US tech giant Google, today announced Project Link, an initiative to connect Internet service providers (ISPs) in Kampala, Uganda to a metro fiber network to boost connectivity and internet speed in the capital.
“With Project Link, we’re enabling local providers to access a first-class network to serve the city of Kampala. With access to metro fiber, these providers can expand their services in order to meet the demands of a growing population…,” Access Director at Google Kai Wulff, said.
Commenting, Godfrey Kisekka, Chief Technology Officer, Orange Uganda, said: “The partnership with Google will enable us to expand our network capacities…”
“We are pleased to be working with Google on their Uganda initiative,” said Roger Sekaziga, Chief Executive Officer, Roke Telkom.
“We believe this collaboration will give us the flexibility to scale our operations with reduced incremental capital expenditure. This will allow us to leverage their platform to address niche markets. Ultimately, we think the consumer will be the beneficiary of these higher speed tiers,” he added.
Metro fiber works by strengthening a crucial link in the supply chain that connects users to the data they seek, share, and create.
The Africa-focused company explained that “some parts of that chain are already strong: for example, undersea cables are bringing data to Africa’s shores, and mobile operators are expanding their services across the continent.”
Google now helps to fast-track progress by building quality infrastructure in between those points.
The fiber network project is part of Google’s larger efforts to help get Africa online. Other projects to improve internet access in Sub Saharan Africa include a recent successful TV White Spaces trial in Cape Town, South Africa, as well as exploring how TV White Spaces technology could be put to use elsewhere on the continent; helping to provide Wi-Fi on over 80 university campuses; and working on peering and caching with network operators in nearly 30 countries to deliver Google content and services to users efficiently and cost-effectively.
According to a Google statement, the search giant has also provided grants to organisations such as the Network Startup Resource Center, Nigeria ICT Forum, the Tertiary Education and Research Network (TENET) of South Africa, and the Internet Society for their internet access work in Africa.
