Inside look at Vumatel's uncapped fibre pilot in Alexandra

This is really cool. The government should really start to understand that businesses can solve a lot of problems they just need to be enabled and government regulation should be less prescriptive and more goal orientated . I assume there would be people having a problem that Vuma makes money from poor people BUT they are offering true broadband at a ridiculously low price.

Why start WOAN when private companies will solve it more effectively, faster and cheaper?
 
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This is really cool. The government should really start to understand that businesses can solve a lot of problems they just need to be enabled and government regulation should be less prescriptive and more goal orientated . I assume there would be people having a problem that Vuma makes money from poor people BUT they are offering true broadband at a ridiculously low price.

Why start WOAN when private companies will solve it more effectively, faster and cheaper?
Hey you just reminded me is WOAN still be considered or it was completely dropped? I have not heard anything

I wonder if "Vodacom Fibre links" will be used for Vuma ️ only or Vuma reach will be rolled out using this links too?
 
Why start WOAN when private companies will solve it more effectively, faster and cheaper?
I suspect it's a ANC legacy issue, some ideology from a bygone era that dictates not trusting the market to deliver a fair price. Same issue Eskom's power generation faces everytime there's a push for privatising power production. Gwede and the rest of the old guard can't admit that they dedicated their whole life to a ideology that isn't practical in the real world.

I do have some issues with this Vuma Key project though, it seems like it has a limited upgrade path and as such locks "the poor" into a subpar product in perpetuity. This is basically akin to a FTTC network not FTTH which has far better upgradability. Meaning we might perpetuate a digital divide. Let's say 5 years from now most Vuma Core customers has access to +10gbps lines, Vuma Reach customers to limited to 1gbps max and Vuma Key even more limited to 100mbps lines.

It's not a good idea to create systemic discrimination along income brackets. Would like to hear what Maziv's solution might be.
 
Hey you just reminded me is WOAN still be considered or it was completely dropped? I have not heard anything

I wonder if "Vodacom Fibre links" will be used for Vuma ️ only or Vuma reach will be rolled out using this links too?
I don't know for certain, but I think the Vodacom assets would be used to facilitate business level products. Vuma Reach is a gpon network. And since Vumatel is a bit cash strapped they won't upgrade or drastically change their network infrastructure anytime soon...so XGSPON is still a way off.
 
I do have some issues with this Vuma Key project though, it seems like it has a limited upgrade path and as such locks "the poor" into a subpar product in perpetuity. This is basically akin to a FTTC network not FTTH which has far better upgradability. Meaning we might perpetuate a digital divide. Let's say 5 years from now most Vuma Core customers has access to +10gbps lines, Vuma Reach customers to limited to 1gbps max and Vuma Key even more limited to 100mbps lines.
I am not too worried about that - the tech has some legs. There might be some differentiation but they should be able to push speeds up quite a bit - and the core fibre network has plenty of legs so upgrades should only affect the last 3 meters :)

The big hope should be that a lot of people will move out of shacks into better housing by the time the tech is obsolete. (And I am sure if the elections next year go well we can actually do it).
 
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I am not too worried about that - the tech has some legs. There might be some differentiation but they should be able to push speeds up quite a bit - and the core fibre network has plenty of legs so upgrades should only affect the last 3 meters :)

The big hope should be that a lot of people will move out of shacks into better housing by the time the tech is obsolete. (And I am sure if the elections next year go well we can actually do it).
Idk...I guess you're more optimistic than I am lol

This approach is limited, but hey there might be some advancements and ethernet cable drops are better than coaxial like they use to use in the UK so that's not as bad.

Anyway it's interesting, hope the Competition Tribunal doesn't put the kibosh on the whole project by denying the merger.
 
None of these township projects work because of all the special interests and corruption and the fact that it is below cost.

Government could fund the infrastructure rollout, instead of stealing billions.
 
None of these township projects work because of all the special interests and corruption and the fact that it is below cost.

Government could fund the infrastructure rollout, instead of stealing billions.
Nah this project isn't below cost, that was a main requirement in Vumatel's dragging their feet on going ahead with it for so long. It has to fund itself to be viable. The former CEO wanted a 100mbps line for R89 when they thought of this first, realized that it's impossible (even though it would've been a massive PR opportunity) now they're banking on upselling users from the base R99 plan to a R399 plan but with cheaper costs than the Reach product.
 
Vuma Key first initial went live in Alexandra in just 2 blocks namely 13th,14th,15th Ave (Vumatel mast AXZ1-01-01 to AXZ1-01-04 & then AXZ1-02-05 to AXZ1-02-08).

The first trials (Q4:2021) involved a VUMA branded Huawei EG8141A5 ONT (Still in use), A MikroTik CRS318-16P-2S+OUT (Discontinued due to costs) & a Mikrotik RBcAPL-2nD (Still in use) all linked together with a CAT 6 STP.
Fast-forward (Q1:2023) they discontinued the Mikrotik netPower & replaced them with a TP Link TL-WR840N.

The ISP has always been WebAfrica & the package used in the Q4:2021 was 100/50mbps cost was R699pm.
Again in the Q1:2023 the package was downgraded to 50/20mbps (I am not sure about the upload speed) which costs R499pm.

Since the first trials the central ONT & switch holder doesn't pay for the broadband, only the electricity (Since it's Alex, use your imagination) & makes sure 7 Mikrotik AP holders make payment before the 1st day of the month.
 
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