US$8 million fibre infrastructure in support of Vision 2030

Ivan Zhakata Herald Correspondent

A total of US$8 million has been invested in fibre infrastructure across the country in support of Vision 2030 of a digital economy.

Dandemutande, an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) solutions provider announced its multimillion-dollar investment agreement with Fiber Connections, a subsidiary of Bandwidth and Cloud Services Group (BCS Group).

The two organisations are jointly building a long-haul fibre optic backbone of approximately 891km along the Beitbridge-Harare railway network.

Addressing journalists in Harare, Dandemutande Chief Executive Mr Never Ncube said the investment was a reflection of the organisations’ commitment to the provision of future-proof solutions.

“This US$8 million investment will enable Dandemutande to significantly expand its footprint in the provision of reliable connectivity and information technology services in Zimbabwe,” he said.

“This will further enhance Dandemutande’s role as a leading backhaul provider in the communications sector and further the provision of advanced, high-capacity platforms and improved user experience. Internet connectivity has been positioned as one of the key economic and developmental drivers by the Government of Zimbabwe, as it plays a critical role in promoting and enhancing the ease of doing business in the country.”

Mr Ncube said they have made an investment of US$5 million for the backhaul and will invest about US$3 million in metro fibre in cities that the backhaul is passing through to modernise and upgrade our network thereby ensuring that the platform is future-ready to meet customer needs.

“This speaks volumes of our commitment to providing our customers with superior connectivity solutions throughout the country. We will split the project into two phases, the first phase being the 531km of optic fibre from Beitbridge-Somabhula-Bulawayo which was launched in December 2022 with the Victoria Falls leg and the second phase being the 360 km of optic fibre between Somabhula and Harare will be completed end of February this year.”

BCS Group Managing Director Mr Yonas Maru said this build will significantly reduce internet access costs, increase reliability and bring high-speed Internet access to the rural areas of Zimbabwe.

“This project provides the infrastructure necessary for Zimbabwe to build digital services. It creates the needle that stitches our continent together, as fiber links are laid across countries and our people engage in trade, commerce, and play without regard to the borders created by colonial powers. The various projects BCS Group is doing take us out of poverty while making Zimbabwe a true hub.”

Dandemutande Board Chairman Mr Tunde Akerele said the agreement will have a positive impact on the future.

“We are confident that this agreement with BCS will change the landscape of telecommunications in Zimbabwe,” Mr Akerele.

You Might Also Like

Comments

Take our Survey

We value your opinion! Take a moment to complete our survey