The battle to connect Western Cape suburbs is intensifying, with companies investing in big projects to provide access to remote locations where traditional Internet strategies are cost-prohibitive.
Open access provider Frogfoot Networks announced yesterday it is rolling out fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) infrastructure in Franschhoek in Cape Town.
The company says the project will bring the region’s wine estates, businesses and homes access to affordable broadband connectivity.
Last week, Google announced an initiative to provide free public Internet by collaborating with local Internet service providers (ISPs) to grant free Internet access to thousands in 125 public spaces across Cape Town, including Langa, Khayelitsha and Gugulethu.
Google expects to partner with ISPs like Cape Town-based ThinkWiFi to convert fibre connections into quality WiFi Internet-enabled zones in public areas.
In June, Octotel announced it had hit a milestone of connecting more than 100 000 homes in the Mother City, three years after it first began rolling out its infrastructure in Sea Point.
In 2016, the Western Cape introduced priority projects called "game-changers", which include the broadband game-changer.
Through the connectivity programme, the provincial government wanted to ensure every resident has access to affordable high-speed broadband infrastructure and services, has the necessary skills to use it, and is actively doing so in their day-to-day lives.
Now, Frogfoot says sections of its network will go live in the first quarter of 2020.
The company says being an open access provider, customers stand to benefit from more choice and better service, with over 60 ISPs operating on its network.
Shane Chorley, head of sales at Frogfoot, says: “This area has not been covered up until this point, and there are many wine farms, residential estates, bed and breakfast accommodation, companies, and homes that stand to benefit tremendously from this new development.
“Broadband connectivity will help to drive business, tourism and further growth in the Franschhoek Valley.”
Additionally, Chorley says any schools that fall under Frogfoot’s coverage area can apply for a fibre link to the school as part of the company’s schools campaign.
“This will give the schools access to a free FTTH connection of up to 1Gbps with their preferred ISP.”
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