Google has built a
fiber-optic network in Kampala, Uganda, the company announced yesterday,
and it is a huge step forward for the city’s Internet infrastructure.
Until recently, Kampala was mostly on pre-broadband speeds. The modern
city of 1.2 million residents can now access the Internet at modern
speeds.
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The initiative is called Project Link. It connects the undersea
cables reaching Africa from all parts of the globe, to the local ISP and
mobile providers who would otherwise not be able to offer faster
service bundles. With Project Link, the last piece of the puzzle is in
place for Kampala.
Google hasn’t said whether it intends to expand Project Link to
other cities. Likely it will look at the Kampala initiative and study it
as a pilot before moving on to other locales. The benefits to Kampala
are obvious: better opportunities for businesses, educational
institutions, hospitals, and other institutions–as well as individuals
connected to the Internet via devices of all types.
The benefits to Google of establishing local fiber-optic networks
in Africa can also be surmised. The continent’s 1 billion residents–of
whom only 16% are online–represent a growing market for Internet
services. Google’s ad-based business model would do well to invest in
such long-term growth.
Google Africa Blog
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