Ten facilities in Apac district have been connected to free internet, a move aimed at boosting business transformation, social-economic development, and increasing access to educative information.

Dr. Edwin Mugume, the project’s co-principal investigator, College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT) Makerere University said the facilities are Apac Main Hospital, Apac district headquarters, Apac Secondary School, Atopi Primary School, and Maruzi Seed Secondary School.

Others are; Apac Technical School, St Albert Technical Institute Radio Apac where the server is installed, Bed-Igen women’s group in Awiri, and Nicho photo studio.

The project was launched to the communities in Apac district via zoom video and audio conferencing meetings at (CEDAT) MAK University on Wednesday.

Mugume said, “The project was funded by Government through Makerere University Research and Innovations (MAK RIF ), to benefit sectors including hospitals, primary, secondary, tertiary intuitions, and business communities”

Funding

Mugume explained the project included procurement of the equipment and design cost government sh250m.

He added the project under the Makerere University to support the high-impact Research and Innovations Fund (RIF) to drive Uganda’s development Agenda.

Simon Masombo, a researcher said: “Coverage takes over 10 kilometers from the central location of the district at Radio Apac, the core of the network is hosted.

Masombo explained: “The current network infrastructure can handle a total of 2,400 concurrent users if all the sites have a maximum connection of clients at the same moment.”

On the current package Masombo said: “Government is currently paying 60 megabits per second (MBPS) bandwidth from Airtel Uganda, the current internet service provider,”

The project includes the design and deployment of a model Rural Community Broadband Network (RCBN) in Apac District. The model was to be underpinned by strong partnerships with members of the beneficiary communities.

Mugume said the connectivity was done by 12 graduate researchers in electrical engineering at (CEDAT) Makerere University.

The engineer designers are Dorothy Okello, Dr. Cosmas Mwirikize, Dr. Andrew Katumba; Wayne Steven Okello, and Moses Bomera.

Others are David Kateeba, Hassan Mubiru, Berna Namulyowa, Claire Najjuko, Derrick Ndyamukaki, Sam Maleka, Elisha Damba and Doreen Bujingo.

Namulyowa said, “Education is one of the most untapped areas when it comes to interlinking it with the internet, especially in rural areas. This presents an opportunity to bridge the gap with local projects she said they also gave free digital literacy to sensitize the communities on how to use the internet.”

Asked if the government will sustain free internet, Namulyowa said, “Government will sustain full-time free internet to communities, after probably one year with community sensitization, they will be required to pay some money for procurement of the internet services.”

Dr. Abubaker Matovu Waswa, the Head of Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Makerere University said access to the internet and connected to smartphones is transforming and improving access to healthcare and the lives of our people in different ways.

Alexander Muhangi Field Deployment coordinator (MAK) said: “We connected the internet in Apac district using Television White Space (TVWS ) frequency spans because there are hazards including forest cover that hinder faster internet usage, the TVWS radios provide a faster broadband, serve best in rural communities.”

Beneficiaries speak out

The Apac district IT officer Walter Okello applauded the government for the initiative and implored the beneficiaries to exhibit the best use of the equipment given to them.

Tonny Jasper Odongo, the vice Chairperson LC5 Apac District thanked Mak for the various projects being brought to Apac, and requested the community to utilize the equipment well.