South African telco Vodacom said that it will invest around ZAR100 million (US$5.5 million) to build 106 new base station sites in deep rural areas of KwaZulu Natal, which will bring connectivity to hundreds of thousands of people in those areas.
The new sites will be rolled out in 11 district municipalities in the coastal southeastern province, 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.
“We are committed to constructing and activating these new sites within this financial year,” said Imran Khan, managing executive for Vodacom KwaZulu-Natal region, in a statement. “To achieve our goal and expedite the deployment, we are seeking collaboration from the authorities, particularly in minimising lengthy site approval times.”
Khan also said the investment is part of Vodacom’s “Rural Coverage Acceleration Programme” that, as the name implies, aims to expand network coverage for people who live in deep rural areas of South Africa and promote digital inclusion.
“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 [in] this way reap the economic benefits of the digital economy,” Khan said.
