Cape Town’s massive broadband savings
The City of Cape Town’s fibre network has reached the point where it is extensive enough to be used by the private sector, it said.
“Broadband connectivity is fundamental to creating an enabling environment for economic growth, development, and inclusion,” said the City of Cape Town.
According to Cape Town, digital access has often been out of reach for a number of communities.
Cape Town provided the following overview of its broadband roll-out in the metropolitan municipality.
| Numbers | Achievements/Milestones |
| R1.3 billion | The estimated cost of the City’s multi-year infrastructure investment programme to establish a broadband network across the city |
| Delivery to date | |
| R544 million | Capital spent on broadband infrastructure to date |
| R236 million | The capital budget allocation for the 2015/16 financial year for broadband infrastructure |
| 613 km | The length of the fibre route |
| 1 802 | The number of manholes along the 613 km route |
| 789 km | The length of fibre-optic cable that has been installed in the City’s own duct network |
| 43 541 km | The total length of core fibres |
| Benefits that have been realised | |
| 3 000 | How many times faster the City’s corporate network is now compared with its bandwidth prior to the broadband roll-out project |
| 240 | The number of City-owned buildings, including clinics, libraries and administrative buildings, that have been connected through fibre optics and microwave |
| 54 | The number of Western Cape Government buildings (including clinics and hospitals) that have been connected using the City’s telecoms network |
| 9 | The number of licensed third-party service providers who have taken up the spare infrastructure capacity generated via the City’s broadband network |
| 18 | The number of switching centres that have been commissioned to house telecommunications equipment owned by the City and providing services to commercial third party service providers |
| Financial Returns | |
| R3 million | How much the City has saved in Internet costs since January 2015 |
| R100 million | How much the City has saved in telecommunications costs for the 2013/14 (R39 million) and 2014/15 (R61 million) financial years |
| R165 million | Bandwidth costs the City has avoided for 2013/14 (R67 million) and 2014/15 (R98 million) that has resulted in significant financial benefits from the investment in broadband |
| Usage | |
| 10Gbps | Speed of the core network |
| 1Gbps | Speed of the fibre connection to each City and Western Cape Government building |
| 26 233 | The number of computers connected to the corporate network |
| 19 | The number of MyCiTi stations connected using City fibre optics for communications |
| 106 | The number of City CCTV cameras being migrated to the City network |
“The City is aligned with South Africa’s vision as outlined in the National Development Plan, to provide a seamless information infrastructure that will underpin a dynamic and connected vibrant information society, and a knowledge economy that is more inclusive, equitable and prosperous,” said Cape Town.
“We are also pleased to partner with third party service providers to roll out our digital inclusion strategy and stimulate economic development in less advantaged areas.”
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