SAZ Zenata FTTH Infrastructure
Structuring the digital backbone for Morocco's flagship eco-city through strategic FTTH network planning and operator selection framework.
Project Context
Zenata represents Morocco's most ambitious urban development project: a 1,830-hectare eco-city designed to accommodate 300,000 residents on the Atlantic coast between Casablanca and Mohammedia. As a flagship smart city initiative, Zenata required a robust digital infrastructure foundation from inception.
The Société d'Aménagement de Zenata (SAZ), responsible for developing this new urban center, recognized that fiber optic connectivity would be critical to attracting residents, businesses, and investors. However, structuring the FTTH (Fiber-to-the-Home) network presented complex challenges around governance, operator selection, and multi-stakeholder coordination.
Key Challenges
- •Defining the legal and regulatory framework for FTTH network attribution and management in a greenfield development
- •Structuring a competitive tender process to select a qualified "Managing Operator" for network establishment and operation
- •Balancing interests of multiple stakeholders: SAZ (developer), Managing Operator, commercial telecom operators, real estate developers, and end-users
- •Ensuring long-term sustainability and scalability of the infrastructure as the city grows
EXXING's Approach
Strategic Framework Development
Developed a comprehensive strategic note defining arbitration keys and the legal regime for FTTH network attribution and management. This framework addressed critical questions around ownership, access rights, revenue sharing, and regulatory compliance specific to Zenata's unique status as a planned eco-city.
Tender Dossier Preparation
Structured a complete tender dossier (call for offers) for selecting a telecommunications operator to establish and operate the FTTH network. The dossier included technical specifications, financial requirements, service level agreements, and evaluation criteria designed to attract qualified operators while protecting SAZ's interests.
Contractual Architecture
Elaborated detailed specifications (cahier des charges) for the Managing Operator and drafted the convention organizing relations between the operator and SAZ. This contractual framework clarified roles, responsibilities, performance obligations, and dispute resolution mechanisms.
Stakeholder Coordination
Provided global support to SAZ in delimiting responsibilities across the entire ecosystem: SAZ as developer, the Managing Operator as infrastructure provider, commercial telecom operators as service retailers, real estate developers as intermediaries, and end-users as beneficiaries. This multi-party coordination ensured alignment and minimized future conflicts.
Results & Impact
Clear Governance Framework
Established a transparent, legally sound framework for FTTH network governance that balanced stakeholder interests and ensured regulatory compliance.
Competitive Tender Process
Delivered a comprehensive tender dossier that attracted qualified operators and enabled SAZ to make an informed selection decision.
Stakeholder Alignment
Achieved consensus among SAZ, operators, developers, and regulators on roles, responsibilities, and revenue-sharing mechanisms.
Scalable Infrastructure Model
Created a flexible framework that can adapt as Zenata grows from initial phases to full build-out over the coming decades.
Client Testimonial
"EXXING's expertise was instrumental in structuring our FTTH infrastructure strategy for Zenata. Their comprehensive approach—from regulatory framework to tender preparation to stakeholder coordination—gave us the confidence to move forward with this critical component of our smart city vision."
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