Late November last year, Google announced Project Link, an initiative that was meant to connect everyone in Kampala to the internet, and now they have embarked on the real deal, to enable suppliers, especially telecom companies access high speed and reliable internet connections without investing heavily in upgrading base stations. With the advent of 4G -LTE services in Uganda, the need for high speed backbone is paramount.
Google says, ‘For many who are online, inadequate or nonexistent infrastructure offers slow and unreliable connections’. With Google Project Link, internet Service Providers (ISPs) and mobile phone network operators will pay lower overhead expenses for doing business.
Most telecos plan to complete connecting to project Link by March this year, this will usher in innovative products and connect more people to a fast and reliable Internet, which will in turn boost internet connectivity in the country. According to Google, the Project Link will connect the ISPs long-distance fiber lines, equipping them with near-unlimited capacity to build and expand services to Ugandans. They will be charged a fee which is currently not disclosed as it could vary depending on the number of base station to be connected.
In other news, rumormil indicates that Airtel Uganda is currently deploying their LTE network, and thanks to project link, quick deployment of LTE base stations is now possible. Other telecos connecting to project link include MTN, Orange, Smile communications, etc. The high capacity fiber network will provide a link between existing local networks to the undersea cables that pipe internet between continents, in a sustainable manner.
