Beitbridge-Vic Falls Fibre network launched

TENDAI BHEBE IN VICTORIA FALLS 

Information Communication Technology Courier Services minister Jenfan Muswere yesterday officially launched the Bandwidth and Cloud Services (BCS) Group’s railroad fibre network connecting Beitbridge- Victoria Falls.

Speaking at the launch in the Resort town of Victoria Falls, Muswere said fibre connection will ensure the provision of robust and reliable communications infrastructure across the country.

The BCS Group is the first company to deploy railroad fibre along the railway servitude by using a rail plough for mechanical trenching and laying of High-density polyethylene (HDPE) ducts.

The build is over 1,950km of railroad fibre and 360km of terrestrial fibre in Zimbabwe with the phase 1 of the railroad build being Beitbridge – Victoria Falls.“They came to Zimbabwe in 2020 with the view of setting up a telecommunications network. They visited my office and shared their plans as any potential investor would do.  The plans seemed grand and exciting and my advice to them was to proceed and comply with all the necessary legal and regulatory requirements.

“In February 2022 they were awarded the necessary telecommunication licenses by POTRAZ.

“The construction of the fibre network commenced in April of this year and what we are witnessing today is the last mile of the deployment,” Muswere said.

He said ICT is one of the key enablers in the drive to the economy to become an upper middle-income economy by 2030.

Speaking at the same event, Gift Machengete, the POTRAZ director-general said the licensing of additional service providers enables the Authority to increase the availability of broadband services. “In particular the licensing of BCS Group enables the country to extend the national optic fibre backbone footprint, “he said.

BCS Group managing director Yonas Maru said: “BCS has been innovative in resolving the connectivity challenges in its countries of operation by laying the first under lake fibre in Africa to connect a region of 3 million  people in Eastern DRC to Uganda.”

Phase 1 of the project (Beitbridge – Bulawayo – Victoria Falls – 1,001km) which makes up more than 50% of the planned railroad build has been completed. The link provides terrestrial point to point connectivity between the towns of Beitbridge, Rutenga, Somabhula, Bulawayo, Nyamadhlovu, Saw Mills, Dete, Hwange and Victoria Falls.

The link will also provide access to international traffic available at Beitbridge (South Africa) and Victoria Falls (Zambia).

The link is also important for regional connectivity providing access to international traffic available at Beitbridge, South Africa to Zambia, Southern DRC and Malawi.

BCS Group is a provider of fibre and wholesale internet services to mobile operators and internet service providers in East, South and Central Africa.