Capitec and Cisco partner on network infrastructure to support 23 million clients

• Capitec Bank selected Cisco to enhance the digital infrastructure of its branches countrywide.
• The partnership will also see Cisco’s technologies used to help digitise operations at Capitec.
• The financial institution specifically selected the Cisco Meraki Cloud Managed Networking solution to help simplify its network management.

Capitec Bank has announced a significant partnership with networking solutions specialists Cisco, with the pair working to enhance the digital infrastructure of the financial institution‘s branches across the country.

According to Cisco, by providing reliable wireless access to the bank’s employees and customers, the project is aimed at improving financial inclusion in rural areas.

In total Capitec Bank now delivers financial services to an estimated 23 million clients, with it having 850 branches throughout South Africa.

The financial institution specifically chose the Cisco Meraki Cloud Managed Networking solution to help simplify network management, reduce operational costs, increase efficiency, and improve network performance.

In addition, it selected the Cisco Meraki solution because it’s easily deployable and can be monitored centrally for managing the network and troubleshooting any potential issues across multiple locations.

“As the banking sector advances digitally, it’s crucial that Capitec recognise its role in fostering financial inclusion. However, the benefits of digital services are contingent on users’ ability to connect to the internet. Data affordability also remains a persistent issue for South Africans. With a stable and highly secure wireless access we can now onboard Capitec customers onto their banking application from the branches,” explained Henlo Smit, product head of Networking and Telephony at Capitec.

“Our cloud-based management system not only helps provide reliable connectivity but also enhances security and VPN capabilities to safeguard customer data. The system supports compliance with industry standards and regulations, while advanced reporting tools help optimize network infrastructure and service delivery,” added Kamil Hurriparsad (pictured above), networking architecture specialist at Cisco.

Moving forward, Capitec said customers can expect faster service thanks to improved network reliability, which should lead to shorter wait times and a better overall banking experience. Added to this will be simplified sending and receiving funds via money transfer.