For the nearly 3 million people living in and around Kampala, Uganda, the Internet hasn’t been as fast and available as it could be; online activity often sputters on pre-broadband speeds or unreliable connections. A4AI Global Sponsor Google announced on November 20 the launch of Project Link, an initiative to build a super-fast, high-capacity fiber network to enable any local mobile operator or Internet service provider (ISP) to connect more people in Kampala to a faster, more reliable Internet.
Project Link’s network is available now to connect providers to long-distance fiber lines, equipping them with near-unlimited capacity to build and expand services to Ugandans. By making this connection, Google is strengthening a crucial piece of the Internet supply chain. Some parts of the chain are already strong: undersea cables are bringing data to Africa’s shores and mobile providers are expanding services across the continent. Google has now built quality infrastructure in between these points to deliver the speed and capacity that supports the latest and greatest of the web.
For Kampala, Google hopes it’s a foundation to support the needs of a new crop of entrepreneurs and innovators: the media-rich projects of a successful musician, fast connections for local hospitals, or new digital learning tools for students. Check out a short video about the project on the Google Africa blog.
(Photo credit: Google)
