Over the last decade, South Africa has witnessed a dramatic transformation in its digital landscape.
By David Coleman, chief product officer at Frogfoot Networks
The country has made significant strides, with mobile networks now reaching almost every corner of the nation – according to GSMA Intelligence, mobile connections have achieved an impressive 100% penetration rate, spanning both urban centres and rural areas.
However, the broadband picture is one of a stark digital divide persists, with only 20% of households enjoying broadband access.
Even more striking? Only one in ten South Africans can tap into high-speed fibre or fixed wireless networks. While there has been considerable progress, these figures underscore the substantial work needed to bridge the remaining connectivity gaps. That said, there is change ahead thanks to public and private sector investments and commitments.
One of the most significant of these is the National Broadband Project established by the State IT Agency (SITA) at an estimated cost of R6 billion. The project aims to increase connectivity throughout the country while also cutting the cost of connectivity for government, municipal and state agencies. As of April 2024, the agency committed to 98% core network availability across more than 7 500 connected government sites.
Mobile operators are also prioritising a vision of inclusivity, focusing on developing cost-effective solutions for historically neglected regions. The past decade has seen a remarkable progression in mobile technology, with networks evolving from 3G to 5G and all offering increasingly accessible connectivity. This advancement has significantly bolstered internet accessibility, particularly in areas where fibre optic infrastructure is well-established.
Despite these improvements in coverage, the cost of data remains a significant hurdle for many South Africans. In areas lacking fibre infrastructure, users often find themselves at the mercy of higher mobile data rates, which can be prohibitively expensive.
However, there’s a silver lining as the demand for data continues to grow exponentially across all sectors of society. Service providers are introducing unlimited data plans and more affordable packages within fibre-enabled areas.
The digital landscape is evolving rapidly, with an increasing appetite for data across all sectors. From sophisticated applications and cutting-edge artificial intelligence to smart vehicles and digital payment systems, innovation lies in connectivity and data access.
These technological advancements have the potential to radically transform the nation’s wellbeing and economic prosperity and underscores the need for service providers to offer affordable data packages that can accelerate both internet access and the ongoing data-driven revolution.
The ripple effects of these initiatives could be far-reaching, benefiting individuals and businesses alike. Already, visionary companies are spearheading this movement, recognising that universal internet access is not just a luxury, but a catalyst for progress and equality in the digital age.
Fibre remains the ultimate enabler as of 2024. Fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) solutions are becoming increasingly capable and there must be a more focused effort to roll this out to the edges of the country. It offers limitless capacity and can bring education, insight, and transformation to communities that have remained cut-off from the rest of the world due to distance and poverty.
Many fibre network operators have already invested significantly into low-cost, high-capacity fibre roll-outs that service communities in South Africa and that come at a price point that makes connectivity more affordable than ever before.
Another notable change is the increase of undersea cables servicing Africa.
WACS that connects South Africa to the UK along the West coast of Africa and runs for 14 530 kms; EASSy that runs up the East Coast, and the recently introduced Equiano which also runs down the East coast – these are the most well-known but there are several others all creating numerous entry points along the coast which provide reliable service to the country.
Some of the content providers, including Google and Meta, have also mentioned plans to bring additional cables on to the continent, adding redundancy and higher reliability across services.
The continent has immense potential – it’s connected and there are reliable service providers delivering the internet at speed. With all this change, Africa is slowly standing up on the global stage, accessing markets, showcasing innovation, and building businesses.
While there remains work to be done, organisations and the government are making the steps necessary to connect South Africa and its people.