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The race to connect the internet in Windhoek’s suburbs is heating up, with several companies investing millions of dollars in hopes of becoming leaders in the emerging fibre optic market.
Currently, service providers are scrambling to lay fiber optic cables in communities to expand the country’s existing 18,790 kilometers of network.
The City of Windhoek, which manages it all, said it had no statistics on the size of the capital’s network because “the renewal system of the actual fibre network is still ongoing”.
However, it did indicate that 10 km of fiber had been installed this year. The fiber network in the Khomas region is 1,776 km long.
Official figures show that this year alone the city government has issued 15 rights of way for fibre infrastructure. Rights of way are instruments that allow service providers to install and maintain their infrastructure within the city.
But for now, the lack of connectivity means investment opportunities, as Windhoek – and the country as a whole – is experiencing a digital boom.
Investing millions
“The total investment in various telecommunications infrastructures in the first quarter of 2024 was N$267 million, but we did not separate it into different types of infrastructure,” Mufaro Nesongano, director of communications and consumer relations at the Namibian Communications Regulatory Authority, told Network Media Hub last week.
Despite growing interest in the digital infrastructure sector, how the battle for digital fibre in Namibia will play out remains a mystery.
As demand for adequate bandwidth increases dramatically among businesses, universities and homes, network operators are investing huge sums to keep up with the demand.
A major factor driving the country’s demand for high-performance bandwidth is the growing young population, which sees connectivity not as a luxury but as an essential service. For Namibia’s more than 2 million young people, broadband means access to educational, economic and social opportunities.
Mobile broadband plays an important role, but fibre-based fixed-line infrastructure is also critical to connecting mobile towers and delivering affordable last-mile high-speed services to users.
Numbers game
Research by We Are Social shows that at the beginning of 2023, the number of internet users in Namibia was 1.37 million, compared to 1.33 million in 2022.
In January 2023, Namibia had over 729,000 social media users and there were a total of 2.81 million active cellular mobile connections in Namibia.
Data from the report also shows that by 2023, Namibian internet users can expect average mobile internet connection speeds of 18.30 megabits per second (Mbps) via cellular networks and 8.28 Mbps for fixed internet connections.
The data shows that between January 2022 and January 2023, Namibia’s average mobile internet connection speed decreased by 1.69 Mbps (-8.5%), while fixed internet connection speed decreased by 0.85 Mbps (-9.3%).
According to the Digital 2023: Namibia report published by DataReportal, businesses and marketers should take advantage of Namibia’s high mobile connectivity rates to reach a wider audience.
The report further noted that despite the increase in the number of internet users, nearly half of the population is still offline, indicating growth potential for internet services. “The growth of social media users indicates that the way communication and information are disseminated is changing, which businesses can use to market and attract customers,” the report reads.
Another factor is the rapid rise of video, with streaming services such as Netflix and Showmax expected to put more pressure on network operators to ensure quality and uninterrupted internet service.
In the enterprise sector, the demand for cloud computing services provided by Amazon, Microsoft, and Google, among others, to upgrade IT infrastructure has also added to the growing demand.
Maintenance Plan
Windhoek residents have recently been subjected to massive ground excavation works as private contractors rushed to lay fibre optic cables.
At least three Homa Sdar homeowners, who asked not to be named, complained that the company laying the fiber optic cable had not restored the sidewalks and roads to their original state.
“I have an interlock on the front of my yard but as you can see they just dug a hole here and did their job and left such a mess. The way they reinstalled the interlock was such a mess that I now have to pay someone to reinstall it,” said one resident.
Another resident said it took one of the companies nearly a week to clear the rubble in front of his yard. “The road was also damaged and the road surface was uneven because of the improper filling method.”
In response, city spokesperson Lydia Amutenya said each fibre service provider in Windhoek has its own infrastructure plan.
“The city’s involvement is primarily focused on ensuring quality standards are met during the installation process. In addition, restoring roads and sidewalks to city standards is also part of the process,” she said.
She said the pilot holes are to ensure protection and maintenance during installation.
“Private contractors responsible for laying fiber optic cables are held accountable to the conditions set out in the right-of-way agreement,” she added. “These conditions cover various aspects, including quality assurance and restoration of infrastructure to city standards. By complying with these requirements, contractors can hopefully minimize damage and ensure that the installation process does not negatively impact existing infrastructure.”
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