Metropolitan Fibre Optic in Lusaka

There is digging going on in the City of Lusaka in readiness for the Metropolitan fiber optic. Just out of curiosity, I asked one of the diggers if they know what this fibre optic was all about and the answer was that they did not know it.

The Zambia Telecommunication Company (ZAMTEL) developments laying Optic fibre in the Metropolitan City of Lusaka will help to reduce the cost of using satellite. ZAMTEL is the company in Zambia which has signed a memorandum of understanding with the EASSy consortium to link Zambia to the international fibre optic network.
The National ICT Policy notes that in order to leapfrog the existing capacity and technology requirements for overhauling the existing telecommunications infrastructure, thereby laying a solid foundation for delivering current and future services ranging from digital Radio, Television, Internet, data and other multimedia services.

Fibre based Technology provides a comprehensive and reliable network for the country. The possibility of reducing telephone and internet costs can be achieved by interconnecting the proposed national Fibre Optic Network to the undersea cable running along the African coast connecting to Europe and Asia, some of the most active destinations for Zambia.

The ICT policy however says this requires implementation modalities in terms of network licensing, access conditions, management and operation of the backbone in the most optimal and beneficial manner to the entire country.
Zambia has in the recent past seen utility companies such as the Zambia Electricity Company (ZESCO) and the Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC) lay and commission the installation of optic fibre in their system to provide quality service.

ZAMTEL is currently installing the fibre network at a total cost of US 48 million while ZESCO spent 13 million to complete the optic fibre network that has covered 1,700 kilo metrs from Sesheke through to Livingstone and Lusaka through to Kabwe and the Copperbelt up to Solwezi.