Telkom has announced that its open access fibre broadband network would include more than 25 additional areas, suburbs and communities by the end of September 2015.
Telkom has the largest open access fibre network in the country. Fibre is now available in multiple additional suburbs of Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Cape Town, Bloemfontein and Port Elizabeth.
The news follows CEO Sipho Maseko’s commitment on 7 September, at the annual Southern Africa Telecommunication Networks and Applications Conference, that Telkom fibre would be accessible to 1-million homes by March 2018, with half a million homes to have access by the end of 2016. Telkom already has the largest fibre to the home network in the country, with 38 000 homes currently having access.
“South Africans deserve the best broadband infrastructure and we’re committed to giving them a superior experience. Research conducted around the world has consistently shown a direct correlation between increased access to broadband and economic growth. As an emerging market, South Africa can only benefit from the increasing availability of fibre,” says Alphonzo Samuels, MD of wholesale and networks for Telkom.
Fibre to the home currently allows for download speeds of up to 100Mbps, allowing you to download a standard definition 4.7GB video in under seven minutes. An entire music album can be downloaded in eight seconds. Fibre optic cables transmit light, which does not allow for interference from electromagnetic noise such as radios, motors, power lines, electric fences or other cables. This ensures fibre remains a reliable and stable broadband product.
The list of new areas, suburbs and communities where work has started and is nearing completion:
Kimberley: Hillcrest
Bloemfontein: Rayton Ridge, Universitas Ridge
Durban: Assagay, Ballito Industrial Park, Bothas Hill, Hillcrest, including Hildene, Langeford Estate and St Helier, Westmead, Mount Edgecombe Country Estate 2
Johannesburg: Atholl , Bryanston, Dunkeld, Forest Town, Houghton, River Club, Craighall, Hyde Park
Pretoria: Hazelwood , Menlo Park, Route 21 Corporate Park (Irene), Waterkloof
Port Elizabeth: Hallack Road
Cape Town: Atlantic Beach Golf Estate, D’urbanvale, Oude Westhof (Welgemoed) , Van Riebeeckshof (Welgemoed)
