Burundi readies for internet boom with first fibre optic cable
Land-locked Burundi is bracing for the benefits of broadband internet with its first optical fibre optic cable set to go live as early as next month.
The country has been dependent on costly satellite for its bandwidth needs, four years after the east African coast was connected to its first sub-sea cable.
The country's Finance and Economic Planning minister asked operators and entrepreneurs to take advantage of the fast and reliable internet once the cable is available.
"A patient may for example be operated without having to travel to India or elsewhere. Students can easily access distance learning at a lower cost," Mr Taboo Abdallah Manirakiza said.
"The time is now to think about projects that will reap the dividends of the fibre optic in Burundi. If you do not think about it today, you will not benefit from this fibre as is happening in other countries. You've got to take advantage of this deal," Mr Manirakiza said at the Bujumbura signing of a financing deal Wednesday.
The completion of the fibre optic has been made possible through $13 million in funding obtained by the Burundi government including from the PTA Bank.
Other partners in the project also chipped in.
"The government will reimburse the credit over 10 years but there's also a three-year grace period," Mr David Easum, the general manager of Backbone Systems Burundi, which is laying the fibre, said at the signing.
BBS is a public-private partnership that ropes together the government and five telecoms operators.
In order for the project to be done effectively, BBS needed at least $25 million in capital. The $10 million initially advanced mainly by the World Bank has already been spent
"We can only thank the World Bank through the government of Bujumbura, economic partners and other operators who have invested in the project to make it a reality by June or July," he said.
The BBS project entails the construction of links to all provinces of the country, a distance of 12,500km.
By the end of 2014, all activities will have been completed, according to the financing deal.
