Warren Fortune
CAPE Town is to be connected like never before, with free wi-fi at 61 buildings and key areas across the metro by the end of June.
Mayor Patricia de Lille announced the new development yesterday as part of the city’s continuing digital inclusion project to provide internet to disadvantaged areas.
Services will be provided at external public access points including clinics, administration buildings, traffic departments, fire stations and public transport interchanges in suburbs such as Langa, Nyanga, Uitsig, Valhalla Park, Athlone and Atlantis.
The city has partnered with service providers MWeb, Internet Solutions and Orange.
De Lille said the project was one of the stepping stones to the city becoming the benchmark for internet connectivity on the continent.
“Our brand-new wi-fi provision has been made possible by the city’s investment in broadband fibre-optic networks in line with the Universal Broadband Network strategy.
“This forms part of the city’s R1.3 billion programme to complete the roll-out over the next seven years. In doing so, we will realise our vision of facilitating access to high-speed internet in order to support economic development and expand opportunities to our residents.”
Orange will provide a 200MB data bundle per day, Internet Solutions 50MB and MWEB an uncapped data plan for a trial period.
There will be public wi-fi services by the end of next month at the Bellville Clinic, Hillstar Administrative Building, Mitchells Plain Switching Centre, Nyanga Switching Centre, Plumstead Administrative Building, Robbie Nurock Clinic and Site B Youth Clinic in Khayelitsha.
The city has 102 internal public-access facilities in its libraries with 679 729 users, and is looking at providing wi-fi on MyCiti buses.