Dandemutande invests US$8m for national fibre backbone
INTERNET access provider Dandemutande Investments Private Limited invested US$8 million in establishing a national fibre backbone in 2023, as the firm continues to widen its footprint in the provision of reliable internet connectivity and information technology services in Zimbabwe. Our reporter EMMANUEL KAFE (EK) sat down with Dandemutande CEO MR NEVER NCUBE (NN) to discuss the successful installation of the 861 km of fibre optic infrastructure.
EK: What is the significance of Dandemutande’s fibre optic project that was recently launched in Somabhula?
NN: As an internet access provider, our goal is to provide corporates, and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with reliable, high-speed connectivity to meet their business needs.
As a result of this fibre optic project, Dandemutande is moving closer to achieving this goal, as we can now offer connectivity along the Harare-Beitbridge route.
This expansion of services will, therefore, allow us to reach more businesses in towns and remote areas, allowing them to compete globally.
This is also in line with the Zimbabwe National Broadband Plan, which envisions a highly connected information society.
EK: What does the increased national footprint of Dandemutande’s fibre network mean for customers?
NN: The increased fibre footprint translates to a wider reach, greater speeds when accessing the internet, enhanced internetdriven automation and online operations that reduce costs for businesses.
With these benefits, companies can improve their overall efficiency and productivity, leading to increased profits and growth opportunities.
EK: Can you provide more details about the extent of the fibre network you are building, including the total length and the specific locations covered?
NN: We have built 861km of optic fibre as part of the project. Of this figure, 717km runs along the railway line servitude following the Harare-Norton-Chegutu-Kadoma-Kwekwe-Gweru-Somabhula-Bannockburn-Ingesi-Rutenga-Lesanth-Beitbridge route, while the other segment runs 144km from Somabhula to Trevoli, and then into Bulawayo.
EK: What was the total investment in infrastructure and active equipment made by Dandemutande for this project?
NN: Dandemutande invested a total of US$8 million, with US$5 million in optic fibre, US$1,5 million in active equipment and a further US$1,5 million in metro fibre to make this project possible.
EK: What is the ownership stake of Dandemutande in the infrastructure, and how does it impact how it operates?
NN: Dandemutande owns 48 of 96 cores, which gives it a 50 percent stake of the capacity.
From an operational perspective, our investment in the project enables us to leverage on our nearly 27 years of experience in the telecommunications industry to deliver robust connectivity solutions and innovative complementary products to our corporate customers, while simultaneously expanding our reach in the market at competitive price points.
EK: Can you explain the current capacity of the fibre optic network, and its scalability potential? How will this capacity benefit Dandemutande’s services?
NN: The current capacity of the fibre optic network is 100 billions of bits per second (Gbps), which will allow for faster data transmission and increased bandwidth to meet the growing demands of our users, enabling them to digitise their environment and carry out multimedia operations fully.
Capacity can also be scaled to 400Gbps, guaranteeing that our network remains cutting-edge and ready to handle future technological breakthroughs.
EK: What are carrier-grade backhaul services, and how will Dandemutande leverage on the project to provide these services between South Africa and Zimbabwe?
NN: Carrier-grade backhaul services are designed to handle large data traffic volumes, provide low latency and offer scalability to accommodate future growth.
Through these services, customers get higher capacity, uptime and service level guarantees, which help their daily operations run smoothly.
Dandemutande is committed to supporting the growth and success of businesses in Zimbabwe and beyond.
Through this project, the business is positioning itself to become a key player in the region’s digital transformation.
Building on this project, Dandemutande will use its strong partnerships with South African transit providers to connect the two countries’ business communities.
Moreover, Dandemutande will also scale up its cloud services as an overlay on this backhaul, meaning more businesses can access dependable cloud services tailored to their specific needs and requirements.
EK: Are there any specific timelines or milestones associated with implementing the additional metro fibre connections you recently referred to?
NN: Implementing metro fibre connections is an ongoing activity aimed at covering several hundreds of kilometres of fibre across all cities annually.
This initiative is crucial to improving internet access and experience, while supporting the growing demand for data services.
We are well on track to achieving this goal for 2024.
EK: What is the purpose of the solar backup solution implemented by Dandemutande?
NN: We recognise how much businesses rely on our internet services, which is why maintaining service uptime is important to us.
To mitigate the impact of scheduled and unscheduled power outages, solar energy has proven to be the perfect power backup solution for keeping our network up and running, allowing our customers to stay connected and continue their operations uninterrupted.
Additionally, we believe that by using solar energy, we are also doing our part for the environment, because it is a renewable and sustainable source of electricity that does not create carbon emissions or other heat-trapping greenhouse gases.
EK: What are Dandemutande’s plans regarding the expansion of its fibre network?
NN: As Dandemutande, we intend to transition from the concept of a “landlocked” Zimbabwe to a “land-linked” Zimbabwe by expanding our fibre network to Zimbabwe’s border towns, including Plumtree in the south, Victoria Falls and Kariba in the north, as well as Mutare in the east.
As a result of the nationwide redundancy, businesses of all sizes will have a better connectivity experience.
Our goal is to improve connectivity within Zimbabwe and strengthen connections with neighbouring countries, opening more opportunities for regional trade and collaboration.
With better connectivity, businesses can thrive and the country can continue to grow and develop.