Free Wi-Fi Internet access in Stellenbosch: High speeds and happy users

In Gauteng they will 're-allocate' the repeaters faster than it can be installed. ;)
 
I'm heading there tomorrow morning (actually later today :D), so I'll try to connect and do some tests. Will report back ;)
 
OMG drool at the 20mbps. Why can't they just keep it unthrottled since it is being sponsored. I mean it can only gain more popularity if it is unrestricted (with some exceptions here and there) but 1MB is far too slow.
 
Yuu said:
OMG drool at the 20mbps. Why can't they just keep it unthrottled since it is being sponsored. I mean it can only gain more popularity if it is unrestricted (with some exceptions here and there) but 1MB is far too slow.
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Maybe throttling to 1MBps will help distribute the available capacity evenly between users. I'm all for measures like this, as it contributes to a healthy network, which will hopefully contribute towards sustaining it.
 
Government...pay attention

rpm said:
Free Wi-Fi in Stellenbosch: High speeds and happy users

Stellenbosch’s free Wi-Fi service is gaining momentum with a growing footprint and many users reporting impressive speeds
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I think the truly spectacular thing about this initiative is how quickly an area can be covered with good-quality bandwidth without breaking the bank. It's an amazing collaboration between public and private entities and the speed with which it is being deployed is exemplary.

I certainly hope that government is paying attention. Instead of going for a big-bang approach that requires YEARS of waiting for even small results, government should've rather gone with solutions like this, wifi 802.11n mesh networks in townships and suburbs, connected by fiber backbones at municipal establishments, buildings, libraries, community centers, etc...

Instead, we have a tender for wifi in Joburg taking over 4 years to come to fruition and ABSOLUTELY not a single bit of evidence which justifies its existence or which the residents can actually claim to have materially benefited from.

MyADSL should chase up government about why their initiatives never see the light of day when CLEARLY, we can have all urban centers covered by good-quality municipal networks in a matter of months. I'm excited and happy for Stellenbosch, but I'm disgusted by how government in general has been so lethargic about the rest of the country.
 
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Definitely a +10 for Stellenbosch
 
That photo looks like its at the bottom of Kerkstraat just in front of Checkers. Guess it will take a very long time to reach me on the edge of Welgevonden. We are even further away from central Stellenbosch than Cloetesville is.
 
Carinus Lemmer? What a character! Ex professional cyclist. I assume he is not cycling around bare footed and with long dreadlocks any more?

Rouxenator said:
That photo looks like its at the bottom of Kerkstraat just in front of Checkers. Guess it will take a very long time to reach me on the edge of Welgevonden. We are even further away from central Stellenbosch than Cloetesville is.
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I would expect both Lemmer and AKC jnr have friends in Welgevonden, so you might get an inside track.

A question for Mr Venter: Is Stellenbosch Municipality planning to run their own communication over the network? They should be able to save significantly on cell phone costs by their personnel. Is the network reliable enough to replace expensive SCADA communications between control rooms and infrastructure such as water and wastewater treatments works and pumps stations?
 
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This is fantastic, congrats Mxit and Stellies.

My question; is there any greater risk connecting on their WiFi than connecting to my home WiFi?
 
Well done to all involved. Excellent way forward.
 
Skerminkel said:
I would expect both Lemmer and AKC jnr have friends in Welgevonden, so you might get an inside track.
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I was also hoping for that. According to Telkom the exchange in Welgevonden does not have enough capacity to handle ADSL connections faster than 512kbps, so there is definitely a need for more broadband options. Vodacom did improve the 3G coverage back in 2007, but mobile data is pricey. Really hope to see this Wi-Fi network soon.
 
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