Fast fibre internet makes life better for Soweto residents

Residents of Soweto now have access to fast, affordable prepaid internet in the comfort and safety of their own homes

People living in Soweto will have noticed the construction work taking place in the area over the last few months, with pavements outside homes being dug up and new cables being installed. This is exciting news for residents of Moroka, Mofolo South, Mofolo North, Mofolo Central, Dube and Orlando West, who are now able to enjoy fast, reliable fibre internet delivered straight to their homes with Vuma and Webafrica.

Fibre gives families the freedom to download unlimited movies and music, watch their favourite soaps and TV shows, surf social media and do research for projects from home. It’s faster than any other type of internet connection, which means you won’t have to wait a whole day for a movie or series to download. In fact, downloading a movie takes just a few minutes!

Fibre is also good for business and makes working from home much easier. Entrepreneurs can access internet banking from home where it’s safe to log into their accounts, instead of at an internet café, for example. They can even set up a website and speak to customers online thanks to fibre, which won’t cut off or stall in the middle of a work project.

What’s fibre again?

Fibre, or fibre optics, transfers data through glass cables (fibre optic cables) at the speed of light. These cables deliver lightning-fast internet connectivity to homes, allowing you to browse, stream, download and upload content more efficiently than other connection types, such as ADSL, LTE or 5G. It is also more reliable than other connection types, not being affected by external factors such as weather.

OK, so what’s the difference between fibre, ADSL, LTE and 5G?

ADSL is an internet connection that uses copper cable technology (the same cables used for landline phones) to deliver internet services to your home. As the demand for faster, more reliable and affordable internet services grows, ADSL has lost its popularity and is currently being phased out in South Africa. LTE internet is a wireless type of connectivity that uses mobile data to access the internet. The quality of this type of internet connection depends on how far away you are from signal towers, as well as weather conditions.

5G is a relatively new type of wireless internet connectivity that also uses mobile data to access the internet. Much like LTE, while 5G is expected to offer faster internet speeds than LTE, the quality of your connection still depends on how far away you are from cell towers, and connections also rely on mobile data. “It also requires expensive equipment to work – anything from R1 000 up – and more importantly, many phones are not 5G compatible. In fact, Apple, for example, has yet to release a phone capable of connecting to a 5G network,” says Jeremy Wilkinson, the marketing manager at Webafrica. Neither LTE nor 5G are a match at the moment for the reliability and affordability of having a fibre connection installed in the home.

How will fibre make my life better?

Because of its incredibly speedy download rates, switching to prepaid fibre for your home comes with great benefits. For instance, you and your family’s entertainment needs are taken care because multiple devices can be logged onto the internet at the same time. You also have access to unlimited data, which means you can stream, download, browse the internet and social media, and game to your heart’s content. Fibre connections are also unlimited. In human terms, that means you won’t have to worry about your line speed dropping or dying on you completely, no matter how much you use it. Fibre has also become more widely accessible over the years as fibre providers work to extend coverage areas. It’s also more affordable than ever before as fibre prices grow increasingly competitive, and you won’t need a landline to get connected – just the Vuma fibre connection, which means that the fibre cables from the street will be installed into your home. Some of the benefits of fibre to the home include: • Save on data. Spend less on mobile data.

Prepaid fibre gives you unlimited data to use at home, ensuring you only use your mobile data when you leave the house. • Stay safe. Family members, especially children, won’t need to leave the safety of their homes just to access the internet. • Entertainment for everyone. The whole family can watch movies, sports and series, listen to music online, and browse the internet – all at the same time and from the comfort of your home. • Work from home. Entrepreneurs can easily run a successful business from home with the help of a reliable fibre internet connection – buy and sell goods, chat to customers, bank, and promote a business online without interruptions Thanks to Vuma and Webafrica, prepaid fibre packages are available for residents in Soweto. Residents can order unlimited prepaid fibre internet services from Webafrica for just R399 a month, and a technician will then be sent to their home to get everything connected – free of charge.

Fibre to Schools

Vuma ensures that every primary and high school in the Vuma Fibre Reach network receives a free fibre connection. Vuma’s Fibre to Schools programme makes sure that young people are able to learn more effectively in the classroom, without high data costs. Vuma, together with Webafrica, have already connected Igugu Primary School with free 1GBPS fibre internet services, and more schools will follow soon. The introduction of fibre internet to schools opens up a whole new world world of possibilities for learners and teachers. Valuable insights, e-learning platforms and online educational tools are only a click away.

For more information on Vuma Fibre Reach visit www.vumareach.co.za