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Minister of Information Communication Technologies, Postal and Courier Services Dr Jenfan Muswere presided over the launch in Victoria Falls of the Bandwidth Cloud Services (BCS), National Railway of Zimbabwe (NRZ) Fibre Optic Project yesterday in the presence of
Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) Director General (DG) Dr Callisto’s Machengete.
Minister Muswere highlighted the project is a game changer going to transform millions of Zimbabweans through technology which is unstoppable and whose time has come.
“Today we are here in Victoria Falls to underline Government’s commitment to improving people’s livelihoods in line with the Africa Continental Free Trade Area concept. The deployment of fibre across the country demonstrates the desire by Government to empower people through technology and the digital economy and this launch signifies the role of the Government in connecting the unconnected towards realising our Vision 2030,” said the Minister of ICT.
Dr Muswere said this came a day after Government launched the National Broadband Plan to enhance access to technology by industry, adding this is key to the growth of Africa which has a young generation and an economy upcoming and emerging from the douldrums.
Bandwidth Cloud Services is a wholesale carrier providing fibre connectivity solutions in Africa and came into Zimbabwe during the Covid-19 lockdown with the aim of connecting places that have no roads hence using the railway network.
BCS project is the first cloud rail network in Africa and Potraz Director-General Dr Gift Machengete said bandwidth is the bedrock of the 4th industrial revolution.
“The project being launched today improves broadband connectivity as broadband is the new catalyst for job creation, global competitiveness and betterment of lives,” he said adding that Potraz recognises the socio-economic benefits of broadband on everything including social life.
The National Railways of Zimbabwe will benefit from access to free unlimited connection which will help improve the railway authority’s signal system, according to NRZ Chairman Advocate Martin Sinha who exclusively revealed to TechnoMag this information also confirmed by Ms Respina Zinyanduko, the parastatal’s general manager.
NRZ cherishes the project as it is also leasing out some wagons and locomotives to BCS on a win-win arrangement and according to both Chairman Advocate Dinha and his General Manager, is excited to be part of the project in line with Government philosophy of collaborations by parastatals.
“When they came we thought they were one of those projects that come and not take us anywhere but we were surprised by the speed at which they were moving. To us this is an opportunity where we will work on our signal as we will get unlimited access to connection,” said the NRZ boss.
This Fibre optic project has officially taken off at government level with Zimbabwe set to be Africa’s internet epicentre.
Minister Muswere and Director General Machengete working hand in glove with Bandwidth and Cloud Services (BCS) Group yesterday commissioned the first multi-million dollar rail fibre optic project to connect Zimbabwe and Africa with broadband services leveraging on existing rail infrastructure.
Zimbabwe will resultantly become the epicentre of internet traffic in Africa through its joint venture with this Continental telecom infrastructure provider.
Over US$18 million was invested in the first phase of the project which started in Beitbridge along the railway line past Rutenga, Somabhula, Bulawayo and Hwange to Victoria Falls.
This second phase will see the network extending from Somabhula via Gweru to Harare as well as Bulawayo-Plumtree and Harare-Mutare.
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