Subscribe

Zesco to boost Zambia's broadband

By Michael Malakata, ITWeb’s Zambian correspondent.
Johannesburg, 26 Jan 2012

The Zambia Electricity Supply Company (Zesco) has started installing a fibre-optic network on a 66KV (kilovolts) Sesheke-Mongu transmission line into Western Province, which is expected to deliver high-speed broadband communication.

The network will facilitate the provision of broadband communication services to banks, hospitals, schools, government departments and the business community in the western part of the country, which has experienced poor services due to a lack of communications infrastructure.

The power utility is rolling out the $80 million network on its power lines in an effort to provide faster, reliable communication for real-time monitoring, control and operation of the transmission line.

Chinese company ZTE, contracted by Zesco to install the fibre cables, has so far covered about 100km, stretching from Sesheke, to the Zambezi River at the Kalongola pontoon crossing, on the way to Senanga.

The installation of the network in Sesheke comes only a week after the company finished installing another fibre-optic network in Northern Province at a cost of over $200 billion (R333 million).

Two birds, one stone

Zesco claims it wants to serve customers better by improving technology in the supply and distribution of power.

Zesco Victoria Falls transmission superintendent Levy Ngoshe said: “Once the maintenance works and installation of the fibre cable network are complete, power outages being experienced in Western Province will be minimised.”

Zambia is experiencing power shortages due to an increased demand for power by mining companies and other rapidly growing sectors of the economy. To reduce the power deficit, the Zambian government has partnered with three Chinese companies, including Sinohydro, to develop the Kafue Gorge power project.

Many other power projects, such as the Itezhi-Tezhi project, are also being undertaken by the Zambian government in partnership with private companies to ease power shortages.

Zesco's power cables are designed to offer reliable telecommunications support for mobile, fixed and Internet technology, and are currently being used by government institutions, banks and mobile operators, including MTN and Airtel.

In rural towns of Lusaka, Kazungula, Siavonga, Solwezi and Lumwana, there is already increased access to spectrum. Zesco's fibre-optic cables have also provided opportunities for connections to Zimbabwe, Namibia and Botswana.

In December last year, Zesco released 3G spectrum, which will enable mobile service providers to deploy 3G services. The spectrum is expected to boost data speeds.

Share