COMPLEMENTARY CONNECTIONS Fibre is one of the foundations of a complementary ecosystem of technologies connecting citizens to the world
Open-access fibre-to-the-home provider Vumatel is planning to pass 500 000 homes with fibre this year, an ambitious new target after passing one-million homes with fibre over the last five years.
With data use at home rising to unprecedented levels as consumers connect multiple devices to work, learn and entertain at home, Vumatel CEO Dietlof Mare believes that there is a significant need for more fibre-based connectivity across South Africa.
Fibre, which currently has a penetration of just 20% in South Africa, is one of the foundations of a complementary ecosystem of technologies connecting citizens to the world, he says, noting that, as people start to become more connected, the next five years could potentially lead to the fibre penetration rate rising to between 70% and 80%.
Vumatel plans to invest significantly to bring fibre to areas that require it, allo- cating capital in the right places and leveraging different deployment models for underserved areas, where people do not have connectivity or access to affordable unlimited data.
While the Covid-19 pandemic slightly set the company back in the deployment of fibre, focus has turned to the speed, quality and scale of connectivity as the Covid-19 pandemic reshapes connectivity and communications.