TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICES
Broadband roll-out will focus on connecting 570 sites in 2018
Government is speeding up its broadband roll-out, Telecommunications and Postal Services Minister Siyabonga Cwele said. The department has placed broadband penetration as one of its strategic priorities in a bid to achieve 100% broadband access for the population by 2020. Delivering his budget vote speech in Parliament on Thursday, Cwele said state-owned technology companies Broadband Infraco and the State Information Technology Agency were mandated to implement phase one of the broadband roll-out in order to overcome delays in the procurement process. "In 2018 we shall focus on connecting 570 sites, of which 327 will be completed by end of June. In this financial year, Broadband Infraco will expand its fibre network by a further 1,000km and increase its points of presence to 176," Cwele said. Cwele said the 2016 Statistics SA General Household Survey reported a national household internet usage of about 60%, mainly through mobile devices. The Independent Communications Authority of...
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