Vodacom extends coverage in Capricorn District

Vodacom Limpopo’s commitment to investment in network development is the driving force behind recent announcements that the communications giant will be building six more base station sites to serve rural communities in the Capricorn District during the 2017/18 financial year.
This follows a sod turning ceremony in Lephalale recently to mark the start of building three base station sites to increase network access.
The company’s investment in rural areas is targeted at expanding 2G and 3G network coverage, increasing data speed and reducing the number of dropped calls.
Ishmael Mathinya, Executive Head for Operations for the Vodacom Limpopo region, explained in media release that the new base stations will be part of Vodacom’s Rural Network Extension Programme and address gaps in coverage, especially in deep rural areas. “This means that we will be bringing faster data services to people who currently only have access to voice services and the first generation EDGE data services,” he said. Mathinya said Vodacom Limpopo has also invested heavily in upgrades to the network, ensuring increased network capacity, improved voice quality and enhanced mobile data speed in the Capricorn District. “We have committed ourselves to spending R23 million to build 41 sites that will expand network coverage in rural areas.”
More than R165 million was spent in Limpopo during the previous financial year to expand coverage and increase network capacity, while R220 million was invested in the Vodacom network in 2015. “Vodacom Limpopo is sending a strong message that we put our money where our mouths are. We have always maintained that people living in rural areas should have the same access to faster data speeds as those living in urban areas. This will give people the opportunity to become a part of the digital age where internet access is crucial.

Story: MARKI FRANKEN
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