Major broadband scheme launched in Cape Town

The current large-scale laying of fibre optic cables in the greater Cape Town area is planned to make the city a future hub for Africa's "smart economy". The network is being rolled out in three phases and involves the laying of over 12,000 kms of fibre-optic cables, with an initial 4,500km ring to connect Gauteng, Durban and Cape Town with international cable stations within two years.

Cape Town officials are confident that the renewed infrastucture will be influential in attracting foreign investment. Together with the city council, several private companies such as broadband infrastructure group Dark Fibre Africa, are currently laying fibre-optic cables in Pinelands, a suburb on the edge of southern Cape Town.

Employed by many international telecommunications companies, fibre optic technology is a reliable and durable way of transmitting high-demand signals over long distances. It is anticipated that the provision of an affordable, high-speed broadband connection will be matched with the expected boom in demand over the coming years, and will result in a positive socio-economic impact for South Africa.