Page 16 - DPSA_SDR Vol 12 No.2 2019

SERVICE DELIVERY TECHNOLOGY

Western Cape government

expands public Wi-Fi

services

The Western Cape government has embarked on a long-term project of laying fibre optic infrastructure across the
province to provide government buildings, public schools, communities and businesses with access to affordable
telecommunications.

Western Cape households have the Broader, faster Western Cape libraries, schools, clinics
highest internet access in the country, and offices, and helps to position the
at 70,8% according to StatsSA (2018). In late November 2018, the Western region as a leading global digital hub.
The current Public Wi-Fi Hotspot project Cape government began expanding
is active at 178 government buildings and upgrading its public Wi-Fi service to Most people and communities in rural,
across 12 municipalities in the province the 6,6 million residents of the province. remote areas rely heavily on mobile
and provides 250MB of free data In partnership with a private company, phones to stay in touch and conduct
per device per month. Over 910 000 it aims to further extend this advantage business. Since mobile broadband
devices have connected to the network by expanding the number of limited free costs are still very high to many
since it was launched in March 2016 public Wi-Fi hotspots at government citizens, public access Wi-Fi networks
and currently use over 12 Terra Bite of buildings to 1 600, with an increased present an opportunity for citizens to
data per month, combined. data allocation at faster speeds. connect, not only to each other, but
also to employment and entrepreneurial
The project forms part of a R3 billion plan opportunities.
to expand on broadband connectivity in

14 SERVICE DELIVERY REVIEW | Volume 12 No.2 of 2019