Being connected to the digital world means living in the 21st century
Internet access opens up the race to the future, providing access to tools, skills and opportunities. Connectivity has changed people’s lives across South Africa, allowing anyone to access information and communicate with others all over the country, and in real time.
Email, instant messaging and social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram have made it possible to share news and opinions and join in conversations. In addition, closing the digital divide brings millions of people into a competitive world of opportunities – in other words, able to ‘join the race’.
Compared to DSL lines (the original Internet connectivity through Telkom’s copper phone lines), Fibre Optic cables offer incredibly high Internet speeds in large metropolitan areas and many towns around the country. Because it’s so fast, Fibre is often called the ‘gold in the ground’ – it represents the pinnacle of blazing fast Internet. But what do you do if Fibre cables haven’t yet been laid in your area? You don’t want to be left behind, like a racing driver stalling on the starting grid.
Fortunately, alternative Connectivity solutions are available for every location, requirement and budget, and Vox offers them all.
Fixed Wireless
Welcome to the wonders of Microwave technology that’s not just for reheating meals. Users of this service can enjoy almost Fibre-like speeds, while its ease of setup also makes it popular. A device is pointed at a tower which services the area in which you live, providing a high-speed internet connection whose access towers are served and connected to Fibre lines as the ‘backhaul’.
Because the stations are clustered in line of sight of each other, a Fixed Wireless connection can deliver a very fast Internet experience with low latency. It’s a good option for an area not directly served by terrestrial Fibre, or if someone stays in a higher density development where no cables, just a device and a sim card, is a more convenient option.
LTE and 5G
First it was LTE and now it’s 5G, the latest iteration of technology that runs on a network of base stations using Radio waves (in a similar manner to mobile phones). Together, these options can be found in more remote regions, as well as in towns around the country, and they’re able to provide high-speed Internet access.
It’s important to remember that with a wireless solution, location is key, and so how far away you are from the nearest broadcast tower has an impact on the Internet speed you get. On the upside, from a mobility point of view, you can take your router to a secondary location and use it there, for example for work or on holiday (as long as it has the required LTE or 5G signal) once you’ve made the arrangement with your ISP.
Satellite Connectivity for Remote Areas
Satellite Internet has become a game-changer for those living in rural or outlying areas where Fibre, Fixed Wireless and LTE/5G Internet options aren’t available. Check out our Vox Satellite options across the country. We’re here to assist those on farms and at game lodges as well as remote schools, businesses and clinics.
Compared to the other options, Satellite is the slowest Internet connection available, but it’s also the one with the broadest reach, as satellites fly thousands of kilometres above us and beam their Internet signal down to the earth. If your Internet connection was a race, Satellite is the tortoise – but it’ll still get you there in the end, and allow you to stay connected!
- A quick note: ADSL, the original Internet infrastructure using copper Telkom lines, doesn’t fit into the future picture because it’s at the end of its life, and as service providers stop maintaining the copper network it will become a feature of the past, quite soon.
Check out the Coverage Map
Go to vox.co.za, where you’ll see our connectivity coverage map. Type in your full physical address to check which Connectivity options are covered in your area. You can then start exploring the current packages and promos, depending on your requirements and your budget.
- A quick note: Those waiting for Fibre installations can also look at Fixed Wireless or LTE / 5G as a preliminary measure until they can switch to Fibre, and then keep the original option for failover protection for those times when the Fibre line goes down.
It’s a race to the future for you and your family – and even South Africa as a whole – because *Internet Access = Moving Forward*.
Fixed Wireless, LTE and 5G, and Satellite all have an important role to play in South Africa as well as Fibre. Whatever your needs, and wherever you are, Vox has the solution.
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