Panel: Untapped Potential: Broadband Access Solutions for Africa’s Rural Communities

Although progress has been made in providing broadband access to all, significant obstacles such as coverage gaps, expensive handsets, and unaffordability persist which mean the majority of those without access remain in remote areas.

• Partnerships: How can telcos partner with satellite providers to complement terrestrial networks, especially in challenging terrains, using LEO satellites to connect the unconnected?

• Tech Solutions: What role does technology like OpenRAN play in enhancing broadband access in rural communities?

• Wifi-Hotpots: Exploring South Africa as a case study and the government initiative to connect 5.5 million households in rural areas with Wifi Hotspots
• Highlight on Challenges
• infrastructure gaps,
• affordability issues,
• limited digital literacy
• Solutions to bridging the infrastructure Gaps
• Satellite Internet with special emphasis on Low earth orbit (LEO) satellites like SpaceX’s Starlink and OneWeb
• Public -Private Partnerships (PPP) emphasizing the importance of PPPs in sharing the financial burden and fostering infrastructure development
• Open access shared networks