Fibre Internet Questions
A complete set of common questions about fibre internet in South Africa - what fibre is, how it works, and how to get it at your home.
General
FAQs about fibre internet
Fibre internet uses fibre-optic cables to deliver high-speed internet access. It's faster and more reliable than traditional DSL or ADSL connections.
Visit the Vumatel website and use their coverage map tool. Enter your full street address to confirm whether your line is lit.
Fibre-optic cables are thin strands of glass or plastic known as optical fibres. A single cable contains several hundred strands bundled together.
A single strand less than a tenth the thickness of a human hair can transmit about 25,000 phone calls. An entire fibre-optic cable can carry several million simultaneous calls.
Two main systems enable FTTH connections. Active optical systems use switches and routers to direct signals to specific customers. Passive optical systems split the signal across multiple homes without active switching gear in the middle.
Surprisingly resilient. Fibre cables are stronger than steel and tougher than copper. They handle harsh environmental conditions including lightning strikes - fibre has no electrical conductivity, so lightning current can't easily penetrate the cable.
Information moves at the speed of light - 299,792,458 metres per second. That's why HD video streams with minimal latency: data is buffered and delivered before you need it.
Pick a deal that fits your usage from any of our live tables, click through to the ISP and run a coverage check. Standard installation is usually 7-14 working days from order.
First, check that all cables are properly connected and the router is powered on. Restart the router if the issue persists. If still broken, contact your ISP's support line - most have 24/7 chat or phone support.
Open a browser and go to your router's IP address (usually 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1). Log in with admin credentials, navigate to wireless settings and change the Wi-Fi password.
Vumatel
Vuma Fibre FAQs
Vuma Reach is Vumatel's prepaid product designed for affordable internet in underserved areas. Vuma Fibre (now Vuma Core) is the standard contract product.
Typically a few weeks from sign-up. Lead time varies by demand and your specific location. In already-lit areas it's faster; new cable runs take longer.
A fibre router or modem compatible with Vuma's network. Most ISPs include this with the install - confirm at order.
Online payments, EasyPay, debit orders and direct bank transfers. Most ISPs default to debit order on a fixed monthly date.
No. Vuma Fibre is uncapped - no data limits, no monthly cap.
Follow the procedures in the Vumatel Code of Conduct & Complaints document. For ISP-level complaints, contact your ISP directly first.
Vary by location and install type (aerial vs underground). Most introductory promotions cover standard install - check the specific ISP's deal page.
Visit the Get Vuma Fibre website, check coverage at your address, and pick an ISP from the list. Webafrica, Afrihost and Cool Ideas are the popular Vuma resellers.
Yes, provided it's compatible with fibre-optic connections. Confirm with Vumatel's technical support before disabling the supplied router.
Find the reset button on the router (usually a tiny pinhole on the back). Press and hold for ~10 seconds until the lights blink. The router will return to factory settings.
Vuma plans range from 10/2 Mbps prepaid up to 1 Gbps symmetrical. The advertised speed is what you'll see on a wired speed test under normal conditions.
Vuma offers online support via their website, email and a customer service hotline. Your ISP is your first line of support - call them first.
Find the fastest fibre at the right price
Compare every live SA fibre deal in our deals tables.