Saldanha Bay Broadband Project   

Role: One of the key challenges hampering broadband services in South Africa (and Africa) is the lack of an effective last-mile connectivity solution (i.e., how to connect the home to the backbone broadband networks). This is even more of a challenge in the rural context. The Saldanha Bay Municipality (SBM) aims to be an innovative municipality on the cutting edge in respect of the use of technology and best practices. The municipality has embarked upon a process to implement a broadband project in Saldanha Bay that entails establishing a wireless broadband network that will enable households, individuals, and businesses to achieve the benefits of high-speed, low-cost broadband services. Essentially, the municipality wants to find the answer to the challenge of an effective last-mile connectivity solution within the African context.