Investec Investec Focus Radio SA

No Ordinary Wednesday | South Africa’s race to get connected

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South Africa’s digital infrastructure is expanding rapidly, from data centres and fibre networks to satellites. But can the country provide the power, capital and regulatory certainty needed to turn digital investment into lasting growth?

On No Ordinary Wednesday, Jeremy Maggs speaks to Investec CIB’s Louise Pillay, a telecoms and media analyst, and David Abbey, a leveraged finance specialist, about what is driving demand, where the risk of overbuilding lies and what it will take to connect more of the country.

Chapters:
00:00 - Digital infrastructure as a growth engine
01:58 - How digital infrastructure has evolved
03:17 - Coverage versus digital inclusion
04:54 - What is driving demand for data centres and AI infrastructure?
06:08 - Is there a risk of overbuilding?
07:34 - Is grid access the bigger constraint for data centres?
08:45 - Power, water and social licence
10:53 - What makes a digital infrastructure project financeable?
12:04 - Can new rules speed up fibre rollout?
13:34 - Satellite versus fibre and mobile
14:47 - Does satellite change the economics of rural connectivity?
15:42 - How should policymakers regulate competing technologies?
16:38 - Who will fund the next phase of broadband build-out?
17:30 - What could change the outlook for the sector?
Chapters
  • 00:00 Introduction
  • 01:58 How digital infrastructure has evolved
  • 03:17 Coverage versus digital inclusion
  • 04:54 What is driving demand for data centres and AI infrastructure?
  • 06:08 Is there a risk of overbuilding?
  • 07:34 Is grid access the bigger constraint for data centres?
  • 08:45 Power, water and social licence
  • 10:53 What makes a digital infrastructure project financeable?
  • 12:04 Can new rules speed up fibre rollout?
  • 13:34 Satellite versus fibre and mobile
  • 14:47 Does satellite change the economics of rural connectivity?
  • 15:42 How should policymakers regulate competing technologies?
  • 16:38 Who will fund the next phase of broadband build-out?
  • 17:30 What could change the outlook for the sector?
23 Sep English South Africa Business · Investing

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