According to the report reaching us at BMA, Zimbabwe has recently launched a significant project involving a 1500-kilometre rail fibre optic network in Somabhula, Gweru. The project is operated by Dandemutande, a Bandwidth Cloud Services (BCS) Group subsidiary, and aims to provide internet connectivity to local communities, businesses, and government institutions.
The project is expected to revolutionise internet connectivity in Zimbabwe by offering tangible benefits to local internet users. It is expected to improve speed, reliability, and accessibility. According to Nick Mangwana, the government spokesperson, the project aligns with Zimbabwe’s National Development Strategy One (NDS1), which is crucial to realising Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030.
Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030 aims to modernise the economy by using Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to develop the digital economy. President Mnangagwa believes that the policy will ensure that learners nationwide have the same opportunities as those in big cities. The master plan will help Zimbabwe achieve a creative society through technology and improve service delivery, healthcare, education, and agriculture.
The National Broadband Plan is expected to help bridge the digital gap, and President Mnangagwa believes that the country must embrace and use ICT to make life easier. Dandemutande had planned the project a year ago to improve the redundancy of its network, speed, resilience, and uptime. The company leveraged BCS’s current fibre expansion business to focus on connectivity between Somabhula and Harare via Gweru and from Bulawayo to Plumtree.