GAUTENG, South Africa, November 28, 2025 /African Media Agency (AMA)/ – The City of Ekurhuleni (COE), South Africa’s third-largest metropolitan municipality, represents one of the nation’s most critical economic engines. As a hub responsible for managing essential electrical infrastructure across its 97% urbanized territory, the reliability and security of its digital networks directly impact service delivery to millions of residents and businesses.
The Critical Infrastructure Challenge
COE’s digital transformation ambitions faced significant headwinds from aging network infrastructure. The original electrical campus network relied heavily on Wi-Fi 5 technology, creating three fundamental operational challenges:
1. Productivity Limitations: Outdated equipment resulted in weak signal penetration and limited coverage areas, particularly problematic in large industrial campuses and multi-story administrative buildings. This directly impacted staff ability to access real-time grid data, process service requests, and collaborate effectively.
2. Unsustainable Operational Costs: With hundreds of wireless access points and thousands of connected devices, manual troubleshooting became a resource-intensive burden. IT teams spent excessive time identifying and resolving connectivity issues device-by-device, diverting attention from strategic initiatives.
3. Critical Security Vulnerabilities: The existing network architecture lacked modern security protocols, creating legitimate concerns about potential data breaches. For an electricity department managing sensitive grid operations, customer data, and billing information, this represented an unacceptable risk to both operational integrity and public trust.
A Three-Pillar Solution for Modern Infrastructure
Facing these interconnected challenges, COE implemented Huawei’s 10 Gbps Xinghe intelligent campus network solution, built around three strategic pillars designed to address both immediate needs and future requirements.
Ultra-fast Wi-Fi 7 Access: Beyond Basic Connectivity
The transition to Wi-Fi 7 technology represents more than just a speed upgrade. For COE’s electricity department, it enables:
– Multi-gigabit wireless speeds supporting data-intensive applications like real-time grid monitoring and high-resolution video surveillance
– Improved capacity through Multi-Link Operation (MLO), allowing devices to simultaneously transmit across multiple frequency bands
– Reduced latency critical for operational technology systems and emergency response coordination
– Future-proof infrastructure capable of supporting emerging technologies like IoT sensors and augmented reality maintenance applications
Wi-Fi Shield Technology: Reinventing Wireless Security
Traditional wireless security focuses on encryption, but Huawei’s Wi-Fi Shield introduces a groundbreaking physical-layer security approach:
– Precision Location Detection: The system identifies the exact physical position of authorized users within protected zones
– Directional Signal Protection: When transmitting sensitive data to legitimate users, access points simultaneously emit random noise signals outside the target area
– Spatial Security Perimeter: This creates an effective “security bubble” where data packets become unintelligible just inches beyond the intended recipient’s location
COE strategically deployed this technology in high-risk areas including public-facing payment stations and administrative offices handling sensitive grid operations data. This approach effectively prevents both eavesdropping attempts and potential data interception by unauthorized devices within physical proximity.
Digital Map Platform: Transforming Network Operations
The implementation of Huawei’s campus network digital map addresses the operational efficiency challenge through:
– Centralized visibility of all network assets, providing real-time status monitoring and performance metrics
– Predictive analytics that identify potential issues before they impact users, shifting maintenance from reactive to proactive
– Automated troubleshooting workflows that reduce resolution times from hours to minutes
– Resource optimization through detailed usage pattern analysis, enabling data-driven capacity planning
Broader Implications for Municipal Infrastructure
COE’s successful network modernization establishes a compelling blueprint for other municipalities facing similar digital infrastructure challenges. The project demonstrates:
– How legacy systems can be systematically upgraded without disrupting critical services
– The importance of integrating security considerations at the architectural level rather than as an afterthought
– The operational cost savings achievable through intelligent management platforms
– The foundation required for future smart city applications, from advanced metering infrastructure to distributed energy resource management
The project’s success is already generating interest across the region as other municipalities recognize the strategic importance of modern, secure digital infrastructure for economic development and public service delivery.
Distributed by African Media Agency for Huawei.
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Source : African Media Agency (AMA)