Best ISP with Free Installation?

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PsyCLown

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Hey all,

Been having some issues with my Internet situation since I moved a while ago and it's just gotten worse, I've been using the landlords Internet and contributing towards it, however I'm at the point where I haven't had Internet for a few days and have decided to go ahead and just get my own fibre and pay a bit more each month.

I need an ISP which offer free installation, free connection would be ideal too.
There is both Vumatel and Openserv fibre in my area, so I have choices between the two. Not sure how much of a difference it makes going with one over the other?

I believe WebAfrica and Cool Ideas both meet my requirements on Openserv. Are there any other service providers who do as well and who would you guys recommend?

I haven't been keeping up with what's what, so am really out of the loop unfortunately.
Trying to do research with just my phone and poor signal is a nightmare, hence this thread.

Your assistance would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Psy
 
Doesn't seem I can edit.

I forgot to mention, Internet will mainly be used for the following: YouTube, Gaming (LoL) and some downloads - they're currently scheduled to run after midnight.

I am happy doing capped in say 150/200GB a month, however uncapped is obviously fine as well.
I'd like to keep price R800 or less, would prefer 20mbit but would settle for 10mbit.

The quality of the bandwidth on the landlords 20mbit Openserv line through Web Africa seems pretty shitty. I assume it's on WA's side and not Openserv?
So at this point in time Cool Ideas seems a little more appealing - however I'd need to go for 10mbit with them.
 
Vumatel has a R1760 installation fee to bring the fibre into the home. This is a permanent fixture and adds value to the home. You should try and negotiate with the landlord that he pay part or all of this cost. Vuma would in any case need his signature to do the installation. Beware any ISP that offer this installation free - you will be tied into a contract. Vuma also have three and six month payment plans. You wont be sorry to go with cool ideas. They dont have a 10Mbbs but do have a 20/2Mbps on Vuma. Cool ideas do pay the connection fee but not installation.
 
EveDawg said:
Vumatel has a R1760 installation fee to bring the fibre into the home. This is a permanent fixture and adds value to the home. You should try and negotiate with the landlord that he pay part or all of this cost. Vuma would in any case need his signature to do the installation. Beware any ISP that offer this installation free - you will be tied into a contract. Vuma also have three and six month payment plans. You wont be sorry to go with cool ideas. They dont have a 10Mbbs but do have a 20/2Mbps on Vuma. Cool ideas do pay the connection fee but not installation.
Click to expand...

How much of a difference does the fibre backbone make - so Openserv vs Vumatel for example?
I imagine not as much of a difference as the ISP, as the ISP would be the ones providing the bandwidth and throttling and shaping and so forth and the actual fibre side to be fairly consistent and basically just a "pipe". I guess contention could come into play though?

The landlord has a Vumatel fibre connection (inactive) and an Openserv connection (his active one), however they both terminate in his house and not the other cottages on the property. So he would not be willing to contribute towards the fibre installation unfortunately.


At this point I am leaning towards Cool Ideas, seem people are loving their service and general internet quality seems to be great.
 
PsyCLown said:
How much of a difference does the fibre backbone make - so Openserv vs Vumatel for example?
I imagine that not to make as much of a difference as the ISP as the would be the ones providing the bandwidth and throttling and shaping and so forth?

The landlord has a Vumatel fibre connection (inactive) and an Openserv connection (his active one), however they both terminate in his house and not the other cottages on the property. So he would not be willing to contribute towards the fibre installation unfortunately.


At this point I am leaning towards Cool Ideas, seem people are loving their service and general internet quality seems to be great.
Click to expand...

On the Openserve side I have used Afrihost, Webafrica and currently using Cool Ideas.

Only bad experiences using AH and WA...

Never been happier than I have been with Cool ideas.
 
So I decided to go with Openserv and Cool Ideas.
Any ideas as to how long installation takes with OpenServ in the Bryanston area?

Free installation, free connection and no need to pay back any installation fee if I cancel. Only need to provide a calendar months notice - sounds great.

It is only 10Mbit down and 5Mbit up, however it should be a lot better than what I currently have. Worst case I can cancel with a months notice and try someone else or make a plan to fork out installation fees and move to Vumatel from OpenServ.

Seems Vumatel is the only fibre backbone which does not use PPPoE, although more of pro for the faster lines I believe (100mbit or faster).
 
Last edited:
Cool Ideas does free installation and free connection?

Let me add them to my list, pronto.
 
I think only Vumatel trenched uses active optical network (aon) as opposed to all the others that uses passive optical network (pon). Aon is by far the more advanced but each has its pros and cons.. I think the pros with aon outweigh the cons though :)
 
ShaunyCT said:
Guys, just a question, to have fibre installed, do you need a telkom line? Because in my area there are non because of constant cable theft. And another thing, how much does a monthly connection cost more or less?
Click to expand...
You need a fibre provider who have installed fibre in the area. If there are no fibre providers in your area, gonna be a long wait.

Fibre does tend not to get stolen like the copper cables however.
 
On this topic, have any of you been with WebAfrica on ADSL then upgraded to Vumatel with WebAfrica? A friend of mine is crying foul because she did exactly that but is being charged R1725 fibre installation free when she claims that that because she's an existing WebAfrica customer, that fee should have been dropped.

Any other WebAfrica customers out there to shed some light?
 
rogerwe said:
On this topic, have any of you been with WebAfrica on ADSL then upgraded to Vumatel with WebAfrica? A friend of mine is crying foul because she did exactly that but is being charged R1725 fibre installation free when she claims that that because she's an existing WebAfrica customer, that fee should have been dropped.

Any other WebAfrica customers out there to shed some light?
Click to expand...
Most ISP's seem to want to charge for Vumatel installation, including WA.

Just took the attached screenshot from their site now.
 

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rogerwe said:
On this topic, have any of you been with WebAfrica on ADSL then upgraded to Vumatel with WebAfrica? A friend of mine is crying foul because she did exactly that but is being charged R1725 fibre installation free when she claims that that because she's an existing WebAfrica customer, that fee should have been dropped.

Any other WebAfrica customers out there to shed some light?
Click to expand...

Well if she has that in writing, WebAfrica should foot the bill. I havent seen that promotion anywhere though (could just have missed it). I know for a fact they run promotions now and then that cover the installation cost, as I got that for my father and myself. They dont run permanently though. They come and go.
 
So a bit of info if someone stumbles upon this thread.

OpenServ are already on-site installing my fibre - really quick.
 
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