The National ICT Broadband Backbone (NICTBB) is an infrastructure being built by the United Republic of Tanzania with a view to achieve its ICT vision. The Backbone is manage and operated by Tanzania Telecommunications Company Limited (TTCL) on behalf of the Government through Ministry of Communication Science and Technology (MCST).

The infrastructure will enhance usage of ICT applications for sustainable socio-economic development, including implementation of e- government, e- learning, e-health, e- commerce and much more locally and globally.

NICTBB provides high capacity long distance transmission services to licensed fixed and mobile network operators, internet service providers and other value added network service providers, which they can either use for expanding the reach and capacities of their own networks or resell on to their customers. Also will provide access to international submarine Fibre Optic Cables (EASSY & SEACOM) at their landing point in Dar es Salaam to all landlocked neighboring countries for international connectivity

YES, ISP are licensed operators by TCRA therefore qualify to get wholesale service from NICTBB. To enquire about services from NICTBB, you can call us on +255 22 213838 or email us at: sales@nictbb.co.tz

NICTBB has a completely independent network from that of TTCL network. The NICTBB is a newly constructed network by The government of Tanzania through Ministry of Communication Science and Technology. TTCL has just been appointed to manage the network on behalf of the government.

No,

NICTBB offers international wholesale services through existing licensed operators including TTCL who are currently connected to SEACOM or EASY since 2009 and 2011 respectively;

NICTBB has a growing long distance network that spans more than 7,000km of optical fibre based routes between all the major towns and cities across Tanzania and extends to all the borders of the neighbouring countries of Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, DRCongo, Zambia, Malawi, Kenya and , Mozambique. NICTBB through TTCL also been connected to the two East Coast submarine Cables landing at Dar es Salaam (EASSY and SEACOM).

NICTBB operates from Open Access Points-of-Presence (POP's) in all major towns and cities. Most of NICTBB equipments have been accommodated in TTCL buildings, therefore NICTBB customer's can apply for a Carrier-Class hosting facility (collocation) from TTCL and bandwidth services can be easily exchanged in an open access environment.

By applying for and qualify for license for provision of network facility services, network services, Applications services and content services nationally from Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA), you directly qualify to become resseler/ user of NICTBB Capacity Services and repackage or add value and sell within or outside Tanzania.

NICTBB is a wholesale, long-distance capacity service provider. NICTBB does not have an access network that serves consumers (last mile) directly and consequently NICTBB provides to other service providers including mobile operators the opportunity to provide voice or data services to the consumers and cooperate customers.

By visiting the NICTBB office you will be provided with the NICTBB Capacity Reference Offer document. The NICTBB Application Form is available as Schedule 13 in the document; A capacity Agreement shall be entered into when the eligible Licensed Operator formally accept this in writing using the form of acceptance in schedule 14. However, you can request the documents online through the email Sales@nictbb.co.tz

NICTBB's Policy is to operate wholesale business concentrating on larger capacity interface to the national licensed operators. The NICTBB encourage licensed operators to enhance usage of ICT applications for sustainable social economic development;

NICTBB does not provide mobile products and services; Mobile Operators will use the NICTBB long distance network as backhaul for their own access networks and base stations as well as providing access to their business partners from landlocked countries around Tanzania for inter-regional and International link requirements via undersea international submarine cables landing at Dar es salaam; (EASSY and SEACOM)

Due to NICTBB's carrier class network, managed by state of art Network Observation Centre (NOC) and full protected network architecture through the available rings that enable self-healing, it is expected that Mobile Operators will use the NICTBB long distance network as backhaul for their own access networks and base stations as well as for interregional and International link requirements with their business partners across the borders;.

As part of NICTBB's rollout objectives, we are required to extend NICTBB network by establishing points of presence (PoPs) in every administrative district. The establishment of a PoP in an area means that other licensed operators can access a reliable, national backhaul network by connecting their last-mile network to our PoP, and then provide electronic communications services to these communities. Implementation is done in phases and already thirty one (31) PoPs are currently operational and plans to upgrade NON POPs existing in many towns where the NICTBB has passed are in progress; We are working closely with the government to make sure that we fulfill important ICT policy objectives set by government.

NICTBB expects to see domestic, SMEs and Cooperate customers getting an improvement in value for money for their broadband and general wide area network based services. NICTBB will support licensed operators to fulfill growing demand for ICT applications with high speed connectivity of STM 1, STM4, STM 16, FE and GE eliminating problems such as high transmission loss and interference;

The NICTBB Capacity service currently available as Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH) and IP interfaces in the following bandwidths;-

      1. STM-1 or 155 Megabits per second (minimum)
      2. STM-4 or 622 Megabits per second
      3. STM-16 or 2.5 Gigabits per second
      4. STM-64 or 10 Gigabits per second

Services can also be delivered in Ethernet format in the following bandwidths:

      1. FE- 100 Megabits per second (minimum)
      2. GE 1000 Megabits per second or 1 Gigabit per second

The services are offered on Point to Point and are distant independent with drops insert service introduced recently along the basic route;

Currently NICTBB has two lease modes; the agreement can be of :

      1. Short team lease of one or three year lease and
      2. Indefeasible Right of Use (IRU) agreement - i.e long team lease for 10, 15 and 20 years lease structure