JUBA, June 12 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan on Wednesday laid a fiber-optic cable in a bid to bring high-speed broadband internet to its war-affected citizens to help enhance digital literacy in the east African country.
Michael Makuei Lueth, minister of information, communication, technology, and postal services, said the government is optimistic that the infrastructure will help it to deliver high-speed broadband connections in which the telecom operators failed to undertake.
"Today is the beginning of the information communication technology (ICT) connectivity, especially through the fiber optic cable. This is an important day for us in the ministry because it is a continuation of the government to allow the citizens to access services," Makuei said in Juba.
He said in partnership with the Vertigo Communications Ltd, a Juba-based local ICT company, they will work jointly to render better services to the public, particularly in the areas of boosting socioeconomic development and education sector in the country.
Deng Biar Deng, managing director of Vertigo Communication Ltd, said the fiber cable will support the government in extending services to post-conflict communities who are deprived of access to the most basic study tools in the country.
"The metro ring fiber optic will enable government, private sectors, mostly institutions of learning like universities to tap into the infrastructure have lay to enhance the tools of education," Deng said.
The move comes barely a month after the government launched an international gateway to ease call rates and boost internet services offered by its two leading telecom companies, namely the South African giant Mobile Telecommunications network and Zain.
