For the past two weeks, workers have been digging trenches in the sidewalk around Lang Street in Carletonville.
The director of operations at Intac Global Telecoms, Mr David Chiye- mura, says the private project aims to bring fibreoptic cables to houses in the Merafong City local municipal area. This will enable residents to connect to this fast connection once sub-scribed to the ISP of their choice.
The project will take three months in Carletonville and another three months in Fochville. It will start with surveys and planning and proceed to trenching and, finally, fibre work.
He explains that fibreoptic internet is connection carried by a cable filled with thin glass or plastic fibres. Data travels through them as beams of light pulsed in a pattern. Fibreoptic internet speeds are about 20 times faster than regular cable at 1 Gbps (billions of bits per second).
“Maintenance of the network infrastructure will always be active,” Chiyemura said when asked whether the current work might affect other internet connections.
He says the new upgrading will bring 10 to 20 times faster internet speeds in the towns, increase reliability and ensure there is no throttling. Fibreoptic internet speed doesn’t throttle because it’s less susceptible to overload. Other advantages are the same speed for download and upload, higher quality cable TV, better connection with multiple devices and increased safety.
“Above all, fibre is the pioneer in building smart cities where fast connection reaches all,” Chiyemura says. He adds that he has personally engaged the Merafong Municipality, community leaders, a few councillors and the Business Forum.
“Through the community forums, we have employed 158 people (138 male and 28 female) from Khutsong, Blyyvooruitzicht and Carletonville. The number on the male section is high as the operation mainly in- volves trenching the sidewalks. The female section takes part in traffic management, reinstatement and sanitising the employees.
Skills will be conveyed to the local labour, like fibre splicing and floating, active site management and safety training. We have also engaged the Merafong Business Forum, where Intac Global Telecoms will be contracting 12 Merafong companies. We have started vetting these companies as they must comply with deployment regulations,” he added.
After the trenching, sidewalks, gardens and streets will be rein- stated to how they were found before the work commenced.
Residents are welcome to raise queries at 067 872 4035 or email support@intacglobal.co.za should they have any issues within their homes.
