By Jonathan Mbiriyamveka
Newly licenced company — Fibre Connections — is laying 2000km of fibre along the rail network which will see Zimbabwe becoming the hub of internet connectivity in Southern Africa a development which will see lower internet costs.
The massive project is one of the key economic and developmental initiatives being spearheaded under the Second Republic.
Speaking at the launch in Victoria Falls, ICT, Postal and Courier Services Dr Jenfan Muswere, said the commissioning of Fibre Connections was testimony to the Government’s commitment in ensuring the provision of robust and reliable communications infrastructure across the country.
“ICT is one of the key enablers in the drive to become an upper middle-income economy by 2030.
“This massive project is one of the key economic and developmental initiatives being spearheaded under the Second Republic,” Dr Muswere said.
“It is one of the milestone projects being undertaken under the Second Republic to promote and enhance the ease of doing business in Zimbabwe and trade facilitation for the whole sub-region.”
He said the attainment of the milestone signified investment inflows into the country, and that indeed Zimbabwe is open for business!
“ And for Zimbabwe in general, it helps to cement our natural geographic location of being a regional hub for transport and in the recent era; as a communications Hub,” he said.
He said the project was made possible due to the collaboration of various entities at different levels including Government.
Fiber Connections has enjoyed the support of the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ), the Environmental Management Agency (EMA), the National Railway company of Zimbabwe (NRZ), the Zimbabwe Investment Development Agency (ZIDA), the Department of Immigration, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, the Ministry of ICT, Postal and Courier Services and the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) among others.
The company also received support from organizations such as Telone, Dandemutande, Powertel and Dark Fiber Africa.
Fiber Connections came to Zimbabwe in 2020 with the view of setting up a telecommunications network.
In February 2022 they were awarded the necessary telecommunication licenses by POTRAZ.
The construction of the fiber network commenced in April of this year.
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