Telecommunications group Vodacom’s Limpopo Region has invested more than R460-million in its network across the province to increase coverage and meet the demand for online access.

Some R140-million of the total capital expenditure was allocated to expanding broadband coverage with the deployment of 58 new base station sites, including 17 in deep rural areas.

“This brings the region’s third-generation population coverage to 99.7%, while fourth-generation (4G) connectivity stands at 94.3%. In 2021, Vodacom Limpopo switched on fifth-generation mobile networks in Polokwane and Thohoyandou,” says Vodacom Limpopo Region managing executive Miguel Simoes.

The region also completed 642 long-term evolution upgrades to accommodate the 46% year-on-year increase in data traffic.

“Our investment in network technology aims to expand broadband coverage and provide quality network service to our customers,” he says.

Further, Vodacom Limpopo Region invested more than R110-million to upgrade base station battery systems to prevent disruption to network services in the event of power outages, such as load-shedding.

Vodacom has also been mitigating theft and vandalism through the implementation of high-security infrastructure and armed response at sites across the region.

“Through our efforts to reduce the cost to communicate while at the same time introduce connectivity to more areas and upgrade existing network services, we have grown our customer base by 19% in this past year. This means more than three-million customers in the region can tap into the life-changing opportunities of digital technology, from essential services to employment and education,” says Simoes.

Meanwhile, Vodacom Limpopo Region provided financial support through amortised payment plans to help small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) navigate the economic challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Vodacom Limpopo tailored flexible and affordable solutions to ensure these customers could remain connected and manage their businesses, despite the uncertainty of Covid-19.”

In addition to SME support, the company set its sights on bolstering youth employment after partnering with the Wholesale and Retail Sector Education and Training Authority to provide over 200 graduates with work experience and skills training at Vodacom retail outlets and regional departments.

Simoes says that some of these graduates have been employed by business partners on a permanent basis.

Further, working with the Department of Basic Education, Vodacom Limpopo donated 100 tablets to the top matric learners in the province to help them advance their academic ambitions, while 50 tablets were donated to students in the province who are brand ambassadors for antibullying in schools.

Vodacom Limpopo also partnered with the University of Limpopo and the University of Venda to offer reduced data bundles to enable nearly 20 000 students to study remotely during the pandemic.

In partnership with the provincial government, Vodacom Limpopo provided 25 laptops to social workers to capture and upload grant beneficiaries in rural areas, and donated 50 tablets to the Department of Health, which uses the devices to record Covid-19 vaccinations in local villages.

“To further address the barriers to connectivity and drive adoption of Internet-enabled devices, Vodacom Limpopo collaborated with Google South Africa last year, to migrate customers from second-generation to 4G by giving away Android-powered smartphones to residents of 11 villages across the province,” Simoes adds.

“The region continues to accelerate information and communications technology (ICT) integration in communities with regular digital skills training programmes offered at Vodacom’s ICT centres, schools and teacher training centres in the province.”