Coupled VSAT Network on ZRA with IFMIS...............................30 1.10.4 Option 4: Loosely-Coupled VSAT Network with NAPSA...........................................34 1.11 ABILITIES TO CARRY ON BOARD KEY STAKEHOLDERS..........................................................38 1.12 COMPATIBILITY OF WAN....................................................................................................41 1.12.1 Existing Infrastructure...............................................................................................41 1.12.2 Initiatives in Government...........................................................................................41 1.13 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.............................................................................42 1.14 APPENDIX - TECHNICAL REQUIREMENT FOR VSAT TECHNOLOGY......................................44 1.15 APPENDIX 1: PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATIONS FOR 4.9M DUAL-REFLECTOR C-BAND ANTENNAE.........................................................................................................................................45 1.15.1 Mechanical Specifications.........................................................................................45 1.15.2 Environmental Conditions.........................................................................................45 1.15.3 Electrical Specifications............................................................................................45 1.16 APPENDIX 2: SPECIFICATIONS FOR A TYPICAL TRANSCEIVER..............................................45 1.16.1 Transmit Section........................................................................................................45 1.16.2 Receive Section (Excluding LNA)..............................................................................47 1.17 APPENDIX 3: PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATIONS FOR LOW NOISE AMPLIFIER (LNA) AND TRANSMIT REJECT FILTER (TRF).......................................................................................................48 1.17.1 LNA Specifications.....................................................................................................48 1.17.2 TRF Specifications.....................................................................................................48 1.18 APPENDIX 4: SPECIFICATIONS FOR A SATELLITE MODEM....................................................49 1.18.1 System Specifications.................................................................................................49 1.19 APPENDIX 5: SPECIFICATIONS FOR COMBINER/SPLITTER.....................................................50 1.20 APPENDIX 6: VSAT RECOMMENDED TRAINING PROGRAMME.............................................51 1.21 APPENDIX 7: ROUTING RECOMMENDED TRAINING PROGRAMME........................................56 1.22 GLOSSARY OF TERMS...........................................................................................................57 Table of Figures Figure 1: GSM Network Elements.........................................................................................................12 Figure 2: GSM Connectivity..................................................................................................................13 Figure 3: Satellite Relay System............................................................................................................16 Figure 5: Standalone VSAT Network.....................................................................................................21 Figure 6: VSAT Network Design...........................................................................................................23 Figure 7: CSO on ZRA Network Design................................................................................................28 Figure 8: CSO and IFMIS on ZRA Network Design.............................................................................32 Figure 9: CSO and NAPSA Networks...................................................................................................36 Figure 4: Fibre Ring on GRZ Park.........................................................................................................40 1.1 Executive Summary The assessment aims at evaluating the needs for CSO in its need to establish a wide area network throughout the country. For all intents and purposes, a solution based on VSAT technology has been identified as the most effective technology since CSO hopes to make available the network resources to other government ministries/departments. This can not be easily achieved with terrestrial communications because the services are provided by other parties. The configuration designs are given in four different parts each with varying costs. Two of these options emphasise that CSO, at least builds some remote sites. These are more appealing than the other two because CSO will have the power to negotiate if it needs to go into partnership with any institution running a VSAT network. The best recommended option involves a complete new VSAT network in all the provincial centres which will be supported and managed by CSO. This option will give CSO express authority to carry anybody’s data on the network based on its decision. VSAT technology comes along with it the advantage of carrying voice, data and video on the network. Internet connectivity is also carried on the network. The need to have a local ISP for internet connectivity is eliminated; telephone connectivity between all offices on the network is guaranteed and of telephones and faxes costs can be eliminated or tremendously reduced. It is hoped that the full report bring to light the technologies that exist and their operability. The recommended solution was arrived at after consultations with stakeholders and other organisations that are using the same technology. - i - 1.2 Introduction Central Statistics Office (CSO) is a Government Department under the Ministry of Finance and National Planning (MFNP) in the Republic of Zambia. The department is responsible for coordinating all statistical activities in the country and is a major source of official statistics. Its operations are spread throughout the country with provincial activities managed from the provincial centres. The provincial offices are in Solwezi, Mansa, Ndola, Kasama, Chipata, Lusaka, Livingstone, Mongu and Kabwe. The provincial offices are mainly responsible for data collection, manual editing and data entry. There has been a lot of delays in getting relevant data to Lusaka for analysis because this data in conveyed by road transport. The demand for accurate and detailed national statistical information has prompted CSO to seek ways of improving the turnaround time by exploring new and efficient means of data exchange between its offices. A study to identify a reliable and cost effective technology to implement a Wide Area Network (WAN) was agreed upon before making a final decision. CSO intends to make use of professional expertise before deciding on the technology and investment option. It has requested that a study be carried out through out the country to evaluate the provincial offices and the requirements of such a network. Norconsult, a local consulting company, was tasked to carry out the assessment on the readiness and requirements for the WAN, core and provincial offices requirements throughout the country. It is expected to present the possible technology option and detailed installation costs. 1.3 Objectives The objective of the study is to evaluate existing infrastructure and ascertain its readiness for the deployment of a modern wide area network. The study focuses on the evaluation of existing telecommunication technology in the country and also analyse the least cost configuration against the recommended solution. A country-wide assessment requires physical presence in all the affected areas. Norconsult must visit all the 9 provincial offices in order to have first hand appreciation of the business and technical environments. Stakeholders must be evaluated on their ability to participate on the WAN. Telecommunication providers must also be assessed on the technology they offer and their presence in the different towns as part of the study. At the end of the assessment, Norconsult must come up with a document detailing current business and technical situation. The - 1 - biggest question begging an answer will be: Is CSO ready to go WAN? The document must explain the telecommunication technologies used in the country and which would be best for the type of business CSO is engaged in. It must also contain least-cost and recommended options detailing implementation and maintenance costs. The staffing will definitely be affected by the choice of telecommunication technology. The document must analyse the current staffing including skills levels and make necessary recommendations. It must address quantities as well as minimum training requirements, if any. CSO being a government department requires that an investigation be carried out to ascertain whether the recommended telecommunication technology will allow other government ministries and/or departments to use the facilities. 1.4 Current Situation/Business Environment 1.4.1 Current State of the Network CSO has a 72-node Local Area Network (LAN) at the HQ that provides data services within the HQ offices. It has been developed as an infrastructure for supporting internal activities. It is also providing a field of information exchange, information storage and statistical information production. A wireless connection links the HQ to the internet. - 2 - 1.4.2 Summary Geographical and Technical Data The activities of CSO cover the whole country because of the nature of its mandate as the national statistics guardian. Statistics undertaken extend to all the borders with a surface area of 752,614 km2 but for administrative purposes, offices are located in provincial centres. Geographic Data Total Number of Locations 10 Centralised vs. Regionalised Centralised Average Number of Users per Remote Location 10 Organisation Provincial Offices: Rented vs. Owned Rented Average Establishment per province 50 Telecommunication Technologies Present in all except Solwezi, Kasama, ZAMTEL DSL Mansa and Mongu ZAMTEL Analogue Present in all ISP Present in all Wireless Radio Feasible in all VSAT Feasible in all Data Environment Data collected Primary and Secondary Statistical Method of Data Collection Surveys and Publications Method of Data Storage Diskettes Format of Data ASCII Provincial Stakeholders Environment Name Access to ISP Have WAN Can Share? Ministry of Agriculture No No No Ministry of Health No No No Ministry of Education No No No Zambia Revenue Authority Yes Yes Yes NAPSA Yes Partial Yes CCSD No No No Local Government No No No - 3 - 1.4.3 Detailed Provincial Data Lusaka Location Indeco Building Cairo Road Latitude 15o 24’S Longitude 28o 16’E Travel Distance from HQ 7km Mode of Transport Road ZAMTEL, CELTEL, TELECEL, Carriers: Public Operators COPPERNET, ZAMNET Carriers: Private Networks ZRA, ZESCO, NAPSA Kabwe Location Government Building Uganda Road Latitude 14o 25’S Longitude 28o 26’E Travel Distance from Lusaka 138 km Mode of Transport Road, Rail Carriers: Public Operators ZAMTEL, CELTEL Carriers: Private Networks ZRA Chipata Location NAPSA Building Umodzi Highway Latitude 13o 38’S Longitude 32o 39’E Travel Distance from Lusaka 567 km Mode of Transport Road, Air Carriers: Public Operators ZAMTEL, CELTEL Carriers: Private Networks ZRA Ndola Location NAPSA Building Broadway Latitude 12o 58’S Longitude 28o 37’E Travel Distance from Lusaka 321 km Mode of Transport Road, Rail, Air Carriers: Public Operators ZAMTEL, CELTEL, TELECEL Carriers: Private Networks ZRA, NAPSA - 4 - Solwezi Location NAPSA Building Latitude 12o 10’S Longitude 26o 24’E Travel Distance from Lusaka 584 km Mode of Transport Road, Rail Carriers: Public Operators ZAMTEL, CELTEL Carriers: Private Networks ZRA Kasama Location Compensation House Latitude 10o 08’S Longitude 31o 10’E Travel Distance from Lusaka 852 km Mode of Transport Road, Rail Carriers: Public Operators ZAMTEL, CELTEL Carriers: Private Networks ZRA Mansa Location NAPSA Building Latitude 11o 09’S Longitude 28o 55’E Travel Distance from Lusaka 561 km Mode of Transport Road Carriers: Public Operators ZAMTEL, CELTEL Carriers: Private Networks ZRA Livingstone Location NAPSA Building Latitude 17o 14’S Longitude 25o 48’E Travel Distance from Lusaka 473 km Mode of Transport Road, Rail, Air Carriers: Public Operators ZAMTEL, CELTEL Carriers: Private Networks ZRA, NAPSA - 5 - Mongu Location NAPSA Building Latitude 15o 14’S Longitude 23o 08’E Travel Distance from Lusaka 583 km Mode of Transport Road Carriers: Public Operators ZAMTEL Carriers: Private Networks ZRA - 6 -