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Metrofibre clinches R13m Kyalami deal

Admire Moyo
By Admire Moyo, ITWeb's news editor.
Johannesburg, 12 Feb 2016
Fibre is the way of the future, says Metrofibre Networx's Jacques de Villiers.
Fibre is the way of the future, says Metrofibre Networx's Jacques de Villiers.

One month after winning a contract to roll out fibre in Beaulieu, Heathcliff and Blue Hills, Metrofibre Networx has clinched a R13 million deal in Kyalami Estates.

Situated in Kyalami in Gauteng, Kyalami Estates was one of the first security estates established in SA and today has 1 100 homes.

Metrofibre's footprint now extends to Kyalami, Sunninghill, Barbeque Downs, Lonehill, Beaulieu, Heathcliff and Blue Hills estates, Glenferness, as well as parts of Paulshof, Sandton and Rivonia. The company believes it is well-positioned to be the primary fibre supplier to the northern suburbs of Johannesburg.

Jacques de Villiers, business development director at Metrofibre Networx, says prices in Kyalami Estates will depend on the package selected by the client.

"So it will vary from 10Mbps right up to 100Mbps and beyond, notwithstanding if they want an uncapped package as well."

He points out RocketNet is running a series of specials for early subscribers. "As a rule of thumb, prices start at R750 for the 10Mbps uncapped packages and then, as an example, a client can expect to pay R2 000 for the 100Mbps uncapped package," says De Villiers.

"We are delighted the residents of Kyalami Estates and its home-owners' association elected to partner with us for their fibre needs," states De Villiers. "These customers will now be able to reap the full benefit of being able to browse the Internet faster, take advantage of video and television on demand services, chat via voice over IP, play online games, host conference calls, and even be able to speak to family and friends abroad as if they are in the room next door."

Established in 2010, Metrofibre owns and manages SA's first globally compliant Carrier Ethernet 2.0 open access fibre network.

In an interview with ITWeb last year, Metrofibre Networx - headed by former Absa CEO Steve Booysen - said it was looking to raise R500 million in private equity from new investors to expand its footprint and challenge the established players.

De Villiers told ITWeb the company is pitching for a number of new areas, all of which are selected via a tender process.

"We are looking to further extend our network in Midrand, Centurion as well as parts of Sandton and even Rivonia. We are not limiting ourselves - if there is a need and a client wants us to look at providing them FTTH [fibre-to-the-home] services, we will endeavour to do so."

Competition is rife in the FTTH market, De Villiers admits. "We are seeing a number of unknown companies popping up as well as a number of well-known brands all trying to stake a claim of the market.

"Fibre is the way of the future and it will become more pervasive, especially as resident associations and even business parks are looking to add it as a service to customers and residents."

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