How much cheaper Openserve is than Vumatel

hj007 said:
Can I switch from Vumatel to openserve? If not, VT can just keep their price higher. Although I also don't understand why Openserve dropped their prices if you can't switch?
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Perhaps Telkom realises that the less they charge the more the uptake will be. R500 for 25Mbps fibre is definitely tempting for me.

Sapphiron said:
Speaking under correction here, but is Telkom's infrastructure not cheaper to deliver. I remember reading that their equipment tops out at 350MBit because of the way it aggregates fibre signals.

Vumatel uses a more expensive model, but they can support 1Gbit+ lines as a result.
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Telkom uses gpon which is 2.5Gbps per single line. It can be upgraded to max out at 10Gbps.
 
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livw88 said:
I've been using Vumatel for the past 3 years and as they are the only fibre network available in my area/estate, it seems they are cashing in on all their "free" trenching they did years ago. So I either pay the new rates or I have to cancel the service completely. Reminds me of the relationship between a drug dealer and his junkies.
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Damn, I'm one of the junkies! Voomatel is the monopoly in my area and will no doubt continue - or even increase - the high prices for the lowest speeds. Heads they win, tails I lose.
 
supersunbird said:
Don't fully understand your question but will try to answer it.

Yes, you can switch from Vumatel to Openserve, if Openserve fibre is available in your area.
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Sure - I just didn't realise that they're both available. Thought the fibre providers had done a land grab and only installed where the other hadn't already installed. In our area, only 1 is available.

Where you have both, it makes perfect sense. I expect a large number of customers to jump ship then and Vumatel will likely soon follow the pricing if they see that trend.
 
system32 said:
Unfortunately most FNO avoid "overlaying" fibre as it leads to lower up take in a suburb making it uneconomical.
There are a few areas where 2 FNO have fibre cables, but this is not common.

Fortunately there are some alternatives to fibre:
  • Various WISP
  • MTN Air "Fibre" (Tarana Wireless)
  • Uncapped Fixed LTE/5G (eg RAIN, MTN fixed 5G home Wi-Fi, etc)
  • Starlink (my personal favorite)
Hopefully this will put pressure on FNO's that have captive customers to offer competitive rates.
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Thank you for this information. As one who has a fibre connection (unfortunately the lowest at 10/2 due to financial constraints) for a son who wants to game and a daughter who works from home using this facility, I'm not clued up as to alternatives in a Vooma-steal monopoly. Of those mentioned, which would be the closest to what I have and approximately what price? Thank you.
 
The Magster said:
Thank you for this information. As one who has a fibre connection (unfortunately the lowest at 10/2 due to financial constraints) for a son who wants to game and a daughter who works from home using this facility, I'm not clued up as to alternatives in a Vooma-steal monopoly. Of those mentioned, which would be the closest to what I have and approximately what price? Thank you.
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The following offer various speeds and uncapped:
All have pros/cons with each other and with fibre.
 
system32 said:
The following offer various speeds and uncapped:
All have pros/cons with each other and with fibre.
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there are no pros in that list. Us plebs stuck with vuma don't really have a choice other than going back to adsl.
 
Polymathic said:
If there are still Telkom poles up in your area then it's highly likely Openserve will eventually roll out aerial fibre.

Its way cheaper than trenched fibre, as much as X10 cheaper to roll out
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I have seen them using timber poles for fiber to residential places.
 
Swa said:
Perhaps Telkom realises that the less they charge the more the uptake will be. R500 for 25Mbps fibre is definitely tempting for me.


Telkom uses gpon which is 2.5Gbps per single line. It can be upgraded to max out at 10Gbps.
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If you jump on their special you can get it for R399
 
Well I guess you are stuck with Vumatel if they have already provided the infrastructure in your area.... highly unlikely that they will change their prices if they are the only suppliers of fibre....
 
sammi001 said:
Openserve was the first fibre provider in our area. Was with them for about 2 years before moving to Vumatel. Had no issues but decided to take advamtage of install specials at the time.
Cancelled Vuma earlier this week. Moving back to Openserve.
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I switched because Vumatel were offering a higher speed for the same price. Since then Vumatel have become more expensive while Openserve gets cheaper. So I'm moving back to Openserve.

livw88 said:
I've been using Vumatel for the past 3 years and as they are the only fibre network available in my area/estate, it seems they are cashing in on all their "free" trenching they did years ago. So I either pay the new rates or I have to cancel the service completely. Reminds me of the relationship between a drug dealer and his junkies.
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Would be a rare case where there weren't several drug dealer options.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: Swa
Polymathic said:
If there are still Telkom poles up in your area then it's highly likely Openserve will eventually roll out aerial fibre.

Its way cheaper than trenched fibre, as much as X10 cheaper to roll out
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That is not what I understand, the costs work out pretty much the same at the end of the day. The one advantage that Openserve has is that they do not have to apply for wayleaves like the other FNO's as their installations run where they already have services and therefore it is considered an upgrade to their existing infrastructure.
 
ReggaeBoyz said:
That is not what I understand, the costs work out pretty much the same at the end of the day. The one advantage that Openserve has is that they do not have to apply for wayleaves like the other FNO's as their installations run where they already have services and therefore it is considered an upgrade to their existing infrastructure.
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Remember that there's no digging up and restoration of roads, pavements and driveways with aeril fibre.
 
Polymathic said:
Remember that there's no digging up and restoration of roads, pavements and driveways with aeril fibre.
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I've never seen Telkom's lines go over roads. So they still trench those to the cabinets. It's only within the block which is the easiest to trench as well.
 
Swa said:
I've never seen Telkom's lines go over roads. So they still trench those to the cabinets. It's only within the block which is the easiest to trench as well.
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There are definitely Telkom lines going over roads where at certain points, though it's still copper here
 
Polymathic said:
Remember that there's no digging up and restoration of roads, pavements and driveways with aeril fibre.
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If they already have underground reticulation with pipes in reasonable condition, then there would be minimal to zero trenching required. They simply pull the fibre through the existing pipes
 
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