Increasing mobile broadband coverage
Getting online is a part of everyday life. It's key to unlocking the opportunities of the digital world.
Globally 3 billion people use mobile connectivity to access financial services, alleviating poverty and fostering economic prosperity. There are 2.4 billion people accessing educational content, with 2.3 billion using mobile to access vital healthcare and resources.
But 2.6 billion people are still unconnected – large parts of the developed world have limited access and key demographic groups need help.
New approaches, partnerships and a blend of technologies across land, sea and space will help us to overcome some of these barriers and help deliver universal coverage.
Reducing the Coverage Gap
Expanding coverage to rural networks is a key focus for us.
Whilst 83% of people living in towns and cities are using the internet, just 48% of those in rural areas do so. The gap is even more pronounced between Europe and Africa: 86% of European's living in rural areas are online, whereas in remote and rural Africa, just 23% have internet access.
We continue to invest in technology to expand networks and address challenges that limit access to remote areas, where difficult terrain and dispersed populations often make network deployment challenging for a single mobile network operator.
Vodacom and Orange create a joint venture to expand network coverage in rural areas in the DRC
In a first of its kind, rural towerco partnership in Africa we have partnered to build, own and operate solar-powered mobile base stations in underserved areas of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This will extend network coverage and enable access to telecommunications and mobile financial services to up to 19 million people in less densely populated rural communities, reinforcing our commitment to bridging the digital divide and driving inclusive growth.
We aim to connect everyone to digital services by expanding network coverage to rural communities in Europe and Africa.
This year we have increased 5G network coverage in Europe, to cover 75% of the population and 4G coverage in Africa, to an additional 2%
| Sites deployed (000s) | Population coverage | |
| 4G | ||
| Africa | 35,753 | 76 |
| Türkiye | 28,015 | 97 |
| 5G | ||
| Europe | 41,050 | 75 |
Driving digital inclusion in the hardest-to-connect communities
We also continue to progress on our goal to bring 4G to an additional 70 million people in sub-Saharan Africa (made as part of our participation in the UN Partner2Connect Digital Coalition).
This targeted intervention includes four of the least developed countries —Mozambique, Tanzania, Lesotho, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)—and will help to close a particular gap in internet usage between urban and rural communities.
Vodacom investment to expand connectivity in the Eastern Cape in South Africa
Vodacom is spending R500 million this financial year on modernising the network, energy projects and accelerating broadband coverage across the Eastern Cape region in South Africa, particularly in townships and deep rural areas of the province. The bulk of the expenditure will go towards modernising the network infrastructure, followed by deploying new network sites, rolling out 5G network, and launching new LTE coverage. This rollout will enable better connectivity and improved network speeds for the end user.
Developing the first space-based mobile network
Closing the coverage gap requires bold, innovative solutions beyond increasing terrestrial networks. One opportunities lies in the convergence of the mobile and satellite industries. By deploying Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites, we can deliver high-speed, low latency broadband to underserved and unserved communities.
In January, we completed the world's first space video call using normal 4G/5G smartphones and satellites. It is the only satellite technology of its kind built to offer a full mobile broadband experience and paves the way for universal digital connectivity and the closure of mobile coverage gaps.
Increasing connectivity using subsea cables
Subsea cables stretch across the ocean and lie thousands of meters below the sea surface transferring 95% of the world’s international data traffic.
Today we have capacity on over 70 subsea cable systems, reaching 100 countries and are continuing to expand. As more people and devices become connected in the future, subsea cables will be more important than ever in ensuring widespread connectivity and access to the Internet.
Vodafone Greece has connected Crete to the India-Europe-Xpress (IEX) subsea cable system
Vodafone has landed the India-Europe-Xpress (IEX) cable in Tympaki Crete offering an alternative path of connectivity. The cable is situated at a new cable landing station in the South of the island, away from northern Crete where most subsea cables in the Mediterranean have been concentrated so far. The new subsea cable landing station will also provide increased capacity and resilience to the island's infrastructure. The landing station will be accessible for other projects and providers. This will expand Crete’s connection to various global locations and also attract investments to the region.
We are continuing to expand our 2Africa subsea cable system
Vodafone is a member of the 2Africa Consortium, a group of international partners developing the world’s largest subsea cable system.
With a capacity of up to 180 terabits (Tbps) per second, 2Africa will be the first system to provide continuous capacity around the African continent and will connect 33 countries on three continents (Europe, Africa and Asia). Launched in May 2020, when it’s completed, it will be over 45,000 kilometres in length – long enough to stretch around the circumference of the earth.
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