Since 2009, BMI-T has established a core competence in GIS (Geographical Information Systems) and spatial analysis. BMI-T has developed a comprehensive spatial database of points, lines and polygons that define telecommunications infrastructure, users and related data across South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa. These datasets have been used in the analysis and presentation of various telecommunications and other service related projects.
BMI-T has a database of over 50,000km of fibre route and 45,000 end points in South Africa that are current and future users of bandwidth. We are able to use this data to develop demand models which, when combined with other BMI-T resources, provide a unique view of demand across 1000 towns and suburbs in South Africa.
GIS and spatial analysis applications include:
- Determination and calibration of claimed population coverage
- Determination and calibration of claimed geographic coverage
- Determination and calibration of fibre route lengths
- Determination of overlap of fibre routes
- Determination of coverage requirements.
- Design of broadband indices and analysis of same e.g. broadband deprivation index
- Determination and prioritisation of demand concentration e.g. points and bandwidth per town
- Reasoned geographic apportionment of telecommunications resources and spend.
BMI-T works with ESRI Shapefiles and GoogleEarth KML/KMZ files but is capable of working with other formats including MapInfo, Microstation file formats and many more.
Sample graphics
