Vodacom will invest circa R100 million in building 106 new base station sites in deep rural areas of KwaZulu-Natal to connect hundreds of thousands of people, who have been left out in the digital age.
In a statement, the mobile operator says this deployment will not only help bridge the significant digital divides that exist in remote areas of KwaZulu-Natal, but marks a new age of mobile connectivity and effectively promoting digital inclusion for everyone.
The new sites will be rolled out in 11 district municipalities, including Amajuba, eThekwini, Harry Gwala, iLembe, King Cetshwayo, Ugu, Umgungundlovu, uMzinyathi, Uthukela, Zululand, uMhlabuyalingana, uMfolozi, uMlalazi, uMsinga, uMzumbe, uMgeni, Ray Nkonyeni, Mandeni, eNdumeni, eDumbe, Msunduzi, Newcastle and Nqutu.
This investment is part of Vodacom’s Rural Coverage Acceleration Programme, aimed at expanding network coverage for people who live in deep rural areas of South Africa.
Vodacom notes that GSM Association research shows that while the availability of high-speed broadband is critical to deep rural development, deep rural communities are lagging behind in terms of broadband connectivity, excluding many from digital transformation.
Half the world’s population does not have access to the internet, leaving roughly four billion people excluded from the socio-economic benefits of connectivity, it adds.
“Ensuring network connectivity for individuals living in deep rural areas is fundamental to Vodacom’s commitment to extending service to those in remote areas,” says Imran Khan, managing executive for Vodacom KwaZulu-Natal region.
“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.”
Vodacom notes that broadband penetration has transformative power and is an enabler for economic and social growth, and as such, makes it an essential tool for empowering people in rural areas.
It adds that a World Bank study concludes that a 10 percentage point increase in fixed broadband penetration could increase GDP growth by 1.21% in developed economies and 1.38% in developing ones.
Access to the internet will help rural dwellers access critical services, such as e-health, e-education and e-commerce, it says.
“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,” says Khan.
“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.”
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