Fibre Insights
In-depth reviews, comparisons and buyer's guides - written for South African households actually shopping for a fibre line.
Latest articles
Hand-written, hands-on, and updated as the market shifts.
ComparisonsWebafrica vs Afrihost vs Mweb 2026: Which SA Fibre ISP Actually Wins
The three ISPs that dominate SA fibre - compared head-to-head on price, support, contract flexibility, included router and customer-satisfaction scores. Who wins for your line in 2026?
Buying GuidesBest Fibre for Working From Home in SA: Why Upload Speed Decides (2026)
If you work from home in SA, upload speed - not download - is the spec that decides. A 30/30 symmetric line beats a 100/5 asymmetric one for Teams, Zoom and cloud sync. Here's the WFH sweet spot.
ComparisonsVuma Key vs Fibertime: SA's Prepaid Fibre Showdown (2026)
Vumatel's R99/month Vuma Key vs Fibertime's R5/day pay-as-you-go - South Africa's two big prepaid fibre products head-to-head on price, speed, voucher mechanics and who should pick which.
ComparisonsBest 5G Home Internet in South Africa: Rain vs Vodacom vs MTN (2026)
Rain, Vodacom or MTN for uncapped 5G home internet? We compare prices, speeds, fair-use caps and coverage in 2026 - and why coverage at your address, not the headline price, decides the winner.
Buying GuidesBest WiFi Router for Fibre in South Africa (2026)
The free ISP router is the No.1 cause of slow WiFi on a fast line. What to look for - WiFi 6, gigabit ports, mesh - and the best router picks by budget for South African homes in 2026.
Buying GuidesFibre Installation in South Africa: What to Expect (Step by Step)
From coverage check to going live: how fibre installation works in SA - the two-step FNO-then-ISP process, realistic timelines, what a standard install includes, and how to avoid delays.
Buying GuidesHow to Switch Fibre Providers Without Losing Connection (South Africa)
Switching ISP on the same network is a backend migration - often a seamless overnight cutover with no new install. How to switch without downtime, double-billing or losing your line.
NetworksPrepaid & Township Fibre Explained: Vuma Key, Fibertime & Pay-As-You-Go
Uncapped fibre with no contract and no credit check, from R5 a day. How prepaid and township fibre - Vuma Key, Fibertime and Vuma Reach - works in South Africa, what it costs, and why it beats mobile data.
ComparisonsFibre vs LTE vs 5G in South Africa: Which Should You Choose?
Fibre, fixed-LTE or fixed-5G? We compare real SA speeds, latency, prices and coverage in 2026 so you can pick the right home internet for your address - and know when each one actually wins.
Buying GuidesHow Much Internet Speed Do You Really Need? (South Africa, 2026)
Most South Africans over-buy speed. A 4K stream needs ~25 Mbps, a video call ~3 Mbps, gaming under 6 Mbps. Here's how to size the fibre line your household actually needs and stop overpaying.
Speed & TechWhy Is My Fibre Slow? How to Fix Slow WiFi at Home (South Africa)
Paying for fast fibre but not getting it? Nine times out of ten it's your WiFi, not the line. How to test properly, find the real bottleneck, and fix slow WiFi at home - step by step.
NetworksIs Starlink Legal in South Africa? The 2026 Status, Explained
No - Starlink still isn't legally available in South Africa. Here's why the ICASA/BEE rules block it, what the May 2026 deadlock means, the grey-market roaming route, the likely launch timeline, and the faster legal options you can get today.
NetworksVodacom's R800m Top-Up: What the Herotel Deal Means for Maziv, Vumatel and SA Fibre
Vodacom expects to push another R800 million into Maziv on the back of Vumatel's takeover of Herotel - pushing combined homes passed from 2.3 million to 2.9 million. Here is what the deal does to coverage, competition, pricing and your fibre choices in 2026.
ComparisonsVuma Core vs Vuma Reach: Which Vumatel Fibre Product Is Right for Your Home?
Vuma Core and Vuma Reach are Vumatel's two main FTTH products - performance vs affordability. This guide explains what each one is, who it's built for, and how to choose.
NetworksThe April 2026 Vumatel Price Change: What Actually Happened and What It Means for Your Bill
On 1 April 2026, Vumatel implemented its first wholesale price change in 12 months. Here's what changed, why ISPs reacted differently, and how to know if you're being overcharged.
NetworksVumatel Hits One Million Subscribers: What This Milestone Actually Means for South African Fibre
Vumatel crossed the one million connected subscriber mark in February 2026, eight years after launch. Here's what the milestone says about the South African fibre market.
NetworksThe Maziv Merger Explained: How Vumatel, Vodacom Fibre, DFA and Herotel Came Together
The Maziv merger reshaped South African fibre in 2025 and 2026. Here's how Vumatel, Vodacom Fibre, DFA, and Herotel ended up under one roof, and what it means.
NetworksVumatel's Herotel Acquisition: Why a Wholesale Network Bought a Retail ISP
In December 2025, the Competition Tribunal approved Vumatel's full acquisition of Herotel. Here's why a wholesale fibre network bought a retail internet provider.
NetworksHow Vumatel's Open-Access Model Created 75+ ISPs and Shaped South African Fibre
Vumatel's open-access wholesale model is the reason South Africa has more than 75 ISPs competing on the same fibre network. Here's how the model works and why it matters.
Speed & TechThe State of Fibre Internet in South Africa 2026
FTTH crosses 3 million subscribers, Vodacom-Maziv reshapes the market, and prepaid township fibre from R5/day rewrites the affordability map. A consumer-market analysis with provider comparisons, pricing tables and strategic outlook.
Speed & TechThe Fastest Fibre Countries in the World 2026: Speedtest Global Index
The UAE leads the world at 644.66 Mbps median fixed broadband (Ookla Speedtest Global Index, March 2026). South Africa ranks 65th at 68.09 Mbps. Full country and city leaderboards.
ReviewsWebafrica Vumatel 100/100 Review: Is It Still the Sweet Spot in 2026?
We ran the line for six weeks across video calls, 4K streaming, cloud backups and online gaming. Here's the honest verdict on Webafrica's most popular Vuma plan.
ComparisonsOpenserve vs Vumatel in 2026: Which Network Should You Actually Pick?
Both networks now blanket most SA metros - but they sell fibre on completely different terms. We break down speed, price, contracts and real-world performance.
Buying GuidesShould You Pay for Gigabit Fibre in 2026? An Honest Buyer's Guide
Gigabit lines are cheaper than ever, but the bottleneck has shifted from the cable to your router, your devices and your provider. Here's when 1 Gbps is worth it - and when it isn't.
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