Government through the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT) on Wednesday announced plans to establish a universal internet connectivity access fund targeting rural schools and clinics in the country.
Deputy Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Emma Theofelus announced the plan at the world telecommunication development conference underway in Kigali in Rwanda.
Theofelus in a media statement on Wednesday further said that government would first establish this universal access fund for internet connectivity before its services are rolled out to secondary schools and clinics in under-served and unserved areas.
She said through the fund, Namibia will make sure the upgrading of 122 communication towers to a 4G level takes place.
“Government will also build an additional 36 other internet communication towers in rural areas,” she said.
The universal internet communication fund will also pay for the 4G routers with uncapped data to secondary and vocational schools as well as to clinics in areas with insufficient coverage, she added.
Theofelus stated at the conference that Namibia also intends to establish a national cyber and security incidence response team that would support operations of cyber resilience of the country.
“The cyber security team will serve as the focal point for coordination of responses to cyber incidents as well as to the primary contact point that liaises with the national sectoral cyber security systems at regional and international levels,” she said.
Theofelus further applauded Namibia on its significant strides made in providing quality communication services to its people since the introduction of the mobile services in 1995.
She said so far ICT has impacted lives of many in providing voice and data connectivity, enabling the delivery of financial service applications and e-government services like online tax submissions and tollfree help lines during the COVID-19 pandemic campaigns.
The telecommunication industry in Namibia continues to provide the 2G and 3G mobile services to about 95 per cent of the population, while the 4G coverage is at 79 per cent, she said.
Source: The Namibia Press Agency
