Summerstrand resident and artist, Ferdi Hellerle is officially the first fibre internet customer to go live with MetroFibre Networx, with a new 10Mbps fibre internet connection.
“It’s a significant improvement on our old ADSL connection in terms of reliability, speed and cost,” says Hellerle. “The whole process – from application to installation – was an absolute pleasure with the MetroFibre Networx team. What they said they would deliver, they did and more.
“The process was very quick and efficient. The best part was there was no mess or hassle as you so often hear of when the trenching happens to install the fibre. My garden and pavement were untouched, and I am loving the fact that I have the internet at my fingertips, 24/7.”
Summerstrand in Nelson Mandela Bay was one of the first areas in the Eastern Cape to get fibre internet infrastructure through MetroFibre Networx using a process called micro-trenching.
The results have been a much faster, cleaner and less disruptive process for residents and the metro alike, which is why clients like Ferdi don’t experience the upheaval of pavements and gardens, typical of the protracted and messy traditional hand-trenching method.
MetroFibre Networx is a pioneer in the installation of fibre networks utilising micro-trenching in the South African market. Micro-trenching is done by specialised machines and trained operators who cut a narrow and shallow trench into the road surface, right alongside the pavement where the curb and the tarmac meet. A micro-trench is typically 30 to 50 millimetres wide and can be up to 400 millimetres deep, although usually about 200 millimetres for fibre purposes.
The fibre conduit and cable are then placed in this micro-trench and the area is then backfilled and sealed with a specialised trench grout which restores the road back to its original surface.
Micro-trenching is both less invasive and much quicker with deployment time reduced by 60% to 80% in comparison with traditional hand trenching methods. There is also much less chance of consequential damage to any surrounding infrastructure, which can prove problematic for local councils and residents.
MetroFibre will be rolling out fibre by means of microtrenching throughout the Summerstrand and Nelson Mandela Bay area in the coming weeks, dramatically increasing the speed to market for clients to get connected to fibre internet, minus the hassle-factor.