Burgundy Estate FTTH

[TheRaceCube]

Just got off the phone with someone from Apexeon who is also a Ruby Estate resident. They worked closely with vodacom to help them come up with packages for the estate and he mentioned he used Frogfoot as examples, but there is no certainty they will adhere to what was proposed to them. He said the transfer process has been completed and it's now up to Vodacom to connect to the mainline. It's planned to publish the Packages on Vodacoms site by the end of the week, but it all depends on parent company Vodacom UK if there are no delays. I requested to be informed as soon as these packages are published so I will post as soon as I hear about it.

Thanks for the updates man, really appreciated. Looking forward to Vodacom getting back to you!

 

[Stefan!]

Afrihost offering up to R4000 off on free installation, pity, no fibre for me.

I saw that this morning - so if we took a Vodacom package, Afrihost could buy us out of the Vodacom subscription. That would make me happy.

 

[imaginary_friend]

Hi, did anyone manage to get fibre up and running? If so who's the provider? Openserve, frogfoot etc... I just moved into Ruby estate in Crystal. Didn't have fibre before but I see a connection in here and the developer said that the fibre is already installed as in the cable is laid... anyone have any advice?

 

[Arnoldsly99]

Hi, did anyone manage to get fibre up and running? If so who's the provider? Openserve, frogfoot etc... I just moved into Ruby estate in Crystal. Didn't have fibre before but I see a connection in here and the developer said that the fibre is already installed as in the cable is laid... anyone have any advice?

Fibre is not available yet I'm still waiting on news.

 

[Arnoldsly99]

Well the latest news is that Vodacom will be setting up the estate with a satellite uplink in the next 4 weeks until they get the mainline sorted. So soon we should be able to buy the vodacom fibre packages and connect on the sat uplink till mainline is connected.

 

[TheRaceCube]

Well the latest news is that Vodacom will be setting up the estate with a satellite uplink in the next 4 weeks until they get the mainline sorted. So soon we should be able to buy the vodacom fibre packages and connect on the sat uplink till mainline is connected.

Eyyyy might just wait until that mainline is connected then . Thx Arnoldsly

 

[Stefan!]

Thanks!

Does anyone know how reliable Vodacom is and how easy it is to get in touch with tech support on fibre?

 

[Arnoldsly99]

Well in my opinion Vodacom isn't very big in the Fibre industry and I didn't see any uncapped packages available on their website yet thus far, but the person I'm in contact with from Apexeon Connect seems optimistic that Ruby Estate will receive really good packages from their side, but I would cough up the dough to make sure you "own" the line as soon as possible so you can jump ship to another ISP as soon as that option is available to us.

 

[Stefan!]

Well I hope that we won't have to go for Vodacom Fibre at these prices - It is ridiculous.

10/10 uncapped is R999 and you still have to pay activation fee. FFS. That package should be R599 like the other suppliers.
Am I missing something??

I am very annoyed with this whole Fibre process in Ruby - It's like to home owners have absolutely no say in what happens.

 

[Stefan!]

I saw this comment on that page:

Exactly the same situation in Avalon Estate, Durbanville... Vodacom does not allow me to use a different ISP. I can't even buy more data... If I want more than the 300GB I get with my 20Mbps bundle I have to upgrade to 40Mbps and pay R400 more..
Take it or leave it situation!

 

[TheRaceCube]

Yeh Stefan I'm at a point where I'm satisfied to stay on my "up to" 20mb/s ADSL. R1,000+ a month for crappy Vodacom fiber costs is gonna eat into my home bitcoin mining operation

 

[lunch]

Been in the middle of a 3-way battle royale with afrihost, frogfoot and webafrica the past 2 weeks and finally my fibre installation has moved to phase 3. The amount of crap I've had to go through to secure it has been frightening. If there's an issue, the fibre provider will tell you it's the ISP's fault and the ISP will tell you it's the provider's fault...

In any event, after much pestering and contacting someone at frogfoot DIRECTLY (This part is key) it looks like I will have fibre in less than a month. Bearing in mind I was initially promised that it would be ready in april

 

[Arnoldsly99]

Well if that's what we are going to have to pay I'm sticking to DSL Vodacom can go F themselves. Maybe if no one in the entire Ruby Estate signs up for Vodacom Fibre it will send a message or atleast allow an open network. Who decides which provider gets to install their fibre to an estate? The Body Corporate? Shouldn't they atleast have a vote I mean I'm paying three Levies.

 

[TheRaceCube]

Sup Arnoldsly... Im guessing Apexeon sold the infrastructure to Vodacom, as from previous posts here it seems that Frogfoot was interested but Vodacom likely put in a higher price. So, Apexeon sold us out here. I'm sticking with my 20mb/s DSL (Kodi 17 streams perfectly on 1080p with my 14mb down speed), and my Bitcoin mining is going along nicely.. so Vodacom can go f themselves, as you said. HAVING SAID THAT - if another provider drops in and offers better prices, I'll re-consider.

 

[savage]

if another provider drops in and offers better prices, I'll re-consider.

The question is, CAN another provider drop in (read, exclusivity clauses in contracts)? In terms of bringing infrastructure that is. Even IF you get other ISPs to offer service, you're still stuck with Vodacom, because Vodacom will have to do provisioning, supply CPE devices (thanks to PON networks), do changes, handle outages, etc. Personally, I don't believe Apexeon has anything to do with Burgundy. I believe they are simply a Vodacom re-seller (assumption made by looking at some other discussions surrounding them as well).

DFA is there, so there's at least hope that other providers can bring fiber - heaven forbid, I'd even be interested possibly (even more so that we're about to light up our first circuits in Bothasig). But if there's already been cable pulled into the buildings, the question becomes 1) what happens with existing infrastructure (who owns it), and 2) will the HOA be OK with duplication? That's the same situation that's happening in private Estates and Century City for example, and the biggest reason why Century City took it on themselves to own the infrastructure and rather establish Century City Connect. Where possible, I always advise Estates and Complexes to rather bite the bullet and OWN the infrastructure themselves, instead of relying on 3rd parties. Rather get someone else to manage it, but ownership is crucial.

I thought FrogFoot was a done deal. Really surprised to see this, and I feel for you guys.

 

[Arnoldsly99]

Sup Arnoldsly... Im guessing Apexeon sold the infrastructure to Vodacom, as from previous posts here it seems that Frogfoot was interested but Vodacom likely put in a higher price. So, Apexeon sold us out here. I'm sticking with my 20mb/s DSL (Kodi 17 streams perfectly on 1080p with my 14mb down speed), and my Bitcoin mining is going along nicely.. so Vodacom can go f themselves, as you said. HAVING SAID THAT - if another provider drops in and offers better prices, I'll re-consider.

I moved from one flat to another inside of Ruby Estate so left DSL line behind and considering just getting DSL again as I'm sick of waiting and can't get work done when I have to drive to friends homes to get internet access few times a week.

Which ISP are you at with your current DSL I was Mweb previously so definitely not going back and looking for a alternative Uncapped Package minmum 10mb's as I'm an avid user of Kodi myself and also Usenet.

 

[TheRaceCube]

I moved from one flat to another inside of Ruby Estate so left DSL line behind and considering just getting DSL again as I'm sick of waiting and can't get work done when I have to drive to friends homes to get internet access few times a week.

Which ISP are you at with your current DSL I was Mweb previously so definitely not going back and looking for a alternative Uncapped Package minmum 10mb's as I'm an avid user of Kodi myself and also Usenet.

Been on Vox for a few years now and loving the hell out of them. I'm on a capped package (400gb in a promo that's been growing with them), so I get my full line speed and not "capped" by a "x"MB/s uncapped package. I've had issues with both Afrihost and Openweb and those issues ultimately lead me to Vox.

 

[TheRaceCube]

Really surprised to see this, and I feel for you guys.

Thanks Chris <3

 

[Arnoldsly99]

Well I'm sick of Vodacom not having information on when the Fibre will be live and the guy who I use to speak to from Apexeon stopped responding. Just phoned Vodacom and as usual no one has an answer just it could be a month or MONTHS so Vodacom can go F#*k themselves I'm having DSL installed. And only once they allow other ISP's on their network I'm not touching that fibre line.

 

[Stefan!]

Well I'm sick of Vodacom not having information on when the Fibre will be live and the guy who I use to speak to from Apexeon stopped responding. Just phoned Vodacom and as usual no one has an answer just it could be a month or MONTHS so Vodacom can go F#*k themselves I'm having DSL installed. And only once they allow other ISP's on their network I'm not touching that fibre line.

I spoke to him last week - he is relocating to Eastern Cape this week. The process is out of Marite/Apexeon's hands at this point. Vodacom is supposedly still going to install the satellite uplink, but only after completing another installation somewhere else. I am sure this process will take another 6 Months or so.

If we get internet via that Satellite Uplink we will prob be locked in with Vodacom with their ridiculous prices.