In the 2006/2007 financial year, the Government of Uganda through the Ministry of ICT secured funding towards the implementation of the National Data Transmission Backbone Infrastructure and e-Government Infrastructure project. This was purposely for the provision of connectivity to Government Ministries and departments in the country. The three phase project that involved laying of Optic Fiber Cable across the country to all major towns has since been completed, and the Government has now set eyes to connecting places where Optic fiber cables couldn’t be laid due to geographical hindrances and other factors. The Government wants satellite connectivity for inaccessible areas.
Previous efforts to expand connectivity
Connectivity has been an issue in Uganda and we’ve seen different companies working to expand connectivity in the country. Facebook and Airtel partnered to lay fiber optic cables in Uganda and Roke Telkom partnered with Google to expand WiFi hot spots in Uganda
The Ministry of ICT seems to be thinking skywards after saying they are currently pursuing the use of satellite technology to compliment optical fiber that was laid down in a grand effort to increase Internet connectivity in Uganda. At a media briefing at the weekend, the ICT Minister revealed that the Ministry of ICT was discussing with Cabinet to adopt a hybrid system that will enable extension of internet connectivity in inaccessible areas.
“We will have the fiber laid up to a certain point. There are places where you cannot put the fiber. It would be expensive especially in geographically challenging areas. When you have fiber, satellite and other terrestrial microwave, you will have full connectivity,” he said.
As good as fiber optic cables are, they cannot be easily implemented in some locations with rough terrains. The ministry is opting for satellites they serve wireless transmissions. These wireless transmissions will be housed at MTN’s network facility in Mbuya, Kampala.
There is a pilot scheme going on in Ntoroko and Rubanda districts which seeks to extend high speed Internet to rural areas. This is an effort aligned to realize the 2020 Broadband Strategy, which seeks to achieve 100 per cent connectivity across Uganda.
This will not only mean affordable Internet being extended to remote areas in Uganda but also increased grounds to harbor innovation in Uganda in the long run. Satellite connectivity will eliminate the costs incurred to replace vandalized optic fiber. MTN Uganda currently spends about UGX 50 million in maintenance of its 6,000Km network.
