{"id":453632,"date":"2022-07-22T15:38:19","date_gmt":"2022-07-22T13:38:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/?p=453632"},"modified":"2022-07-22T15:41:01","modified_gmt":"2022-07-22T13:41:01","slug":"eskomsepush-testing-feature-to-help-users-understand-confusing-load-shedding-schedules","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/energy\/453632-eskomsepush-testing-feature-to-help-users-understand-confusing-load-shedding-schedules.html","title":{"rendered":"EskomSePush testing feature to help users understand confusing load-shedding schedules"},"content":{"rendered":"

EskomSePush (ESP) is testing a new feature that will make it easier for users to see when their chosen areas are getting load-shedding over several days.<\/p>\n

ESP co-founder Herman Maritz posted a screenshot<\/strong><\/a> of the new “Upcoming load-shedding” window in the iOS app on Twitter on Friday morning.<\/p>\n

Maritz told MyBroadband that the feature had been a priority for some time.<\/p>\n

However, Eskom’s recent shift to implementing different stages of load-shedding during the day meant the ESP user interface first had to be adapted.<\/p>\n

In the past, Eskom mainly stuck to one stage of load-shedding over multiple days or only used a single stage for a limited time, like during the evening peak demand hours.<\/p>\n

But on several occasions in the past few weeks, it would implement different combinations of stages \u2014 such as Stage 4, Stage 6, and Stage 2 \u2014 within the same 24-hour cycle.<\/p>\n

ESP has tried to assist by posting Eskom’s own schedule above its load-shedding tables, but reconciling this with the load-shedding timetables provided by ESP has proven a challenge for some and made it difficult for them to plan ahead.<\/p>\n

With the “Upcoming load-shedding” window, ESP will extract data from the timetables and show only the appropriate time and stages for a user’s chosen areas, as shown in the screenshot below.<\/p>\n

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Maritz said the “Upcoming load-shedding” update should roll out to users next week.<\/p>\n

He also told an ESP fan on Twitter<\/strong><\/a> that a future update would include the ability to configure the default 55-minute forewarning reminder.<\/p>\n

Maritz founded ESP alongside Dan Wells in 2015, and the app has since expanded its user base to more than 4 million.<\/p>\n

Maritz has been working full-time on expanding ESP’s functionality and sustainability since January 2022.<\/p>\n

Wells recently announced<\/strong><\/a> he would join Maritz full-time to continue growing the app together.<\/p>\n

In a recent write-up<\/strong><\/a>, Maritz highlighted several ways ESP had grown its revenue streams in the past six months, including:<\/p>\n