SANReN Connect Proof of Concept Keeping the Research Community Connected

SANReN Connect Proof of Concept (POC) is a new VPN-based solution designed to provide students with zero-cost internet access. It creates an opportunity for South African mobile network providers and the South African NREN to extend internet connectivity reach to the South African research and education community. The service reroutes student traffic destined for the internet through zero-rated SANReN Connect IP addresses, using reverse billing services funded by SANReN. Students are authenticated via the Identity Federation for the South African research and higher education community, SAFIRE. The SANReN Connect POC service leverages a national mobile provider’s (currently Telkom’s) national network coverage, providing access to the internet throughout the country without having to be at a specific institution or hotspot location. This paper documents the progress of the service implementation. The POC service was launched at the national Centre for High Performance Computing (CHPC) conference in December 2025, and the service has seen steady growth thus far. Additional funding would be required to transition the service from a POC to a fully developed service.