South African telco Vodacom said on Sunday it plans to invest over ZAR660 million (US$38.2 million) in network infrastructure in Southern Gauteng this financial year to accelerate rollout of 4G and 5G.
Vodacom Southern Gauteng said the investment covers 4G and 5G rollouts across key urban and peri-urban areas to enhance network capacity to meet growing data demand, and improve network resilience.
Vodacom said 409 sites are undergoing 4G capacity upgrades using 700-MHz spectrum, while it is also rolling out 5G technology across 445 sites in key areas.
It will also build 67 new base stations to extend coverage to underserved communities, including Springs, Brakpan, Germiston, Tembisa, Alberton, Clayville, Kempton Park, Soweto, Vereeniging, Diepsloot, Olievenhoutbosch, Vosloorus, and Alexandra.
Vodacom also said it’s upgrading its transmission infrastructure in Southern Gauteng to support growing 4G and 5G traffic.
On the resilience front, Vodacom said over 1,700 sites have been upgraded with enhanced battery backup systems to mitigate the impact of power interruptions in Southern Gauteng. Additional investments have also been made in power backup systems for core network facilities.
"Data demand continues to surge as more customers rely on mobile connectivity for work, education, entertainment, and essential services,” said Ridwaan Soomra, managing executive for Vodacom Southern Gauteng. “By expanding our 4G and 5G footprint and enhancing network capacity, we are ensuring that our customers can stay connected to what matters most.”
The Southern Gauteng investment follows last week’s news that Vodacom will also invest over ZAR500 million in network infrastructure in Limpopo for the current financial year.
As part of that deployment, Vodacom Limpopo will be rolling out over 250 5G sites in Polokwane, Makhado, Thohoyandou, Makhuduthamaga Rural, Greater Tubatse, Thulamela Rural, Ba-Phalaborwa Rural and Greater Tzaneen Rural, among others. Vodacom Limpopo will also deploy new sites for currently unconnected communities such as Giyani, Malamulele, Musina and others in the far northern rural areas of the province.
