Royal Ascot Fibre (Milnerton, Cape Town)

[Karel Kat]

Hmmm I wonder if there would be an install fee, as everything is already in conduits underground etc, Royal Ascot is quite a unique install for openserve. But I am not holding my breath that they would waive it or decrease the fee.

Yes there will still be an install fee. Remember, this covers two things:

1. Running fibre from the property boundary into your house.
2. The ONT modem that interfaces between your LAN and the fibre network.

Those things considered, the R1700 ish installation fee isn't too bad.

 

[FHTheron]

Update was posted on 20 June at http://royalascotfibre.co.za
Short summary: Ducts and pipes needed cleaning and unblocking etc. Fibre "floating" will be next, so we should be seeing actual fibre soon.

Edit: Finally found an RSS link to that news page: http://royalascotfibre.co.za/news?format=RSS (added and boosted on Inoreader, don't want to miss an update again)

 

[Karel Kat]

Update was posted on 20 June at http://royalascotfibre.co.za
Short summary: Ducts and pipes needed cleaning and unblocking etc. Fibre "floating" will be next, so we should be seeing actual fibre soon.

I have heard from some friends at the Stableyard that fibre is already being run into the complex to termination boxes.

 

[GlynnR]

I have heard from some friends at the Stableyard that fibre is already being run into the complex to termination boxes.

I stay in The Stableyard and that sounds about right. I bumped into a guy this week who said the fibre is in and just needs to be connected to the units I believe. Can't remember the exact terminology he gave, but it didn't seem like a major next step and he said it wouldn't take much longer.

 

[GlynnR]

I've been doing some research this morning and discovered that Axxess can also supply the Telkom Fibre connection, and their prices aren't that bad.
I'm looking at at 100Mbps link through whomever is most reliable and wanting to keep my Afrihost data account.
I am not familiar with IPSAfrika and have dealt with Axxess in the past. Their 100Mbps link is R799 per month, with a R1710 installation fee once off and 0 connection fee.

Currently I'm on a 40Mbps VDSL line, paying R1068,60 a month (R206.50 to Telkom and R863 to Afrihost for the 150+150GB bandwidth & Afrihost+ service.)
Based on my calculations, I'll end up paying R1197 per month for the 100Mbps link through Axxess and Afrihost as my ISP, with the same 150+150GB setup through them.

Does anyone else have any better ideas?

 

[paul5186]

I wonder when we can start to order?

 

[FHTheron]

I've been doing some research this morning and discovered that Axxess can also supply the Telkom Fibre connection, and their prices aren't that bad.
I'm looking at at 100Mbps link through whomever is most reliable and wanting to keep my Afrihost data account.
I am not familiar with IPSAfrika and have dealt with Axxess in the past. Their 100Mbps link is R799 per month, with a R1710 installation fee once off and 0 connection fee.

Currently I'm on a 40Mbps VDSL line, paying R1068,60 a month (R206.50 to Telkom and R863 to Afrihost for the 150+150GB bandwidth & Afrihost+ service.)
Based on my calculations, I'll end up paying R1197 per month for the 100Mbps link through Axxess and Afrihost as my ISP, with the same 150+150GB setup through them.

Does anyone else have any better ideas?

I mentioned earlier that you can compare over a year, that puts ISPAfrika at R11047 and WebAfrica at R11136 and Vox at R13200+. Now for Axxess that's R11298. So if you only worry about the first year, it probably comes down to how you feel about big once-off payments.

What I haven't thought of yet, is would you need to pay installation again if you switch fibre provider later?

 

[GlynnR]

I wonder when we can start to order?

I'd also love to know. Will open serve or our body corporates let us know?

I mentioned earlier that you can compare over a year, that puts ISPAfrika at R11047 and WebAfrica at R11136 and Vox at R13200+. Now for Axxess that's R11298. So if you only worry about the first year, it probably comes down to how you feel about big once-off payments.

What I haven't thought of yet, is would you need to pay installation again if you switch fibre provider later?

Good question about the fibre install cost.
I'm still indecisive about the link provider though. The R100 odd difference over the year between Axxess and ISPAfrika isn't that major, so I'm leaning more toward Axxess.

 

[FHTheron]

I asked ISPAfrika (they responded within 5 minutes) about installation cost when switching. They said OpenServe charges a migration fee of R599 if you switch ISP. Not too bad, but also not like you'd want to switch every few months and I really hope who your line provider is doesn't have any bearing on data quality (that should be all on your data provider).

At this point I'm leaning towards ISPAfrika purely for a notably lower monthly price - I'll "forget" the setup fee soon, but a high monthly cost is a monthly "feeling" of money going out. Either way, I'm in zone 3 so I expect I'll hear from other people what they did and liked before I get a change to make any decisions.

 

[Karel Kat]

I'd also love to know. Will open serve or our body corporates let us know?

I imagine there will be a post on the project website when each zone is done, however I have also signed up with WebAfrica for a "contact me when it is ready" reach out (I'll probably pick another provider but want to know when they are ready). There might be direct marketing (fliers or something) and I won't be surprised if some body corporates send out notices. In any case, can't wait to get rid of my crappy copper line (also zone 3, no MSAN, all the cries). Judging by the speed they are working, Zone 3 will probably only be ready at the end of July and after that they wait for the install begins.

 

[QuiXilver ZA]

Thanks to @bighit for bringing this thread to my attention. I've suffered with copper for a while then switched to Connected Space as they were contracted to provide internet access to my complex. Absolutely putrid service. There's so many drops in access every week and their communication sucks the proverbial sack. The best thing they've given me is crazy high bursts for 2-3 days at a time but it still doesn't deter from the frustration of no access, nor any communication about the drops either.

I tried to go back to my 4mb at Telkom only to be told I can only get 2mb.

I'm in Sandown Crescent and really cannot wait for this. Already doing homework on ISP's. Also thanks to whomever posted the rss link. Want to be on this like ants on sugar.

 

[Karel Kat]

I tried to go back to my 4mb at Telkom only to be told I can only get 2mb.

I'm in Sandown Crescent and really cannot wait for this. Already doing homework on ISP's. Also thanks to whomever posted the rss link. Want to be on this like ants on sugar.

Officially, practically you can get between 4 and 8 (I live close by you ). So order 2 (Thats all they are allowed to sell you) then call 10210 and upgrade to 4 or 8 (depending on your stats).

 

[QuiXilver ZA]

Officially, practically you can get between 4 and 8 (I live close by you ). So order 2 (Thats all they are allowed to sell you) then call 10210 and upgrade to 4 or 8 (depending on your stats).

Yeah my router said it could go to 8. And I went with Axxess managing my line. Their system can't do higher. I tried upgrading. I'm sure someone at Telkom could manually override but that means me transferring the line to telkom and I really don't have the energy to deal with especially knowing that fibre is within reach now.

Does anyone know if end of July is when we'll be lit or just when the cables will be laid? Meaning Telkom still have to test the lines and give the go ahead.

 

[Garson007]

Mmm. Is this live yet?

 

[QuiXilver ZA]

Mmm. Is this live yet?

I'm actively checking http://royalascotfibre.co.za/ I'm hoping we get an update in the next few days.

The only construction I've seen on the road has been by the first swing and play area near the T junction. There's massive spindles of green piping which I'm really hoping is for the fibre setup.

edit:

I think it is. I googled ftth setup and came across this pic. The spindles look the same. Here's hoping...

 

[FHTheron]

A Corline truck is parked by Sandown Crescent at the moment, so I'd guess it won't really be much longer now. Looks like they are pumping water out of a drain, probably a bit much rain.
I also saw some guys with green pipes inside our complex yesterday. Getting really excited now

 

[QuiXilver ZA]

A Corline truck is parked by Sandown Crescent at the moment, so I'd guess it won't really be much longer now. Looks like they are pumping water out of a drain, probably a bit much rain.
I also saw some guys with green pipes inside our complex yesterday. Getting really excited now

Oh my sack. I live in Sandown Crescent. Hot damn I'm getting excited now too. Lol.

 

[FHTheron]

They don't seem to care about this weather too much today.

 

[QuiXilver ZA]

They don't seem to care about this weather too much today.

View attachment 377068

I came home on Tuesday to find the truck in the complex. I asked the guys what they're installing and he said fibre The truck parked off there on Wednesday and by the time I got home yesterday they were gone.

From what I've been hearing it's still pretty early and will take another 4-6 months before it's all connected.

 

[Bighit]

Don't forget the time it takes after applying for Fibre to get an ETA from Telkom! Applied almost 9 weeks ago already, Telkom can't give an ETA.