Huawei partners to expand SA national broadband

South Africa’s national broadband infrastructure company, Broadband Infraco (BBI), has partnered with Huawei to develop a nationwide intelligent all-optical backbone network

This strategic initiative directly supports South Africa’s national broadband strategy, SA Connect, and aims to provide affordable, stable, and high-quality broadband access for all citizens.

As a state-owned enterprise under the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT), BBI is tasked with expanding the country’s broadband infrastructure. The backbone upgrade forms part of BBI’s broader Backbone Network Expansion Strategy, designed to extend ICT infrastructure across the nation, reduce urban-rural connectivity gaps, and align South Africa’s broadband capabilities with industrialised nations.

BBI is leveraging Huawei’s Optical Cross-Connect (OXC) technology to deliver high-speed, flexible transmission using 800G wavelengths across its network. This advanced capability will facilitate the expansion of broadband access networks under SA Connect, enabling real-time transfer of massive data volumes between cities and data centers. The backbone will power applications in healthcare, education, e-commerce, and e-government, further driving the growth of South Africa’s digital economy.

To date, BBI’s intelligent all-optical network, combined with collaborations with local service providers, has connected over 13,000 public Wi-Fi hotspots and more than 2 million rural homes, particularly in underdeveloped regions. The network will also support South Africa’s new optical fibre route linking Johannesburg to the Kopfontein border, enhancing high-speed cross-border connectivity across the SADC region. The full backbone will span all nine provinces and extend to the borders with Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe, providing wide regional access.

Gift Zowa, CEO of Broadband Infraco, said, “We are bridging the digital divide on two fronts, closing the digital inequality gap at home and narrowing the gap between South Africa and the world's most industrialised nations. We are addressing one of SA Connect's primary goals, the DCDT's flagship broadband connectivity project, to make connectivity inclusive and bring stable, high-capacity broadband to all South African communities and government facilities by 2030.”

Huawei will continue to work with Broadband Infraco to expand South Africa’s national broadband infrastructure, fostering a connected, intelligent, and prosperous society where every South African can participate in the digital future.