Vodafone plans to invest R320 million into South Africa’s KwaZulu Natal Region for bolstering broadband connectivity in rural areas of the province, media reports said. It is reported that the fresh capital will be used to establish LTE base station sites in the province.
The network acceleration initiative will eliminate any barriers to communications and deliver high-speed internet along with a focus on boosting the digital inclusion process among communities residing in the region.
It is reported that the majority of the people residing in Rural South Africa don’t have access to a good broadband internet service. Therefore, the availability of high-speed internet in those rural areas is critical. Currently, Vodafone’s top priority is to bridge the digital divide by providing network connectivity for people who reside in rural areas.
Ishmael Mathinya, Executive Head for Operations for Vodacom KwaZulu Natal Region, told the media, “We have always maintained that the key differentiator for us is the quality, strength and reliability of our network. At Vodacom, we believe investing in our network ensures that we deliver best-in-class coverage and customer service, not only to urban areas, but to people who dwell in township and deep rural areas as well, so they are well positioned to take advantage of the benefits of the Digital Revolution. This is why we are deploying more sites in rural areas in this financial period in areas which did not previously have network access.”
The African subcontinent is yet to be digitalised like other continents. However, many global telecommunications companies from outside the continent have made commitments to bring a change in the continent’s telecom sector.