By AKANI CHAUKE
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – THE industry should move faster, with more focus and support from government and regulators, to meet the rising demand for fibre in South Africa.
That is according to expert, Kevin South, who pointed out demand for high-speed fibre internet access was growing at a rapid pace among consumers and businesses, this as fibre to the home and to the business becomes available in more parts of the country.
South, who is Head SEACOM Business Channel, said fibre to the home and the business was the key to driving adoption of the cloud in South Africa, in turn helping the country to align itself more closely with the global digital economy.
“Fibre enables job creation and facilitates innovative thinking, empowering us to run a digital economy that compares to the best in the world,” South said.
“It’s key to our country’s participation in the global digital era—but we need a progressive mindset to take full advantage of the opportunities.”
Consumers, meanwhile, are enjoying access to services such as online gaming, streaming video, social media, e-learning, e-health,
entertainment, and more, much of it video-based thereby driving more demand for bandwidth.
“Fibre is a game changer for businesses and consumers alike because they can consume as much data as they like and enjoy high-speed uploads and downloads,” South added.
South pointed out the major metros in South Africa were becoming well covered with last-mile fibre, particularly in the commercial areas where there was a strong investment case.
Property developers are eager to include fibre infrastructure in new developments and support for open-access models and sharing infrastructure is eliminating waste and speeding up return on investment.
“There is also now more focus in bringing fibre to small towns and cities,” South said.
– CAJ News