How Do I Open my own ISP

Twista

Twista

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Joined
May 14, 2007
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Randburg
Can anyone give me specifics on how to go about opening my own Internet Service Provider like Polka etc.

I have learn't so far :-
1. Have Money...Lotz
2. Apply for a Licence to ICASA which costs around R7000.00..."that should be a mission"
3. First of all, A Business Plan...
Thats where it ends....

I need to know the technical specs, equipment etc as well as what type of people to employ like technicians and call centre staff. Also what are start up costs.

Can anyone help me!!!!!!!!!!!

Will really appreciate some proffessional advise
 
You can just become a reseller of a major ISP like WA.

It is however alot of brain damage for very small margins, you need to look at things like automated billing and a decent support infrastructure.

It's an extremely difficult market to infiltrate unless you have some great innovative ideas and a lot of money to implement them.

Otherwise you'll just end up another washed out ISP.

P.S. You don't need a license from ICASA to become and ISP.
 
I think penetrating the ISP market is a HUGE task and will cost you "lotz" more money than you think and "lotz" of time.

There are already so many ISP's in SA it's not even funny and most of them are small (+- 2000 clients)

I know @lantic has like 44000+ clients, but that's a huge company now. Many will say a bad ISP but I think more would say a quality ISP. Can't imagine what it took to build a ISP to that scale!
 
Thanks Guys, Much appreciated. Thanks for putting "FEAR" into me. I've seen a neat advert in myadsl homepage, a new ISP. Maybe I could give them a call for a reseller package.
 
Don't let anyone scare you into not following your dream. If you want to start your own ISP go for it. Like they say, get an idea that nobody else does and add great service (or just great service, isp's like @lantic is crap because their service sucks, not the actual internet connection)

It will take you some time and HARD work, but if you want to make it work it will definitely pay off in future.

Took me more or less 5 years in my career just to get where I am now. It will take you the same time to get a decent business going. If you're not in it for the long hall then you might as well give it up.

If you build up a great ISP with a lot of users with great service, you might just get bought out by some bigger ISP ;)
 
Thanks Acidrazor, That was really inspiring. Should i not wait a little while longer to have Neotel enter the market and check out wholesale prices then?
 
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