Connectivity
Our Services
Core Connectivity Services
Core Connectivity services are part of MAREN’s core services. These include:
Internet Service Provision (ISP)
As with commercial ISPs, MAREN provides internet connectivity for its clients. MAREN is a not-for-profit organisation and its Application Service Licence from the regulator MACRA (Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority) was granted with fee and levy waivers that it passes on as cost reductions to students, academics and researchers at higher education and research institutions in the country. Bandwidth is not contended (bandwidth contention is 1:1). Resilience is provided by having two routes: 622Mbps through Lusaka and 1.2Gbps through Maputo. This will be upgraded to 5Gbps total with a third route through Dar Es Salaam in 2021.
Virtual Private Network (VPN) provision
As with commercial ISPs, MAREN provides VPN connectivity for its clients. These are for clients’ remote campuses to connect with each other and not necessarily directly to the internet. MAREN does not operate its own fibre core network but selected the country’s leading MPLS provider OCL (Open Connect Limited) via a competitive procurement process. Stringent Service Level Agreements ensure the highest levels of availability and performance.
