MetroFibre cuts prices and doubles speeds of 200Mbps package

MetroFibre has dropped its 200Mbps symmetrical fibre package from its network, and customers subscribed to the service will be upgraded to 400Mbps for free.

A MyBroadband reader reported the changes after spotting the removal of the 200Mpbs package from Afrihost’s website.

The reader said MetroFibre had also dropped the price of its symmetrical 500Mbps package to the old price of the 200Mbps line.

We asked Afrihost and MetroFibre for comment.

MetroFibre told MyBroadband that it had extended the offers to all Internet service provider partners on its network.

“As key contributors to our business, we have extended this offer to all our registered ISPs on our FTTH network,” it said.

“All existing 200Mbps ISP customers will be automatically upgraded to the 400Mbps package at no additional cost to our ISP.”

However, it should be noted that MetroFibre’s website still lists the 200Mbps symmetrical package, showing it as available for multiple ISPs excluding Afrihost.

The fibre network operator (FNO) said it hadn’t implemented any price changes for its 500Mbps symmetrical product.

“No changes have been implemented to the 500Mbps product, we have simply extended an offer to our ISPs which will enable their 200Mbps customers to experience real fibre internet speeds through a symmetrical uncapped 400Mbps product,” it said.

Afrihost told MyBroadband that it would only be able to provide details once it has processed the changes on its systems and informed its customers.

MetroFibre has cut the prices of its higher-speed products since December 2022, with pricing for its 1Gbps package with 250Mbps upload slashed by around R500 a month.

The FNO’s current package pricing through Afrihost is summarised in the table below.

Earlier in 2023, MetroFibre told MyBroadband that it has big expansion and acquisition plans this year.

The FNO said it aims to see its network pass an additional 85,000 to 100,000 homes and plans to increase its homes connected ratio.

MetroFibre is currently the third-largest FNO in South Africa, and an additional 85,000 to 100,000 homes passed will bring its total to between 535,000 and 550,000.

One of MetroFibre’s primary goals for 2023 is to grab more South African fibre market share.

“We will be monitoring the market for the potential for further consolidation, with a view to acquisitions,” it told MyBroadband.

“We are well advanced in our strategy to gain further market share, both organically as well as through strategic acquisitions.”

The FNO said it would look at solutions for underserved communities in South Africa, like prepaid fibre service.

“We’re looking at affordable top-up packages that allow customers to pay only when they need it, removing the concern of lengthy contracts,” the FNO said.

“Called MetroConnect, it focuses on pay-as-you-go time-based vouchers for uncapped data at 20Mbps, with the flexibility to top-up when you need to, for as long as you need it.”

MetroConnect customers will have to pay a once-off activation fee of R260, giving them access to a free-to-use ONT and router and a symmetrical uncapped 20Mbps service for the first two weeks.

However, it should be noted that the ONT and router remain the property of MetroFibre.

---

Now read: Criminals wreck DFA cable, create network problems