Source: ED commissions major fibre optic link | The Herald March 12, 2019
President Mnangagwa Walter Muchinguri in Victoria Falls
President Mnangagwa is tomorrow expected to commission TelOne’s multi-million-dollar fibre optic in Beitbridge. Information Communication Technology and Courier Services Minister Kazembe Kazembe told journalists on the sidelines of the International Telecommunications Union high profile meeting here yesterday that the commissioning of the fibre optic, which links Beitbridge with Harare and Bulawayo, was a milestone.“This Wednesday President Mnangagwa will launch the TelOne optic fibre in Beitbridge which is a milestone because not only does it link Zimbabwe and South Africa but with other countries in the region as well,” he said.
“It is very critical in the sense that it makes us a realistic player, a hub in the deployment of fibre optic and in fact the deployment of the fibre optic has resulted in a 40 percent reduction in TelOne’s costs, which will benefit the consumer,” he said.
Minister Kazembe said the fibre optic almost completes the loop. “I think the link that is remaining is the Makuti-Chirundu link which is part of our next 100-day programme. Preliminary work is already underway,” he said.
Apart from the Beitbridge-Harare and Bulawayo links, TelOne also has the Mutare-Harare link that runs up to Plumtree.
“We cannot stop progressing and looking at the bigger plan or picture just because there is a certain area where there is no connectivity in the particular area, even in the developed countries coverage is not 100 percent.
“But as we do that we need to agree that everyone must be connected. This is why the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority through the Universal Service Fund is working hard to provide coverage in those under- serviced areas.
Minister Kazembe earlier officially opened the ITU meeting.
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