Regions get 20 more network towers

Infrastracture provider PowerCom Namibia is set to construct 20 telecommunications network towers in the Zambezi, Kavango East, Kavango West and //Kharas regions.

This with an investment of about N$32 million in one financial year.

Minister of information and communication technology Emma Theofelus has commended PowerCom, saying the company has shown its partnership with the ministry’s vision to transform Namibia into a digitally inclusive nation.

She says this vision is contained in programmes such as ‘Smart Namibia’, which is aimed at leveraging technology as a powerful tool to propel economic growth and enhance service delivery across sectors, and the ‘Access for All’ programme, which is dedicated to expanding broadband connectivity across the nation, particularly in underserved rural areas like those at Keetmanshoop.

Theofelus said this at farm Howobes outside Keetmanshoop on Friday at a groundbreaking ceremony to construct the 20th network tower to be built at a cost of more than N$1,3 million.

“PowerCom is not simply constructing infrastructure, it is building bridges […] and empowering the people from the //Kharas region and other communities in various regions to actively participate in the digital age,” Theofelus said.

“This in return will ensure equitable access to technology across the nation, and in the same vein empower all Namibians to contribute to and benefit from a thriving digital economy,” she said.

Theofelus called on key stakeholders to continue collaborating and responding to PowerCom’s calls, be it in terms of making land available land for tower construction or responding timely to the environmental impact assessment process.

PowerCom chief executive Beatus Amadhila said the company will construct over 20 network towers, and with this will be nearing a record completion of 50 new towers over a period of about three years.

“As we continue to embark on our journey to be a leading force in transforming Namibia’s digital landscape by connecting both urban and rural communities, we are duty-bound in ensuring equitable access for all citizens,” he said.

National data of 2022 estimate a combined 4G population coverage between MTC and TN Mobile of 81% in the //Kharas region, with a radio access network comprising of MTC and TN Mobile at 72% and 28%, respectively.

To date PowerCom has a total of 16 existing towers in the //Kharas region, and plans to increase this to 28 towers over the next two to three years by adding 12 more sites.

Some of these sites include Donkerhoek and the industrial area at Keetmanshoop, Groot Schwarzkuppe, Klein Aus Vista and the Garub area on the road between Aus and Lüderitz.

Others areas are Agate and Diaz Point at Lüderitz.

The total investment envisaged is estimated at around N$19,2 million, with an average cost per site amounting to N$1,6 million.

“This just shows the urgency we all have to act on by embracing the reality we are living in, which calls for innovation, agility and deployment of resources in all communities without wasting time.

“Network coverage is no longer a luxury, but a right which should be enjoyed by all Namibians, irrespective of where they may find themselves,” Amadhila said.