Vodacom has announced a R100 million investment to build 106 new base station sites in deep rural areas of KwaZulu-Natal
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Vodacom has announced a R100 million investment to build 106 new base station sites in deep rural areas of KwaZulu-Natal, aiming to improve mobile connectivity for hundreds of thousands of people currently without reliable access.
According to the mobile operator, the rollout will cover 23 municipalities across 11 districts, including Amajuba, eThekwini, Harry Gwala, iLembe, King Cetshwayo, Ugu, Umgungundlovu, uMzinyathi, Uthukela, and Zululand, uMhlabuyalingana, uMfolozi, uMlalazi, uMsinga, uMzumbe, uMgeni, Ray Nkonyeni, Mandeni, eNdumeni, eDumbe, Msunduzi, Newcastle, and Nqutu.
The project forms part of the company's Rural Coverage Acceleration Programme, which is focused on expanding network infrastructure in underserved regions. The company says it plans to complete the deployment within the current financial year.
Research from GSMA indicates that access to high-speed broadband is crucial for rural development; however, many deep rural communities still face limited connectivity.
Estimates suggest that around half of the global population, around 4 billion people remain without internet access.
"Ensuring network connectivity for individuals living in deep rural areas is fundamental to Vodacom's commitment to extending service to those in remote areas,".
"This aligns with our goal of connecting everyone, regardless of whether they live in urban centres, townships, or rural locations, which requires investment. We are focused on eliminating barriers and empowering citizens in rural and township communities to enjoy the same network experience as those in metropolitan areas and this way reap the economic benefits of the Digital Economy," Imran Khan, Managing Executive for Vodacom KwaZulu-Natal region said.
Khan added they aim to complete the rollout within the current financial year and are seeking support from authorities to speed up site approvals.
"We are committed to constructing and activating these new sites within this financial year. To achieve our goal and expedite the deployment, we are seeking collaboration from the authorities, particularly in minimising lengthy site approval times. We believe this can be accomplished to assist us in executing a comprehensive rollout of rural sites, facilitating digital transformation, thereby enabling numerous individuals in these regions to access the socio-economic benefits of the internet age.