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World Bank announces broadband initiative

By Nadine Arendse
Johannesburg, 14 Mar 2012

World Bank announces broadband initiative

The World Bank has revealed a regional initiative to improve broadband connectivity in the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region, by optimising fibre-optic networks for broadband use, IT News Africa says.

According to the bank, its new focus looks at citizen participation in creating information and communication technologies (ICT) solutions to development problems. This follows the success of the Cairo Water Hackathon.

The World Bank's broadband connectivity initiative will study the potential for developing regional broadband backbone networks in MENA and prepare the ground for new investments, African Brains writes.

It will use a new approach that leverages already-deployed infrastructure from other utilities, such as electricity, transport or oil and gas. The study is expected to tackle the main bottlenecks to broadband connectivity in the region, in particular providing redundancy (extra capacity) to existing international connectivity and opening alternative backbone networks in domestic markets.

"Worldwide, broadband is becoming an essential infrastructure for innovation, economic growth, and competitiveness," ICA quotes Doyle Gallegos, practice leader, connectivity infrastructure, World Bank, as saying.

"This World Bank initiative will help increase MENA countries' capacity to cope with the tremendous predicted increase in broadband traffic and to compete in the 21st century's global market."

The MENA region has been actively increasing broadband connections and, as of today, broadband connects over a quarter of MENA households. Broadband traffic in the region is predicted to grow over 100% in the next five years.

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