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Afrihost joins fibre game

Paula Gilbert
By Paula Gilbert, ITWeb telecoms editor.
Johannesburg, 12 Oct 2016
Afrihost is partnering with Vumatel, TT Connect and Telkom, with plans to add more partners soon.
Afrihost is partnering with Vumatel, TT Connect and Telkom, with plans to add more partners soon.

Afrihost has made a move into the fibre market by today unveiling contract-free fibre Internet packages, in partnership with multiple fibre providers.

The Internet service provider has at launch partnered with Vumatel, TT Connect and Telkom, "to ensure expansive coverage across the country" for fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) and business.

"The fibre offering is available in various suburbs in Johannesburg and Cape Town, and we will be expanding aggressively to new suburbs and regions in the near future," Afrihost head of brand and marketing Tyler Theron told ITWeb.

Theron says Afrihost will also ramp up partnerships with additional last-mile providers over the next few weeks to ensure maximum coverage in SA.

Afrihost's capped DSL packages were previously compatible with Telkom fibre as Telkom's DSL and fibre networks share the same connection mechanism (PPPoE) ? but in terms of a comprehensive offering, this is Afrihost's first real push into the fibre market.

The new product is already available on the Afrihost Web site and is similar to its DSL package offerings, with each fibre package having a home, business and premium option. Each option is designed for a different client experience, with home geared towards the Web surfer, premium geared towards the gamer and media addict, and business geared towards heavy and business users.

These options are priced according to the line speed and relevant fibre partner. For Telkom, the prices per month range from R599 to R3 499. TT Connect's pricing is between R499 and R1 499. For Vumatel, they start at R499 and go up to R49 999 for the most "heavy Internet use" option. Upload and download speeds range from 5Mbps to 100Mbps on TT Connect; 4Mbps to 100Mbps on Telkom; and 4Mbps to 1Gbps on Vumatel.

"Each last-mile provider has a different lead time for installation; however, as soon as your fibre line is installed, you can be connected to the Afrihost network within 24 hours. If your fibre line is already installed by one of our partners, you'll be connected shortly after you sign up," Afrihost says in a statement.

Packages are month-to-month and Afrihost is so confident customers will be happy with the service that it is offering double their money back within 60 days if clients are unhappy with the products or client service.

All fibre packages are bundled, which means there are no hidden costs, and packages are all-inclusive, with the price covering both the data and line rental. Each provider has its own installation fee, which will be communicated on signup.

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