by MTHULISI SIBANDA
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – BROADBAND Infraco (BBI) and Huawei have launched an upgraded intelligent backbone network at Gallagher Convention Centre in Johannesburg.
The upgraded backbone network directly supports the goals of SA Connect and is anticipated to bring high-capacity, affordable broadband to millions of South Africans.
Over 200 leaders from the public and private sectors in South Africa and other Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) countries witnessed the event.
“We are bridging the digital divide on two fronts, closing the digital inequality gap at home and narrowing the gap between South Africa and the world’s most industrialised nations,” said Gift Zowa, Chief Executive Officer of BBI.
“We are addressing one of SA Connect’s primary goals, the DCDT’s flagship broadband connectivity project, to make connectivity inclusive and bring stable, high-capacity broadband to all South African communities and government facilities by 2030.”
DCDT is the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies.
BBI has utilised Huawei’s next-generation Optical Cross-Connect (OXC) technology to deliver 800G wavelengths across its network.
It is the first 800G intelligent optical backbone network deployed by the government sector, positioning South Africa as a leader of digital backbone innovation.
The network will also support South Africa’s new BBI fibre route, which connects Johannesburg to the Kopfontein border, thereby strengthening high-speed cross-border connectivity across the SADC region.
The backbone spans all nine provinces and extends to the borders with Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Eswatini and Zimbabwe.
Will Meng, CEO of Huawei South Africa, said this partnership would create a foundation for widespread public sector digital transformation.
“Looking ahead, Huawei will scale these efforts to build an inclusive, resilient digital ecosystem for the Southern African region,” Meng said.
Solly Malatsi, Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, said digital inclusion was about providing connectivity that is permanent and sustainable.
He said that meaningful digital inclusion means high-quality connectivity should be available not only in urban areas but also in rural areas.
“That would be the true measure of meaningful digital inclusion. And for that, it means that we must hold each other accountable. The SA Connect project is a very noble effort to close the digital divide. We dare not fail that mission,” Malatsi said.
– CAJ News