MTN South Africa is muscling its means into the low-cost uncapped web market with a R5/day product that instantly competes with comparable choices by fibre-based web suppliers reminiscent of Riot Community, Wire Wire Networks, Fibertime and Vumatel’s Vuma Attain.
Dubbed MTN GigZone and presently in a pilot part, the service provides 5Mbit/s web speeds for R5 legitimate for twenty-four hours to MTN’s pay as you go clients at chosen neighborhood places in Gauteng and the Western Cape.
“MTN South Africa has launched MTN GigZone to deal with the essential want for reasonably priced, dependable web entry in township communities, the place value stays a significant barrier to connectivity,” MTN South Africa mentioned in a response to a question by TechCentral.
MTN’s pilot within the low-cost web house faces stiff competitors from fibre-based networks utilizing revolutionary applied sciences to supply comparable merchandise in South African townships.
Wire-Wire Networks has deployed fibre to fifteen 800 properties in Thembisa (beforehand Tembisa), a sprawling township in central Gauteng. CEO JP Schmidtke mentioned Wire-Wire Networks – like different business gamers reminiscent of Vumatel, Fibertime and Frogfoot – believes townships current the subsequent large enlargement alternative for fibre community operators.
Wire-Wire’s closest competing product to MTN GigZone provides a limiteless 100Mbit/s connection for R9/day. Connections are restricted to at least one gadget at this worth level, however Wire-Wire provides different choices with larger speeds and extra connections to its clients.
Riot
Riot Community, based by Jarryd Bekker, Moses Mpofu and Daniel de Kock, is utilizing wi-fi mesh networks to supply comparable merchandise to clients in Olievenhoutbosch, a township close to Centurion in Gauteng. Riot provides a R99/month product – amounting to simply R3.30/day and guaranteeing clients minimal connection speeds of 5Mbit/s throughout peak hours. Speeds can attain 100Mbit/s throughout off-peak hours, based on Riot.
Deploying web infrastructure economically is a problem in townships. Networks like Wire-Wire and Riot depend on creating revolutionary wi-fi community topologies to assist minimise the price of deployment. Nevertheless, Wi-Fi networks endure from congestion at peak occasions, which might degrade the person expertise. Maziv subsidiary Vumatel opted for a distinct technique for its pilot challenge in Alexandra, Johannesburg.
TCS | New participant in township fibre market provides 100Mbit/s for R9/day
Vumatel extends the trenched backhaul fibre run by Darkish Fibre Africa into Alexandra by means of aerial nodes that run instantly alongside cables into every house.
“Our objective is to provide you limitless, 20Mbit/s web for lower than R100/month. You are able to do it with Wi-Fi however then if all people begins streaming, the standard goes down. So, we’ve set ourselves a objective to place fibre proper into the ultimate particular person’s dwelling,” Maziv chairman Pieter Uys instructed TechCentral on the challenge’s launch in September 2023.
As a longtime cell operator with infrastructure spanning South Africa, MTN’s benefit is that it doesn’t must spend money on further infrastructure first. Fibre firms going after the same demographic, however, should first deploy last-mile networks, costing money and time. Excessive cell penetration charges and the comfort of cell connectivity are an added benefit for MTN.
“As a cell operator, MTN holds a key benefit over fibre-based ISPs by delivering low-cost, uncapped web options to its current buyer base in underserved communities. Our intensive cell community infrastructure permits us to achieve areas the place fastened broadband deployment is proscribed, offering on the spot connectivity with out the necessity for advanced installations,” mentioned MTN South Africa in a press release e-mailed to TechCentral following inquiries by the publication.
On the flipside, fibre-based packages enable for individuals in the identical family to share the price of web and select quicker connection speeds in the event that they wish to. It additionally offers landlords a chance use web entry as an extra function to their rental properties, additionally serving to lower particular person prices by splitting it between tenants and baking it into their month-to-month rental charge.
GigZone is proscribed to particular locations in its pilot part, however MTN’s infrastructure permits for these areas to be expanded, which in future might enable clients to maneuver round whereas sustaining entry.
A significant disadvantage of low-cost fibre web is that clients are restricted to their house and environment in the event that they wish to make use of the product. Wire-Wire is a notable exception to this rule because it makes use of a single SSID, or Wi-Fi community title, throughout Thembisa and permits customers to entry its community wherever it’s accessible.
MTN will ship one notification per day to clients once they enter a GigZone spot. Notifications are additionally despatched when a buyer purchases a GigZone bundle or once they dwell a GigZone space. GigZone utilization is proscribed to cell units – PCs and laptops are barred from utilizing the service. GigZone knowledge can’t be shared through a Wi-Fi hotspot. Prospects are routinely disconnected from the GigZone service once they depart a GigZone space and routinely reconnected once they return.
Learn: The web revolution occurring in Olievenhoutbosch
“By providing seamless, 24-hour web entry for simply R5, MTN is guaranteeing that extra South Africans can keep linked with out worrying about excessive knowledge prices. This initiative empowers customers by enabling entry to schooling, job alternatives and on-line sources,” mentioned MTN South Africa. — (c) 2025 NewsCentral Media
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