MTN is investing around R1.2 billion to upgrade its network in KwaZulu-Natal, starting with fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) deployment in Durban's La Lucia suburb.
Civil works on the La Lucia rollout began in July, marking MTN's first deployment of FTTH in the province and an extension of the telco's FTTH footprint outside of Gauteng and Western Cape.
The high-speed network will be capable of delivering speeds of up to 100Mbps. So far, 3km of trenching have been completed out of a total distance of 21km. About 439 homes will be connected to this high-speed fibre network, with the first household to be connected before the end of October.
Alpheus Mangale, chief enterprise officer of MTN Business SA, says the deployment of a fibre network in La Lucia marks an important milestone in MTN's FTTH ambitions, as it reaffirms its commitment to become a key player in this arena.
"It allows us to give the residents of La Lucia a high-performing network that will bring them into the digital age," he adds.
Earlier this month, MTN announced it had begun civil works to deploy FTTH in Fresnaye and Bakoven in the Western Cape, and approximately 1 000 homes are expected to be connected to MTN's fibre before the end of the year.
The rollout of FTTH in La Lucia has met with some concern, however, from local residents who are worried about damages caused to their properties during the construction phase.
"MTN is working tirelessly to resolve all outstanding issues to the satisfaction of all concerned. The contractor has assured MTN that all action will be taken to resolve any outstanding issues as soon as possible," says Mangale.
In the last six months, MTN says it has also significantly expanded its LTE network in KwaZulu-Natal in line with the rapid adoption of smart devices such as smartphones and tablets.
"In the period under review, MTN rolled out approximately 700 LTE sites in the province, and rollout has been ramped up in the second half of the year to cater to the demand for this new-generation network in the province."
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