South African WISP roundup - June 2023

[Jan]

Where fibre and cellular services fear to tread — Best wireless ISPs in South Africa

While fibre availability has grown and more uncapped 5G data packages have become available in recent years, another form of uncapped Internet connection is available to South Africans — fixed-wireless access (FWA).

FWA services function similarly to cellular networks in the sense that they rely on radio frequency spectrum.

 

[jeevadotnet]

Interworks wireless/microwave in the Cape area, by far. Swing DFA FTTB clients over to them, since the microwave links were by far more stable.

 

[eddief1]

If ICASA would allow them to license PtMP spectrum at a reasonable cost it would be even better!

 

[Chris.Geerdts]

There are many good WISPs - it depends where you live.

The WISPs mentioned are good but it would be interesting to see what criteria were used to classify these as 'best wireless ISPs'.

 

[HartsockZA]

I'm smaller but crush all mention Wisp. Anyways GG

 

[Went_For_Beer]

I would not us any of them in this article, they all have shitty support

 

[ThatOtherGuy]

Whatever happened to Uninet and David Jarvis? AFAIR, they were pioneers in this space.

 

[portcullis]

Whatever happened to Uninet and David Jarvis? AFAIR, they were pioneers in this space.

He sold up and retired to the Southern Cape about 15 years ago.

 

[juanthyme]

He sold up and retired to the Southern Cape about 15 years ago.

man had a degree in microbiology iirc, fun times breaking the ice for local wisps

Knysna’s ‘up yours’ to Telkom

A showdown is looming between Telkom and municipalities across the country as they begin to roll out their own telecommunication networks. One municipality, Knysna, is already using its own wireless network even though it has received a warning from Telkom. It plans to offer wireless services...

mg.co.za

 

[juanthyme]

However, it uses unlicensed spectrum in the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands (and now the lower 6GHz band, too).

not correct. lower 6 GHz can only be used at low power settings, i.e. in-building or in-vehicle but not part of the WISP network itself

 

[portcullis]

man had a degree in microbiology iirc, fun times breaking the ice for local wisps

Knysna’s ‘up yours’ to Telkom

A showdown is looming between Telkom and municipalities across the country as they begin to roll out their own telecommunication networks. One municipality, Knysna, is already using its own wireless network even though it has received a warning from Telkom. It plans to offer wireless services...

mg.co.za

Us, David from Uninet, Eugene and Giepie from Snowball all used to happily co exist on towers.

Then Grassie Coetzee came along with his 1W linear amps that created interference for Telkom when they still had a license for 2412MHz.

Short version of the events that followed: We formed a trade association called WAPA to assist us with defense against litigation. At one stage we were all within days of being shut down by the authorities.

 

[Johann Reyneke]

Where fibre and cellular services fear to tread — Best wireless ISPs in South Africa

While fibre availability has grown and more uncapped 5G data packages have become available in recent years, another form of uncapped Internet connection is available to South Africans — fixed-wireless access (FWA).

FWA services function similarly to cellular networks in the sense that they rely on radio frequency spectrum.

As a pensioner with a very small bandwidth requirement my wireless ISP caters for me. A fibre ISP has a smaller bandwidth package on offer, but it is limited by it's inability to accommodate a high power wifi router.

 

[Bliksis]

Fear to tread. Fkn LMAO. OK Hanno.