Questions about Vumatel

[Polymathic]

So I heard on the Radio that Vumatel is operating in Durban now I have a couple questions to the people who have them in their area.

How much does Vumatel charge for installation?

How many households do they need before they start installing in the area?

How long does it take for them to roll out in the area once the area has been green lit?

How much does it cost? I'm on uncapped 2mb from telkom. I would prefer an uncapped package.

Can I choose my own ISP?

 

[Yster21]

1. R1,700, but I believe most ISPs nowadays cover that cost for you
2. Lately they've been rolling out fibre in areas without a commitment, though they go the aerial route. In the past, it was a 30% commitment.
3. That depends on the number of properties and the roll-out method they are using (aerial vs trenching). Also, certain individuals in your area will fight against the fibre, since they're morons. Lastly, it depends on how many teams they can allocate to an area to do the work. All this greatly influences the project. My area is getting aerial fibre, and there's 2,500 homes/flats in total. The project started in March and seems to be on track to be completed by end of July.
4. The cost greatly varies from ISP to ISP. You can go on Vumatel's website and browse the Shop section to get a good idea. I'm looking at the Cool Ideas 100/10 uncapped package for R1,099pm.
5. Yes you can choose your own ISP. There's a massive list to choose from.

 

[Sumen]

1. R1,700, but I believe most ISPs nowadays cover that cost for you
2. Lately they've been rolling out fibre in areas without a commitment, though they go the aerial route. In the past, it was a 30% commitment.
3. That depends on the number of properties and the roll-out method they are using (aerial vs trenching). Also, certain individuals in your area will fight against the fibre, since they're morons. Lastly, it depends on how many teams they can allocate to an area to do the work. All this greatly influences the project. My area is getting aerial fibre, and there's 2,500 homes/flats in total. The project started in March and seems to be on track to be completed by end of July.
4. The cost greatly varies from ISP to ISP. You can go on Vumatel's website and browse the Shop section to get a good idea. I'm looking at the Cool Ideas 100/10 uncapped package for R1,099pm.
5. Yes you can choose your own ISP. There's a massive list to choose from.

On their brochure online, they still say that they need an average of 30% commitment and that figure can vary depending on the size of the area.

 

[Sumen]

So I heard on the Radio that Vumatel is operating in Durban now I have a couple questions to the people who have them in their area.

How much does Vumatel charge for installation?

How many households do they need before they start installing in the area?

How long does it take for them to roll out in the area once the area has been green lit?

How much does it cost? I'm on uncapped 2mb from telkom. I would prefer an uncapped package.

Can I choose my own ISP?

Here's the link to check the available prices from all ISPs. : https://shop.vumatel.co.za/

 

[Polymathic]

i contacted them and for my lil Dorpie all they need is 250 people to show interest.

 

[Sumen]

You Could go door-to door with a tablet/Laptop/Cellphone and personally inform the residents and ask them show their interest, but then it would take too much time.

If you are on a Whatsapp group then post the brochure and ask the residents to show their interest, also post a link to coverage map. I'm going to try this personally.

If your area is under a Body corporate/Association/Neighborhood watch( tell them that they will be able to use the fibre network for cctv), then approach them to help with getting people to show their interest.

Lastly, your final resort is to register as a "Vumatel Champion", I think Vumatel will provide you with resource materials that you can push into peoples mail boxes.

 

[coop]

So I heard on the Radio that Vumatel is operating in Durban now I have a couple questions to the people who have them in their area.

How much does Vumatel charge for installation?

R1710.00 for installation, which is paid after the install. They will also allow you to pay the installation fee in installements over 3 or 6 months.

How many households do they need before they start installing in the area?

In my area, it required 30% of households to signup, but these are signups without obligation.

How long does it take for them to roll out in the area once the area has been green lit?

For us, the build started on October 9th and the area was lit in two halves. The first half were lit on around Feb 15th, the second around Feb 25th. Installation from then was 7-10 days in our area.

How much does it cost? I'm on uncapped 2mb from telkom. I would prefer an uncapped package.

A lot depends on which ISP you choose. In addition to the installation cost, there is a once off activation fee each time you change ISP's. Some ISP's pass this cost onto the customer, some don't but be careful as some of them also charge you the fee if you leave within 6 months. Prices vary a lot from one ISP to another, but take a look here https://shop.vumatel.co.za/packages/all for details of all packages. In my case, I pay R1199.00/month for a 100/100 uncapped connection from Cool Ideas. During my time with them, I have not experienced any throttling or shaping.

Note though, no matter which ISP, you will not get the full speed to international destinations, so I would only consider a package faster than 50 Mb/s for households where mutipe people will be using the connection simultaneously.

Can I choose my own ISP?

[/QUOTE]
Most ISP's offer service over vumatel, so you can choose from any of the ISP's listed on the packages page

 

[Sumen]

R1710.00 for installation, which is paid after the install. They will also allow you to pay the installation fee in installements over 3 or 6 months.


In my area, it required 30% of households to signup, but these are signups without obligation.


For us, the build started on October 9th and the area was lit in two halves. The first half were lit on around Feb 15th, the second around Feb 25th. Installation from then was 7-10 days in our area.



A lot depends on which ISP you choose. In addition to the installation cost, there is a once off activation fee each time you change ISP's. Some ISP's pass this cost onto the customer, some don't but be careful as some of them also charge you the fee if you leave within 6 months. Prices vary a lot from one ISP to another, but take a look here https://shop.vumatel.co.za/packages/all for details of all packages. In my case, I pay R1199.00/month for a 100/100 uncapped connection from Cool Ideas. During my time with them, I have not experienced any throttling or shaping.

Note though, no matter which ISP, you will not get the full speed to international destinations, so I would only consider a package faster than 50 Mb/s for households where mutipe people will be using the connection simultaneously.

Most ISP's offer service over vumatel, so you can choose from any of the ISP's listed on the packages page[/QUOTE]

What method did you use to gain interest of the residents ? or was a unanimous decision by the community to show their interest ?

 

[coop]

What method did you use to gain interest of the residents ? or was a unanimous decision by the community to show their interest ?

In my case, the local residents association had already got most of the signups before I moved in. But the starting point is going here https://vumatel.co.za/coverage and registering your interest. Just enter your address on the map and if they are considering your area, you'll be offered a 'Show My Interest' button. Click that and then fill in the form to register your interest.

You can also choose to become a vuma area champion, in which case, you'll be involved in getting the singups. Usually, this involves Vuma supplying you with basic information and leaflets and then you hand out the leaflets and try to get people to signup.

 

[Yster21]

For my area, we did not make it for the required number of signups. I am actually the "area champion" for Vumatel in our area, and I've had many meetings with the guys when we meet difficult residents in the area. I've obtained the following information:

• Vumatel has had a massive cash injection from two banks and a private individual. It is for this reason that they can roll out fibre without a 30% interest. If you can get the 30% interest, then you can get the project started, otherwise you wait until they decide they roll-out in your area.
• Openserve is rolling out fibre without any sort of interest in an area. If Vumatel allows this to continue, their business won't grow much, so they have to sort areas according to density/ROI value, and roll out without commitment
• Vumatel bought over Fibrehoods. Fibrehoods will soon trade as Vumatel Aerial. Fibrehoods currently has to hand over a fibre network passing 50,000 homes by end of July. Luckily my area was one of those areas picked for roll-out. I assume that they will then start rolling out fibre in new areas without any commitment.
• This was all verbally communicated between one of the directors of Fibrehoods/Vumatel and our community

 

[Sumen]

In my case, the local residents association had already got most of the signups before I moved in. But the starting point is going here https://vumatel.co.za/coverage and registering your interest. Just enter your address on the map and if they are considering your area, you'll be offered a 'Show My Interest' button. Click that and then fill in the form to register your interest.

You can also choose to become a vuma area champion, in which case, you'll be involved in getting the singups. Usually, this involves Vuma supplying you with basic information and leaflets and then you hand out the leaflets and try to get people to signup.

Thank You

 

[Sumen]

For my area, we did not make it for the required number of signups. I am actually the "area champion" for Vumatel in our area, and I've had many meetings with the guys when we meet difficult residents in the area. I've obtained the following information:

• Vumatel has had a massive cash injection from two banks and a private individual. It is for this reason that they can roll out fibre without a 30% interest. If you can get the 30% interest, then you can get the project started, otherwise you wait until they decide they roll-out in your area.
• Openserve is rolling out fibre without any sort of interest in an area. If Vumatel allows this to continue, their business won't grow much, so they have to sort areas according to density/ROI value, and roll out without commitment
• Vumatel bought over Fibrehoods. Fibrehoods will soon trade as Vumatel Aerial. Fibrehoods currently has to hand over a fibre network passing 50,000 homes by end of July. Luckily my area was one of those areas picked for roll-out. I assume that they will then start rolling out fibre in new areas without any commitment.
• This was all verbally communicated between one of the directors of Fibrehoods/Vumatel and our community

In my area we have a newly formed Body Corporate , It would be nice if they could take on the job of been the Area Champion but right now they have slightly more important issues to deal would in terms of safety in the area. Could you maybe tell me a little bit more about what you received and had to do as the area champion, I think I will have to become the area champion.

 

[Yster21]

In my area we have a newly formed Body Corporate , It would be nice if they could take on the job of been the Area Champion but right now they have slightly more important issues to deal would in terms of safety in the area. Could you maybe tell me a little bit more about what you received and had to do as the area champion, I think I will have to become the area champion.

To give you some background, Openserve was already rolling out fibre in our area before Fibrehoods started. I had emailed Openserve, and asked whether there is some way I could facilitate the process. They eagerly met with me, and I basically became the area champion for Openserve. I managed to convince the Residents Association (RA) of the area to allow me to use them as a communication platform between Openserve and the community.

A month later, Fibrehoods pitched up, I contacted them, and basically became area champion for them as well.

Every once in a while, I post a progress update for the two fibre providers (Vumatel and Openserve) on our RA's website. Vumatel wanted to meet with the residents in cul-de-sacs, so I sent out the message on social media, compiled a list and set up meetings. If you want to see what I sent to the community, look at our RA's website: https://www.lifco.co.za/projects/fibre

I didn't have to do anything to get the project started, since it was already planned.

 

[Sumen]

To give you some background, Openserve was already rolling out fibre in our area before Fibrehoods started. I had emailed Openserve, and asked whether there is some way I could facilitate the process. They eagerly met with me, and I basically became the area champion for Openserve. I managed to convince the Residents Association (RA) of the area to allow me to use them as a communication platform between Openserve and the community.

A month later, Fibrehoods pitched up, I contacted them, and basically became area champion for them as well.

Every once in a while, I post a progress update for the two fibre providers (Vumatel and Openserve) on our RA's website. Vumatel wanted to meet with the residents in cul-de-sacs, so I sent out the message on social media, compiled a list and set up meetings. If you want to see what I sent to the community, look at our RA's website: https://www.lifco.co.za/projects/fibre

I didn't have to do anything to get the project started, since it was already planned.

Thank You, I only can approach the Body Corporate once they deal with safety issue(which won't take long).