News - Vox

Walking on Sunshine, Bringing the Smiles!

Posted on 7 November 20253 March 2026 by Vivienne Fouche

People of Vox: Spotlight on Thandeka Ayanda Nkumbi

At Vox, we believe our employees are the beating heart of our company, with merit and value built into all our available positions. In this edition of People of Vox, we meet Thandeka Nkumbi, who works in the Marketing Department as a Marketing Assistant and Content Creator. Having initially studied Journalism after school, she is now carving out a niche for herself one story and social media post at a time.

When you see Thandeka in the Vox Joburg office, a few things are likely to jump out at you – for example, how she always looks stylish, attractive and well-groomed; her beautiful smile; and how very busy and active she is!

Fashion | Vox | Walking on Sunshine, Bringing the Smiles! — What a beautiful smile… and so stylish

Her colleagues will confirm that our well-known and much-loved Marketing Assistant never seems to stop moving (10,000 steps a day is nothing!). But use a slightly different filter on the camera of your mind’s eye, and a different picture emerges.

Our ultra-feminine office powerhouse says that at home, she’s an ardent football fan who never misses an Orlando Pirates game. And astonishingly, there was a period, just a couple of years ago, when she was in hospital for almost a month with a freak injury, and had to learn how to walk again.

Today, she’s grateful for the opportunity to swap out her famous fashion at work for her soccer shirts at home, as well as the fact that the scar on her leg today means she can still walk those 10,000 steps with ease – but more on this later.

With her finger always on the beating pulse of Vox, Thandeka is at the centre of multiple activities at any given moment. She always knows who’s who in the corporate zoo, and quite frequently where they are as well – just saying….

We get to know more about one of Vox’s bubbliest and most energetic daughters – including news on how her role at work is starting to change. Her story is one of persistence, creativity and resilience, interspersed with many tongue-in-cheek comments and laughs along the way.

A Day in the Working Life…

Born and raised in Soweto (originally from Diepkloof), Thandeka joined Vox as an intern in September 2022 and was taken on permanently by December that same year. Well, at Vox we know how to spot our gems!

As a Marketing Assistant in the vibrant, colourful Vox Marketing department, she supports the team – and, in fact, the rest of the company – with a wide range of practical and logistical tasks on a daily basis. Thandeka’s work includes ordering and managing marketing collateral, onboarding suppliers, raising purchase orders, coordinating print production for flyers and brochures, and ensuring that materials arrive on time for sales activations and giveaways.

“When I arrive at the office, I first check my emails while having a cup of coffee,” she clarifies, “because a girl needs all the energy before zikhala (getting busy)! I load new POs and check on submitted ones, and establish if I have orders that I need to pack and send for shipment. Stock inventory is very important, and so we make sure we keep track of what we have, and if we’re out of stock, we get quotes and order more.”

Thandeka’s day‑to‑day work requires close collaboration with designers and external vendors and quite a lot of logistical coordination – in short, the kind of hands‑on activity that keeps Vox events and field marketing running smoothly. It also includes a lot of walking…

“I am a people’s person,” she says with a smile, “so I need to chill and talk to my colleagues – from Block A to C, I’m there during the course of my duties! And of course, there’s no way I am not spending time with Paul… my Work Husband.”

(Editor’s note: We hope Paul is reading this.)

Her days are never the same but being hands-on is always a part of it.

“Sometimes I need to organise a collection with the courier company and then I just know in advance that they’re going to send that driver who always argues with me! And then ooh, guess what, other times I have a date… at the storeroom featuring boxes, scissors, and marketing collateral!

“How much time I spend in the storeroom depends on the amount of stock I have, and what’s going on in the company. Some days I spend most of my time there; at others it’s just a short ‘date’ but regardless, I enjoy it. Back to my machine… oh, a supplier is looking for the PO; time for me to chase for approval… time to move. And suddenly it’s home time – ishayile, we try again tomorrow!”

She speaks lightheartedly but the fact is that at any given moment, Thandeka has a lot of irons in a lot of fires, and she always knows what’s cooking (marshmallows, anyone?), and where!

How Thandeka’s Vox Journey Began

Graduate 1 | Vox | Walking on Sunshine, Bringing the Smiles! — A proud graduation day!

Thandeka studied journalism at Rosebank College for four years, graduating in 2019 with the hope of pursuing sports communication and commentary. Fate, however – or to be specific, a global pandemic – had other plans when the COVID‑19 disruption of 2020 put those early goals on hold.

She says: “2020 was one of the toughest years for me, both personally and professionally, because we also had a death in our family during this time – the pain went very deep for all of us, and still does, to this day. Professionally, the pandemic stalled the early momentum from my journalism qualification and made job hunting very difficult – like many other people, COVID meant that my dreams were put on pause.”

However, she didn’t lose hope and was eventually able to start steadily rebuilding her path through part‑time teaching work from early 2021, with two different educational institutions: one for primary school children, and another for young adults trying to complete their matric certifications. Eventually, she was presented with an internship offer from Vox, which led to her permanent marketing assistant role at Vox in late 2022.

“I love being part of the Vox marketing team and appreciate the team’s fun and friendly nature – this group doesn’t have a filter! I like the way that we can tease one another while still being supportive. I especially value the sense of unity and family that Vox offers: despite cultural and personality variations, my colleagues always stick together and look out for each other, and this makes me proud to work for Vox.”

The team | Vox | Walking on Sunshine, Bringing the Smiles! — Thandeka with some of her Marketing Team colleagues

A Freak Accident

Despite settling in beautifully to her new job, the COVID pandemic was not the only challenge Thandeka would face in her early career – and there was a time in her life when she was definitely not walking on sunshine. In March 2023, she suffered an unexpected setback in the form of a sudden and severe injury to her leg when, on her way to see a family member after work one day, she slipped unexpectedly in heavy rain.

She was rushed to hospital and quickly transferred into the operating theatre as an emergency upon arrival, because her leg was found to be badly injured and a large skin‑graft procedure was required. She then spent almost a month – 29 days – in hospital, and endured weeks of follow‑up treatment and rehabilitation, needing time and patience to regain her confidence and mobility.

“It was something that was very hard to deal with, because one day I was really fine, and the next day I was lying in a hospital bed with VAC machines (Editor’s note: Vacuum Assisted Closure, which uses suction to help a wound heal) because the wound needed to close before the doctors could start with the process of the skin graft.

“I still experience pain and sensitivity at times, especially in cold weather or after long walks, but I’m grateful that I could recover without losing my mobility and independence,” she adds, “and get back on track with my job.”

And as of the first of September this year, Thandeka’s career path is morphing and changing once again!

Evolving into the Next Phase

Thandeka is thrilled to have been recently promoted to the role of Junior Content and Digital Creator, a role that shifts her focus toward social media, content creation and community engagement, for both Vox and sister company Hypa Fibre. Her journalism training obviously makes the content pathway feel like a natural fit.

She’s excited that her new role will be more of a return to what she studied originally, with her writing, storytelling and journalistic instincts applied to social channels, blogs and creative campaigns. And she’s enthusiastic about the creative and investigative aspects of content work: writing posts, producing blogs, and keeping the social presence active and responsive.

“In my new role, I plan to be highly present on social media, intentionally curious, and open‑minded. I want to learn, test new formats and help to improve Vox’s social offering,” she says enthusiastically. “Over the longer term, I expect my goals and daily tasks to evolve with experience.”

Thandeka expects to spend much more time monitoring social media platforms, studying competitor activity, tracking trends and producing regular content. While she’s super-excited about the promotion, she’s currently balancing both roles until a replacement Marketing Assistant is found.

Embracing Her Tomboy Side

Outside work, soccer plays a big part of Thandeka’s life and she rarely misses an Orlando Pirates game: “I’m obsessed, obsessed, obsessed with Orlando Pirates!” she laughs. But her love of the sport extends beyond fandom: she wants to give back by founding a football club aimed at children.

Soccer | Vox | Walking on Sunshine, Bringing the Smiles! — Team spirit!

“For me, sport is a community tool to keep young people engaged, build discipline and provide alternatives to drugs and destructive pastimes in townships,” she says. “I dream of one day running a soccer team to support youth development.”

Thandeka also loves music and enjoys car culture, especially BMW 325 drag racing. She describes herself as a tomboy in some respects, being comfortable in spaces traditionally dominated by men, and with many male friends. Travel is on her bucket list, with Namibia being her top destination.

Thandeka’s story to date – she’s young and it’s still very much unfolding! – is a portrait of a young professional who has navigated interrupted plans, family pain, and physical injury and recovery, while never giving up on working towards an opportunity that’s aligned with both her training and her passions.

She’s ready to tell stories – and so much more. Thandeka Ayanda Nkumbi is all set to help with shaping meaningful, community‑centred journeys that are grounded in reality – and sometimes soccer! – and guided by optimism and empathy.

She knows how to walk on sunshine! And she plans, both personally and professionally, to help others do the same.

Editor’s Update, December 2025:

Thandeka’s writing career is now in full swing! Please click here and here for the first samples of her wit and humour – and watch this space for more!

Fashion 2A | Vox | Walking on Sunshine, Bringing the Smiles! — Thandeka brings the sunshine wherever she goes!

Vox re-enters the security arena with global leader Sophos

Posted on 29 October 202530 October 2025 by Audrey Vadival

By Audrey Vadival, Head of Division: Security and Value-added Services

Vox is pleased to announce the launch of its new cybersecurity division in partnership with global cybersecurity leader, Sophos.

The Vox-Sophos cybersecurity partnership expands Vox’s long-standing position as a trusted ISP into a full-service digital guardian, offering South African companies an integrated portfolio of connectivity, communication and protection solutions.

Key highlights:

Comprehensive protection: Firewalls, endpoint security, MDR, XDR and Phish Threat solutions all integrated within Vox’s managed security offering.
AI-powered defence: Proactive threat hunting, deep learning analysis, and automated response capabilities.
Integrated simplicity: Unified Sophos Central dashboard consolidates all alerts and data across third-party tools with the XDR and MDR offerings.
Security awareness training: Automated phishing simulations and targeted education to turn employees into first-line defenders.
Accessible pricing: Vox pricing and fibre/firewall bundles for South African customers

The move is a response to a growing need in the market. Cyberattacks are growing more sophisticated and frequent in South Africa, with the country remaining one of Africa’s most targeted for cybercrime.

According to the BDO Global Risk Landscape Report 2025 and Allianz Risk Barometer, companies have faced an average of 2,114 cyberattacks per company per week in 2025 – a year-on-year increase of 14%. The Sophos State of Ransomware in South Africa 2025 report put a price tag on the threat – the median ransomware demand rose from R2.8 million in 2024 to R18 million in 2025 while the median payment nearly tripled to R8.3 million.

Vox’s partnership with Sophos brings enterprise-grade cybersecurity within reach for local companies of all sizes. Small to medium enterprises (SMEs) through to corporates can benefit from a portfolio of solutions designed to combine proactive threat hunting with round-the-clock monitoring and simplified management.

We’re connecting and protecting companies. Our partnership with Sophos gives us the ability to create world-class security solutions which leverage next-generation protection capabilities like AI within a local, managed services model that makes high-end protection both accessible and affordable.

Vox’s new cybersecurity arm forms part of our broader strategy to evolve from a pure connectivity and communications provider into a holistic managed service and security partner. The focus is simple – secure the connection, secure the data, protect customers – and it builds on the foundation of trust Vox has already built with our growing customer base.

Our customers already trust us with their communications and connectivity, and it makes sense to extend that trust into cybersecurity. Sophos has a robust and relevant solution portfolio that ensures we can deliver a synchronised security stack that protects every part of the digital journey, from the connection to the user.

The value proposition within the partnership rests in Vox’s ability to combine advanced technology with real-world simplicity. One dashboard, one licence and one provider, with multiple solutions integrated smoothly through Sophos Central. Companies can monitor and respond to threats rapidly with a single, unified view.

Vox will be offering a suite of five Sophos products which are designed to work together to prevent, detect and respond to modern threats.

The Sophos XGS Series firewall, launched earlier this year, offers AI-powered threat prevention and zero-day defence, while Sophos Intercept X combines deep learning AI and anti-ransomware for rapid threat detection and defence.

Sophos MDR delivers 24/7 expert-led security as a service with proactive threat hunting and rapid incident response. Sophos XDR provides visibility across all critical attack surfaces, including third party tools, while Sophos Phish Threat helps you stay ahead and prevent expensive mistakes by proactively educating your workforce

According to Pieter Nel, Sales Director SADC at Sophos South Africa: “The threat landscape in South Africa continues to intensify, and organisations are looking for a partner that can simplify cybersecurity while still delivering enterprise-grade protection.

“Our partnership with Vox brings the full strength of Sophos’ MDR, XDR and AI-driven technologies directly into a locally managed service model, making advanced cyber defence accessible to businesses of all sizes. Together, we are ensuring South African organisations can detect and stop ransomware and other cyberattacks before they cause disruption or financial damage.”

Vox, a Gold Partner for Sophos, offers highly competitive pricing and flexible security bundles which combine fibre and firewall protection in one accessible package. Starting from October 2025 with the ‘Securing Your Connectivity’ promotion, Vox is making enterprise-level security affordable to South African companies while providing local support and expertise.

Businesses are dealing with complicated threats and sophisticated attacks and are at constant risk, so our mission is making their lives easier. You don’t need a large team or multiple IT vendors, just one partner with the right security tools, and that’s us.

To learn how the Vox Sophos cybersecurity partnership can protect your business, contact Vox for a tailored security assessment and a quote for managed security services and fibre/firewall bundles.

Recommended next steps for businesses

Assess current exposure: Identify critical assets and where detection blind spots exist.
Consider a managed approach: If you lack in-house security resource, managed XDR/MDR can significantly reduce risk.
Combine connectivity and security: Explore Vox’s firewall and fibre bundles for simplified billing and integrated support.
Train staff: Add security awareness training to reduce phishing and social engineering risk.

FAQs

What is the Vox Sophos cybersecurity partnership?
The Vox Sophos cybersecurity partnership is a local managed security service combining Vox connectivity with Sophos enterprise-grade tools (XGS firewall, Intercept X, MDR, XDR and Phish Threat) to protect South African businesses.

What cybersecurity solutions are included in Vox’s offering?
Vox offers Sophos XGS firewalls, Intercept X endpoint protection, Sophos MDR (24/7 monitoring & response), Sophos XDR (cross-surface visibility) and Phish Threat security awareness training, all managed via the Sophos Central dashboard.

Who should consider Vox managed security services?
SMEs through to large corporates that want simplified, enterprise-grade protection—organisations without large in‑house security teams, or those seeking 24/7 threat hunting, AI-driven detection and consolidated management.

How do I get started or request a quote?
Contact Vox’s security team for a tailored security assessment and pricing. Vox offers competitive fibre and firewall bundles (including the “Securing Your Connectivity” promotion from October 2025) with local support and implementation.

The Real Cost of a Data Breach for Individuals

Posted on 20 October 202524 October 2025 by Suhail Dinat

Another day, another data breach.

It seems like every other week that some big company announces they’ve been hacked (seriously, hospitals – heard of a firewall?). Entire databases of private, confidential information are sent into the digital wild more frequently than Trump changes his mind. And, the sad part is, the individuals who’ve been compromised often suffer as much as the entities who let it happen.

A good PR campaign and said company can get back on their feet. Know who can’t? The affected parties who now must recover financially, emotionally, and socially.

Financial Impact: Immediate and Hidden Costs

When people think about breaches, the first implication they consider is financial – rightfully so, as the immediate effect is usually on your pocket.

Fraud, loans and damaged credit:

Criminals don’t even need actual money to run wild – just your card details are enough of a launching pad. How so? Here are some ways:

They may start fraudulently purchasing gift items, electronics, or crypto before you’re even aware of it.
Many criminals take out excessive loans linked to another account using stolen identities. The victim only finds out once collection is due.
On a smaller scale, quick cash-outs via e-wallet, ride sharing, and even food delivery accounts are also small ways victims have been hit.

Think it’s not relevant? Let’s look at the history:

An Equifax breach exposed the personal information of 147 MILLION people in 2017. Most of these victims later reported fake loan approvals and fraudulent credit card applications within a matter of days. And, even if the matter is eventually resolved, you can’t put a price on the stress, hours lost waiting on hold, or any residual damage to your credit score.

Identity theft — a long‑term risk:

Unlike a wallet, you can’t just “get a new” digital identity. Once your data is compromised, criminals can use it for decades. Think credit fraud, tax fraud, or even medical identity theft for prescription drugs.

The knock-on effect of these breaches is immense. They can impact on your ability to rent, apply for loans, and in some cases even find jobs.

The human cost — stress, relationships and reputation:

Everyone talks about Data breaches numerically, but what the victims go through is often overlooked. Many victims have to live with the daunting reality of:

Mounting anxiety as they log in and out of their banking app. Repeatedly.
The uncertainty of not knowing whether your info has been stolen.
The pain of repeatedly explaining your situation to strangers.

Think sleepless nights, relationship stress, and a never-ending daunting feeling. Cybercrime steals more than data – it takes away peace of mind.

Privacy harms that money can’t fix:

Many breaches expose extremely sensitive information. Think dating apps, health records, or your browser history (shudder).

And, unlike credit cards, your bank can’t (eventually) undo this one.

Ever heard of Ashley Madison? They were Tinder before Tinder. Until, one day, users were blackmailed with threats to expose their private activity. You can imagine how this went down.
Or spare a second to think about health-related breaches – and how stigmatised patients can feel when their conditions become public.

Some impacts transcend monetary value – they can damage reputations, careers, respect and relationships.

The problem with a breach is often the delayed effect. Cybercrime has a long tail, and slow burning effect. Once your Data is sold on the dark web, it stays there. In fact, it can even be resold, and repeat issues emerge for multiple years.

What to do right now if your data’s been breached

But enough fearmongering, what can we do if we find ourselves compromised? Here’s an easy guide:

Change your passwords. Immediately. ALL of them.
Enable your multifactor authentication (MFA).
Verify whether your email has also been leaked (use sites like “have I been pwnd” – you can even do it now).
Monitor your bank accounts (and notify your bank).
Temporarily freeze your credit file.
Double-check any calls, emails, or texts asking for information.

You can’t simply measure the true cost of a Data breach via a spreadsheet. The price you pay is intangible, and how do you quantify a lifetime of looking over your shoulder?

Act now – protect your data

Companies can move on – but victims carry the burden even once the headlines fade. This is why taking your cybersecurity seriously is no longer optional. It’s necessary. Because, in today’s digital world, your bank account isn’t your most valuable asset – your data is.

You can’t undo every breach, but you can limit the damage. Change passwords, enable MFA, keep an eye on your accounts and use reputable security tools. Treat data protection as essential because your information is often more valuable than the cash in your account.

Get immediate protection with Norton from Vox.

FAQs

What immediate steps should I take after a breach?
Change passwords, enable MFA, check Have I Been Pwned, notify your bank, and consider freezing your credit.

How long can identity theft affect me?
It can last years. Stolen data can be resold and reused, so ongoing monitoring is essential.

Will my bank always refund fraud losses?
Not always. Many banks will help, but you still face time spent on disputes and potential credit impacts. Report fraud immediately.

Can consumer security software really help?
Yes. Reputable suites (like Norton 360 offered through Vox) reduce your risk of phishing, smishing and device compromise and include privacy tools and 24/7 support.

Proactive MDR: Safeguarding Your Business

Posted on 20 October 202521 October 2025 by Audrey Vadival

Enjoy Round-the-Clock Protection with Vox and Sophos Managed Detection and Response

In South Africa, we are unfortunately used to home invasions, and certainly there is evidence that the presence of a security company can go a long way towards keeping homes, businesses and neighbourhoods safer.

What about the online version of a break-in – how do you protect your business?

Hackers are constantly putting out feelers for companies that don’t have adequate safety and security measures to protect themselves. Some organisations try to take care of their cybersecurity themselves, which can be a bit like a homeowner relying solely on an electric fence: it might offer some protection, but is definitely not infallible all the time.

Cybercriminals – like their real-world counterparts – choose targets with a simple goal of maximising their reward while minimising their risks. As a case in point: 88% of ransomware attacks on organisations occur outside normal business hours.

So why not call in the experts and get a Managed Detection and Response (MDR) service for your business? Think of it as being like a cyber version of a security service for your company – always on guard for you, and ready to act around the clock.

Expert-Led 24/7 Managed Detection and Response Service

Vox has partnered with global cybersecurity experts, Sophos, to offer advanced protection solutions, including managed Detection and Response services.

Powered by its global threat intelligence team, Sophos provides cloud-native, AI-enhanced security to protect organisations of all sizes from modern cyber threats like ransomware, phishing and malware.

Sophos MDR is a comprehensive security-as-a-service solution that provides continuous, expert-led protection against today’s advanced cyberthreats. It’s designed for organisations of all sizes and is an ideal choice for businesses lacking in-house security resources, or those needing to enhance their existing capabilities.

Sophos MDR service gives your business a dedicated, professional team that proactively hunts for and neutralises threats, around the clock. In addition, Sophos MDR seamlessly integrates with over 350 of your existing third-party security tools. This unique approach allows you to realise significant cost savings while maximising the return on your existing technology investments.

By combining human expertise with advanced AI, Sophos MDR from Vox detects and responds to sophisticated attacks that technology alone might miss. Ultimately, Sophos MDR provides comprehensive, round-the-clock protection without the immense complexity or expense of building your own in-house security operations centre.

24 /7 Cybersecurity Monitoring

Sophos MDR from Vox includes the following benefits: round-the-clock threat monitoring, where continuous protection against attacks, even outside business hours, reduces risk; expert-led threat hunting, in which people are involved in proactively uncovering and eliminating evasive threats that tools can miss; and full-scale incident response and root cause analysis, including recommendations to prevent recurrence.

In addition, Sophos MDR from Vox also provides flexible response modes, with which you decide how the MDR team operates, at the level that suits your organisation; and compatibility with third-party tools that integrate with your existing security stack; eliminating the need to ‘rip and replace’.

As a final sweetener and proof of confidence in its solution, Sophos provides a breach protection warranty, offering your business financial protection against the costs associated with a breach.

The message is clear: no one is safe from being a target, and there are times when the best-case scenario to protect your valuable business assets and data is to call in the experts.

Your business deserves the best possible protection.

Enjoy optimised performance and keep your organisation running safely without the threat of cyberattacks with Vox and Sophos – contact us for more information.

FAQs

What is Managed Detection and Response (MDR)?
MDR is a security service that combines continuous monitoring, expert threat hunting and incident response to detect and neutralise advanced cyber threats on behalf of your business.

How does Sophos MDR differ from standard anti-malware?
Sophos MDR pairs AI-enhanced detection with a dedicated human team that actively hunts for evasive threats and provides full incident response, going beyond signature-based tools.

Can Sophos MDR work with our existing security tools?
Yes, Sophos MDR integrates with hundreds of third‑party security tools so you can retain your current stack and improve overall protection without replacing systems.

Is MDR suitable for small businesses?
Yes, MDR is particularly valuable for SMEs that lack in-house security resources but need enterprise-grade monitoring and response.

What is a breach protection warranty?
It’s a financial assurance provided by Sophos for qualifying breaches, designed to help cover certain breach-related costs — giving additional assurance to customers.

Secure Your Connectivity with our Fibre Plus Firewall Bundle October Special

Posted on 14 October 202521 October 2025 by Audrey Vadival

Secure connectivity is about speed and protection.

South African networks face multiple threats on a daily basis. Recent reporting shows that Interpol detected roughly 230 million cyber threats in South Africa, which is a clear signal that homes and businesses must harden their borders.

Secure connectivity prevents unauthorised access, data loss and downtime, helping you to keep operations and productivity running smoothly within your business.

Sophos Firewalls with Vox

Vox has partnered with Sophos to offer next-generation firewalls to help you better protect your network, quickly and efficiently.

With Sophos firewalls from Vox, you can enjoy no hidden costs – just great security, and you will find that it’s easy to use, even if you’re not technical.

The advanced threat protection blocks viruses, ransomware and hackers, leaving you with peace of mind. You can also block websites and non-work apps so that your employees’ efficiency is boosted, allowing you to boost security and productivity at the same time.

The solution is designed to promote a fast and secure network that continues running at high speed, which serves as another productivity value-add.

Why A Fibre Plus Firewall Bundle Is Crucial

Vox’s Fibre Plus Firewall bundle gives you both speed AND protection.

Our October 2025 special offer combines resilient Vox Fibre with next‑gen Sophos Firewall protection, allowing you to protect your devices, data and productivity with a single, easy solution.

Firewalls: Your First Line of Defence

A Firewall monitors and filters incoming and outgoing traffic based on set rules, creating a perimeter between your trusted network and the internet. Modern, next‑generation Firewalls also:

Detect and block intrusions and malware (IDS/IPS).
Support VPNs for secure remote access.
Log activity for rapid incident response.
Block malicious websites and non‑work apps to protect users and increase productivity.

Why Pairing Fibre with a Firewall is a Great Idea

Fibre delivers fast, symmetrical bandwidth essential for cloud apps, video conferencing and backups. Pairing that connectivity with a dedicated Firewall ensures high performance isn’t offset by exposure to threats. The Fibre plus Firewall bundle gives you:

Speed and security in one purchase.
Simpler billing and deployment with Vox.
Managed support to keep both connectivity and protection performing.

Sophos Firewalls with Vox: What You Get

The key benefits include the following:

Advanced threat protection against viruses, ransomware and hackers.
VPN support for secure remote workers and branch offices.
Centralised logging and reporting for faster incident handling.
Options to block websites and non‑work apps to boost staff productivity.
Backed by Vox 24/7 support and clear pricing with no hidden costs.

October special: Fibre plus Firewall bundle

This October, Vox is running a limited‑time Fibre plus Firewall bundle special. It’s an ideal time to:

Move to faster Fibre connectivity;
Add enterprise‑grade Sophos Firewall protection; and
Consolidate services and simplify billing.

Enquire early to reserve bundle availability and special pricing.

How To Get Started

Assess your needs in terms of the required bandwidth, number of users and remote access requirements. Then:

Choose a Vox Fibre package and Sophos Firewall level.
Book installation and configuration with Vox support.
Activate monitoring and policies with assistance from Vox 24/7 support.

Protect Your Network with Vox and Sophos

By protecting your sensitive data, devices and systems from threats like malware, hackers, denial of service attacks and malicious software, firewalls are a fundamental component of any network security strategy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Fibre plus Firewall bundle?

A Fibre plus Firewall bundle combines Vox Fibre internet connectivity with a managed next‑generation Sophos Firewall, to deliver both high performance and network security in a single package.

Why should I buy a Firewall if I already have Fibre?

Fibre gives you speed; a Firewall protects that connection. Without a Firewall, your fast connection can make attacks more damaging. A combined solution ensures both performance and protection.

What protection do Sophos Firewalls provide?

Sophos Firewalls include intrusion detection and prevention, anti‑malware and ransomware protection, VPN support, web and app control, and central logging for incident response.

Who is the Fibre plus Firewall bundle suitable for?

The bundle is ideal for small businesses and larger organisations that need reliable Fibre speeds with enterprise‑grade security and managed support.

When is the Vox October special available?

Vox will run the Fibre plus Firewall bundle special in October 2025 – contact us to confirm availability, exact pricing and terms.

Can Vox manage the Firewall for me?

Yes. Vox offers managed services and 24/7 support to help configure, monitor and maintain your Firewall and connectivity.

Will a Firewall slow down my Fibre connection?

Properly configured next‑gen Firewalls are designed to protect without significant performance impact. Vox matches Firewall capacity to your Fibre speed to preserve throughput.

How do I enquire about the October bundle?

Click here on the Vox website to request details and a tailored quote.

The Quiet Hero of Service Delivery

Posted on 14 October 20259 March 2026 by Vivienne Fouche

Meet our Experts: Spotlight on Luntu Nqunqa

At Vox, we value, support and actively engage people with the levels of expertise that we require to keep us moving forward as a company. In this edition of ‘Meet our Experts’, we find out more about Luntu Nqunqa, who is Vox’s Service Delivery Manager for Eastern Cape and the Garden Route. This is the story of a Quiet Hero – someone who doesn’t look for the spotlight, but is nonetheless a leader and an inspiration to many.

Luntu is a modest and humble man, with an inspirational tale to share of perseverance, long-term loyalty and leading through mentorship. He was born in rural Baziya Village in the Eastern Cape, relatively close to Mthatha, and went to school in his home province.

After school, Luntu studied in Johannesburg and later found work in both the Eastern Cape as well as Gauteng, before eventually returning to the Eastern Cape a few years ago.

Today, he is happily based with his family in Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth). Luntu recently celebrated his 20^th anniversary working for Vox, on the first of June this year, a milestone of which he’s immensely – and justifiably – proud of.

Let’s find out more about another of our Vox heroes.

Keeping Vox Processes Running Smoothly

As part of the countrywide Service Delivery team, Luntu is one of the cogs in the engine that efficiently manages the installation and on-site support of Vox products and services to our customers. When we break it down, it’s a lot of diverse work and responsibilities, and a very busy life!

He explains: “In essence, the Service Delivery teams are the people who ensure that a new Vox customer actually gets their product sorted out and operational, including additional support after the installation has been completed.

“The Service Delivery department is divided into three silos, namely the Service Desk, Installations and On-Site Support. In our region, I oversee all three of these operational silos and the employees who work in each division; and I also manage and carry out regular visits to the three regional offices, namely Port Elizabeth, East London and George.”

port elizabeth za | Vox | The Quiet Hero of Service Delivery — Luntu’s job involves significant travelling across a widespread area

It’s a busy life with a lot of spinning plates and travel, to ensure that all aspects of the three Service Delivery divisions are covered – and still, that’s not all Luntu does every month!

He adds: “I’m involved in planning and sometimes carrying out site meetings, and I take care of customer relationships. I also have responsibilities around facilities management and the occupational health and safety of our employees, and I ensure that the fleet of vehicles that we use is in good running order – safety is of paramount importance. I’m also directly responsible for the development and certification of all the technicians in my area.”

Luntu today is known as a dependable and hands-on Manager looking after a key region of the company, but his light was already shining brightly early on during his time at Vox.

How His Career Began

After completing high school, Luntu studied Electrical & Electronics at Johannesburg Technical and Vocational College. He later completed an Operations Management Certificate from University of Cape Town and Prince 2 Foundation he was then able to find work in various technical roles.

These included work as a temporary technician assistant maintaining towers at the former Capital Radio 604, based in Mthatha and Durban, followed by a sawmill Electrical apprenticeship in the Eastern Cape, involving three years electrical training in a forestry environment, and finally as a Telkom employee, working as a technician installing and maintaining PBX and telecom systems in Queenstown in the Eastern Cape, and later in Johannesburg. During his final Telkom months, he was referred to Orion (later to become part of Vox) during some site work.

“I had the opportunity to join Orion on 1 June 2005 as a junior technician,” he says, “and I worked as a technician in Joburg from 2005 to 2010, when I was promoted to Team Leader. In this capacity, I managed Johannesburg Central and South and the surrounding regions.

“I then had the opportunity to relocate back to the Eastern Cape in 2014 , when I was tasked with building new teams in East London, Port Elizabeth and later George. From 2015 until today, I’ve been the Service Delivery Manager for Eastern Cape and the Garden Route.”

The Pursuit of Excellence

Since his return to the Eastern Cape in 2014, and his promotion to Service Delivery Manager, Luntu has built up the Eastern Cape and Garden Route teams from very few employees to a healthy number of trained and competent engineers, thereby allowing Vox’s business in the region to grow significantly due to increased employee capacity with the guidance from his Executive Head.

“My preferred strategy when I was building up the team initially was to hire in young and relatively inexperienced new employees, partly to give them a chance at employment and also so that I could mentor and teach them,” he explains.

“My personal philosophy includes valuing a person’s attitude and their approach to discipline over their raw skills. I believe that skills can be taught, but that a poor attitude, left unchanged, can undermine a team.”

Since then, he’s mentored many interns and junior employees, a number of whom have since advanced further within Vox.

“One of my proudest work moments,” he says, “was when, together with my team, I was able to defy the odds and lead a very challenging municipality installation, incorporating six PBXs and 400 extensions, to completion in just three days, instead of the anticipated week and a half. In doing so, we exceeded expectations and were able to make the seemingly impossible something that was in fact achieved!”

And it’s not going to stop there.

“I would like to develop specialist engineers in key Vox products within my team,” he says, “and continue uplifting interns and graduates with the opportunities to grow further within the company. I intend to maintain high operational standards across the Eastern Cape and the Garden Route region, making us a force to be admired across the organisation. I am grateful to enjoy excellent support from senior management, including my Executive Head – Operations, Frans Hoffman, and our CEO, Jacques du Toit.”

WhatsApp Image 2025 10 08 at 16.51.28 2fefb949 | Vox | The Quiet Hero of Service Delivery — Photo of Luntu from a Service Delivery Management Strategy and Team Building conference

Developing a Personal Brand

Luntu clarifies that he had some challenges along the way: “One of the periods that was difficult for me involved my time working at the sawmill. I struggled with the cold, wet nature of my working environment. But my time there was to ultimately form a positive part of my life overall, as it helped me to move forward in my career.

“In addition, my transition from Telkom to Orion/Vox brought some initial moments of self-doubt and cultural adjustment – I really wondered if I would be able to fulfil the mandate sometimes. I found Orion to be a more corporate, polished environment than I was used to, and I worried at first that I might not be able to fit in the way I wanted to.”

To overcome his feelings of self-doubt, Luntu set about maximising his learning opportunities. He explains: “I found mentors at work to model myself on, while embracing Vox’s customer-first and brand-conscious culture.

“I developed my own personal philosophy and decided to ‘Carry myself as a brand’, meaning that I took pains to ensure that I operated with professional humility, accountability and consistency. I want to leave a positive mark wherever I can.”

Today, Luntu’s colleagues and line managers would all agree that he has an amazing personal brand, which is founded on perseverance, kindness, respect and hard work – as well as a ‘Never-say-die!’ attitude.

A Dedicated Family Man

WhatsApp Image 2025 10 10 at 11.48.36 702d894e | Vox | The Quiet Hero of Service Delivery — Luntu’s wife Phiwa

Away from work, Luntu is happily married to his wife, Nokuphiwa (‘Phiwa’), and they have three children, namely their eldest son, Lwethu, who is 19 and studying at university; their only daughter Live, in grade 10, and their youngest son Lunako, who is 13 and starting high school in 2026.

Luntu and Phiwa were overjoyed recently when Lunako was awarded a prestigious full scholarship to start studying at St Andrew’s College in Grahamstown / Makhanda.

“By the grace of God,” says Luntu, “my boy had the opportunity to sit for the scholarship exams, and he then came in first place. We are so pleased that he has this opportunity, starting from next year, to complete his high school tuition at St Andrews College, with all expenses paid.”

Luntu takes great pleasure in supporting his kids in their endeavours, both academically and on the sports field, and is always present at school rugby and soccer matches when they are playing.

“I’ve always been a lifelong soccer fan, but I didn’t follow rugby – or even properly understand the game! – before my boys introduced me to it. Now when they are playing, I’m always there at school – I don’t miss a game!” he says enthusiastically.

“My oldest son, in fact, was the school’s first team rugby captain, and so that was another big thing for our family. It gave me great pride to see him learning the required managerial skills as well as being good at actually playing the game.”

Into the Future

Luntu’s journey from his birthplace in the rural Eastern Cape to Service Delivery Manager in his home province embodies abundant learning and personal growth, an ongoing sense of responsibility and pride in his work, and an overarching commitment to Vox’s values of caring for others, together with service and professionalism. It was not an easy journey at all.

“Vox is distinguished by our strong brand and marketing identity, and our emphasis on maintaining professional standards, for example in our service quality, the way we dress and how we maintain our fleet of service vehicles. I’m enormously proud to say that I work for Vox,” he says.

Luntu believes Vox’s success can be attributed to its respect for customers, responsiveness and strong leadership.

“I see customers having exceptional access to assistance within the company,” he notes, “and clients are easily able to escalate issues directly to senior leadership – we really do have an open-door culture this way. I have also noticed that we show a consistent approach to our customers, regardless of their size or location, which I think is very admirable.

“After 20 years at Vox, every day for me is still different and varied, and I still have ambitions to see where and how we can improve. My goal is to turn my area of responsibility into a centre of excellence, where anyone across the company can call on us for any required expertise or problem-solving, at any time,” he concludes.

Protect Your Kids from Online Predators

Posted on 8 October 202521 October 2025 by Vivienne Fouche

Some practical thoughts to guide parents and grandparents

It can’t happen in my home… can it?

Just because your children are playing online games in the safety of your home doesn’t mean that they are safe from perverts.

This is the reality of today’s digital world.

It’s hard to believe, but every parent’s worst worry is now partly digital: how to protect kids from online predators who can reach children through games, apps and social networks in the safety of your own home. This guide discusses online grooming, practical steps you can take at home, and how tools from Vox and Norton™ can help you keep children safer online.

[Editor’s note: This article comes with a sensitivity warning, particularly for parents, grandparents and other concerned family and friends.]

According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in South Africa, according to its ‘SA Kids Online Study’, one-third of children in the country are at risk of online violence, exploitation and abuse.

One-quarter (25%) of those surveyed confirmed that they had added people whom they’d never met face-to-face to their friends or contacts list.
Similarly, nearly one-fifth (18%) of those surveyed had sent a photo or video of themselves to someone they had never met in real life.

These stats also confirm just how naïve and vulnerable children can be – and why parents and guardians need to protect them.

And so, when we read about the pervasiveness of online grooming, your first response as a parent might be: ‘It can’t happen in my home – can it?’ but your second response should be: ‘How can I make absolutely sure that it doesn’t?”

With Vox and global cybersecurity expert company Norton™, parents can exert real parental control by setting up tools to help your kids explore the Internet more safely.

Unpacking Online Grooming

In decades past, parents and caregivers worried about ‘flashers’ – perverts lurking around schools in long coats, who waited to suddenly give their young victims an eyeful that they weren’t expecting.

Today, the perverts are looking for the reveal to be the other way around – and the effects can be far more lingering and devastating.

Norton™ warns that, as part of the attempted grooming process: ‘…predators may spend months steadily getting to know their potential victims. They might start this process by contacting children as they play popular online games such as Fortnite or Minecraft.

‘…Once predators gain the trust of their victims, they will then steer conversations more often toward sexual topics and will eventually ask children to engage in sexual conversations, send explicit photos, or meet them in real life.’

Reports have also surfaced of cyber predators infiltrating another online game popular with kids, namely Roblox.

But there ARE ways to fight back – and in the Vox family, we’re definitely here to help.

The Danger Lurking Behind Everyday Apps

Vox has teamed up with Norton™, which provides industry-leading antivirus and security software for PC, Mac and mobile devices.

According to Norton, children today gravitate toward social media apps that allow them to connect easily with their friends. But these social networking apps and websites are also favoured by predators who use them to communicate with their intended victims.

Norton says that, in addition to online games, some of the apps that predators may use to communicate with children include WhatsApp, Snapchat, TikTok, Kik, Monkey, Whisper and Chat Avenue.

For any parent, it’s frightening to think about the multiple ways that predators can use technology to find and target their victims.

So let the experts take care of it for you.

What Norton and Vox can do for you

Vox has partnered with Norton to make industry-standard protections readily available to families with Norton Family and Norton 360 providing one app for many devices.

These tools don’t replace conversations, but they give you clear alerts, activity reports and the ability to set safe boundaries.

Smart monitoring allows parents to monitor search terms, videos and app downloads; receive alerts for unsafe behaviour; and get detailed activity reports.

In addition, options such as location tracking allow you to define safe zones for your children and receive real-time alerts if those boundaries are crossed. Children can share their location through the mobile app.

All of these safety features – and many more – are available from Norton’s comprehensive protection for your devices and online privacy.

Protect Kids from Online Predators at Home

UNICEF says that keeping children safe online also relies on parents and caregivers maintaining open communication; using technology to protect children; spending time with them online; and encouraging healthy online habits

Talk regularly and openly: Start conversations about online life the same way you’d talk about who your child plays with in the street. Ask gentle questions: who are your friends online? What games do you play? What apps do you use?
Agree house rules: Device-free zones (dinner table, bedrooms at night), time limits for play, and rules about sharing photos or personal information.
Use parental controls: Industry tools such as Norton Family and Norton 360 offer activity monitoring, content filtering, screen-time limits, location supervision and alerts for risky behaviour. These tools help you set boundaries while still allowing kids to explore.
Co-play and co-view: Sit with younger children while they play online and encourage older children to show you new apps and settings. This builds trust and gives you a live view of who they interact with.
Check privacy and friend lists: Make sure profiles are set to private, review followers and friends together, and remind children never to share addresses or phone numbers in chats.
Watch for signs: Increased secrecy, sudden changes in behaviour, new devices or new online friends that appear overnight are all red flags.

Balancing Safety and Privacy

Monitoring doesn’t mean spying. Explain to your child why you’re using parental controls and that the aim is safety, not punishment. As children grow, shift from more direct monitoring to regular check-ins and shared agreements about responsible online behaviour.

Quick checklist for parents and grandparents (bullet list for snippet targeting)

Have an open conversation about online risks this week.
Set simple house rules for devices and sharing.
Install parental controls and review activity reports weekly.
Make social profiles private and review friend lists together.
Know how to report abuse to the app/platform and to local authorities.
Keep devices in communal spaces for younger children.

Before our world became as digital as it is today, parents only had to worry about their children’s safety in the physical environment. Today, we have to be concerned about online predators that can access our homes through our digital devices.

This is all a lot to think about, so why not let Vox and Norton take care of it for you with our comprehensive and proactive suite of solutions?

We’re here to help you keep your children safe in the online world for as long as possible without becoming another statistic. Please click here for more information.

“Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.” ~Elizabeth Stone, author

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I tell if my child is being groomed online?
Look for signs such as secrecy around devices, sudden new friendships, unexplained gifts, changes in mood or sleep, or attempts to isolate the child from family. If a child is using private messaging apps or deleting chat histories, take note and ask open, non-judgemental questions.

What do Norton parental controls actually do?
Norton Family and Norton 360 provide content filtering, web and search supervision, screen-time controls, social media monitoring, location supervision and alerts for unsafe behaviour. They produce activity reports so you can spot potential problems early.

Will parental controls invade my child’s privacy?
Used thoughtfully, parental controls are a safety tool. Be transparent: explain why you’re using them, involve your child in setting the rules, and gradually reduce monitoring as your child demonstrates responsible behaviour.

At what age should I set up parental controls?
Start young, because even pre-schoolers benefit from basic content filtering and supervised access. For older children, combine tools with conversation and digital literacy lessons so they understand safe behaviour.

What should I do immediately if I suspect grooming?
Stay calm, listen to the child, preserve any evidence (screenshots, chat logs), report the account to the platform, and contact local authorities or child-protection organisations for guidance.

Where can I get help in South Africa if I need to report abuse?
Report serious threats to the police (SAPS) and the platform where it occurred. Seek support from child-protection organisations and trusted local counselling services.

Microsoft Family and Personal Licences Unlock the Power of Ai

Posted on 15 September 202515 September 2025 by Vivienne Fouche

The speed at which artificial intelligence (AI) has transformed from being a niche technology into a mainstream tool these past few years is astonishing. The key differentiator in the recent AI journey has arguably been the introduction of ‘generative AI’, meaning a type of AI that can create new content and ideas, including conversations, stories, images, videos and music.

Artificial intelligence is the broader concept of making machines more human-like. It includes everything from smart assistants like Alexa, chatbots and image generators to robotic vacuum cleaners and self-driving cars. Generative AI is a subset that generates new content meaningfully and intelligently.

Generative AI has been a major step-up from the relatively simple chatbots that we’ve been used to for a while now. For some people, it’s exhilarating and for others, a little intimidating.

In this article, we look at Microsoft Copilot – a generative AI chatbot developed by Microsoft – and how it can help people in their work and home lives with the Microsoft 365 Personal and Family plans.

But first, let’s take a quick glance at how we got to this point.

From ELIZA to LLMs

The history of generative AI dates back further than you might think, to the 1960s in fact. The first historical example of generative AI was called ELIZA, created in 1966 by Joseph Weizenbaum, a computer scientist and professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). ELIZA was a talking computer program that would respond to a human, using a natural language and responses designed to sound empathic. We could say that ELIZA was the first chatbot!

weizenbaum at computer w eliza | Vox | Microsoft Family and Personal Licences Unlock the Power of Ai — Image courtesy https://www.cbc.ca/radio

The transition from basic chatbots to advanced platforms like Microsoft Copilot represents a shift from rule-based interactions to large language model (LLM)-powered conversational AI.

Microsoft explains that LLMs: ‘are advanced AI systems that understand and generate natural language, or human-like text, using the data they’ve been trained on through machine learning techniques.’

Traditional chatbots are limited by their predefined scripts, while today’s generative capabilities allow for context-aware and human-like responses, enabling more natural and flexible interactions.

Let’s fast-forward to the 21st century. In November 2022, OpenAI introduced ChatGPT, a generative AI combined with large language models. This was closely followed by Microsoft Copilot in 2023.

The combination of generative AI training with large language models has resulted in artificial intelligence that is able to think and reason. With today’s ‘smarter chatbots’, we’ve achieved a new level of artificial intelligence – they can perform research; support reasonably good writing; and generate realistic videos, audio and images.

So how can Microsoft Copilot help you and your family members?

Technology Working Smarter for the Whole Family

Microsoft 365 Copilot is now available in Microsoft 365 Personal and Family plans.

It’s an AI-powered assistant built right into the Microsoft 365 ecosystem – a digital assistant designed to help you with a range of tasks and activities. It’s not just a chatbot bolted onto Office but instead can interact with your content, understand context, and execute complex tasks using your data securely.

You could think of it as a digital co-worker that understands your documents, spreadsheets and conversations, and then helps you work faster with automated ideas.

Microsoft Copilot can create drafts of content, recommend different ways to reword something you’ve written, suggest and insert images or banners, create PowerPoint presentations from your Word documents, and many other helpful things.

With your licence, enjoy intelligent features like:

Smart suggestions for faster document creation and editing;
AI-driven insights to help you stay organised and make informed decisions;
Enhanced security with AI-powered threat detection for peace of mind; and
Personalised experiences tailored to your preferences and usage patterns.

From seamless collaboration to smarter everyday tools, Microsoft’s AI integration ensures that you get the most out of your Personal and Family plans.

Bring the future to your fingertips with cutting-edge AI features included in our Family and Personal licences. Whether you’re managing household tasks, boosting productivity, or exploring creative projects, our AI-powered tools are designed to simplify your life and elevate your experience.

Choose a Family or Personal licence today and step into a world where technology works smarter for you – and the whole family!

Who You Gonna Call?

Posted on 22 July 202522 July 2025 by Vivienne Fouche

People of Vox: Spotlight on Greg Gyngell

If there’s something strange

In your neighbourhood

Who you gonna call?

Greg Gyngell!

If there’s something weird

And it don’t look good

Who you gonna call?

Greg Gyngell!

Right, well with apologies to the Ghost Busters franchise (do you have an ear-worm now?), it’s time for another peek into the life and times of another of our green-blooded Voxies. In this episode, we shine the spotlight on a man who is normally the MC within the training environment, and so he’s actually used to turning the spotlight on everyone else…but he agreed to be interviewed without too much of a fuss.

And a good thing too, because he’s got some really interesting stories to tell!

“I’m Greg and I look after the Training Department,” says Vox’s well-known and well-loved Soft Skills Trainer. “I’ve been at Vox for about 13 years now and together with my team, I do anything and everything that is related to training, including some video production work.

“I’m always available to do anything else that might be asked of me, and wherever I can assist, I’m happy to step in. No day is ever the same, and that’s exactly how I like it!”

Greg leads a team of four Trainers across the country and reports directly to Head of Human Resources, Pam McLeod. Let’s take a look at how he champions the cause of training throughout the company – another great example of how life and a career at Vox never has to be linear.

Starting Out in Film and Entertainment

“When I left school I had only two real passions,” explains Greg. “I wanted to be a pilot – I was one of those kids who built little aeroplanes and hung them off the ceiling – and in my teenage years I got very involved in movies.

“Flight school was unfortunately just too expensive, so when I realised that flying wasn’t a career option, I went into the local film industry. I was involved in making some incredible movies in South Africa and was able to meet some amazing people.

Greg learned his craft from the ground up and thoroughly enjoyed being in the movie world, but it wasn’t to be forever.

He clarifies: “The industry in South Africa went through a phase in which international big budget films were being shot here, but the production houses were bringing over their own crews. I went freelance for a while but realised quite quickly that it was unfortunately time to leave the movie industry in the quest simply to earn a living.

“I also dabbled in radio, and DJ-ing at clubs, both of which were obviously great fun. Eventually I landed up at a large cellular company and became entrenched in the mobile phone arena. After some time with this enterprise, my intuitive knowledge and understanding of gadgets and technology, together with my ability to explain things and talk to people, collided in a fortuitous manner and I ended up in my first training position with them, where I stayed for quite some time – over a decade, in fact.”

The end result was a man who understood the value of entertainment, technology and training, as well as being flexible in his outlook on life – not to mention the importance of having fun! The stage was set for Greg to come to Vox.

‘You’d better call…’

We can thank a retrenchment exercise that took place at his previous employer for Greg’s eventual arrival at Vox. He explains: “In the wake of being unfortunately retrenched, one of my former work colleagues phoned me and told me that that @lantic – one of the businesses that was later to be merged into the group of companies under the Vox umbrella – was planning to set up a training department, and they were interested in talking to me. And so I had an interview and was offered a six-month contract.”

At that stage, Greg and his wife Claire were actually planning to emigrate to New Zealand, but in the light of this new development, they decided to stay for a while longer.

Greg continues: “At the end of the six months, I was then offered a permanent position, because my previous background in the film industry, and how I could use it within the training division to create videos when required, was seen to be advantageous. My technical outlook, combined with my training soft skills plus the film experience, all merged neatly into a new position within Vox. And so the rest, as they say, is history!

“I like to tell people that my love for Vox as a company meant that, even though we’d been accepted into New Zealand, we stayed in South Africa and have never looked back since. Everything came together at the right time and I’ve now been at Vox for about 13 years. My passion is training, but at Vox, as I mentioned, I’m able to look after a number of other things as well.”

A Strong Team of Trainers

As far as the Vox Training is concerned, Greg coordinates with his four Trainers every day. “We all work remotely,” he explains. ”Alex McDonald is the Systems Trainer and looks after all systems-related training, including for our partners, while Victor Kemp is in charge of our Technical Training, including our Mikrotik router training; our e-learning system and ‘Friday Bytes Live’. Our other two team members are Ryan Varga, our Sales Trainer, who also takes care of our leadership and mentoring system; and Craig Jewell, who looks after Soft Skills, presenting courses that include themes around customer service, time management and adaptability.”

“One of the Training Department’s innovative initiatives is the ‘Friday Bytes Live’, when Voxies come together every Friday morning to hear and learn about different areas of the company using a fun, interactive quiz approach. Victor runs with this every week, and we have prizes up for grabs to incentivise everyone further.”

Greg clarifies that the Training department is in charge of the general training needs of around two and a half thousand people, as well as the monthly Induction training for all new Vox employees.

“I’m the main person at the helm of the induction training,” he says, “and here I run training over a few days at the beginning of every month, when every department in the company sends a representative to introduce the different aspects of Vox to all our new employees. Induction training takes place in person at our Johannesburg head office, and we also facilitate online participation.

“One of the primary elements of Induction is simply chatting! I’m like the MC, if you like, and I try to make new people feel comfortable while I also liaise with the presenters. I’ve always been a big fan of comedy, and so we inject humour into these training days as much as possible. Another large element of Induction training – besides putting the programme together in advance and running with the required logistics – is to keep the sessions on track from a time perspective.”

It’s certainly a mixed bag, bringing a significant variety to Greg’s working days and weeks, which he appreciates. Over and above that, he says: “Another thing that I really enjoy about my job is that, while training is my first love, I am also able to get involved in so many other different things.

“For example, I’ve been able to assist with elements of our recruitment system as well as working on study skills. And funny enough, I love doing the mandatory stuff – the admin challenges that most other people dislike. For example, I really enjoy organising and setting up the meetings required to kickstart a training session.”

‘If there’s something weird…’

Greg Background 2 resized | Vox | Who You Gonna Call? — Greg’s home office reflects his creative approach to life and training

To balance out his day-to-day organisational requirements, Greg’s creative side once again comes to the fore with his off-duty interests. A speed freak, he doesn’t own a car but instead rides a motor bike, and is also a huge Formula 1 fan, as seen in his office space, where the roof is painted with black and white checkered squares to look like an F1 flag – something that any Voxie who’s ever been on a Teams call with him will recognise instantly!

Staying in Greg’s home office, there are shelves filled with Lego versions of Formula 1 cars and drivers, as well as Funko Pop and Skylander collectable figurines, reflecting his taste in music, movies (think James Bond and The Matrix!) and video games. Other interests and hobbies include sports shooting, cooking and coffee – Greg intends to roast significant quantities of his own coffee beans in the future. As a self-confessed coffee snob, he limits himself to just two coffee cups per day, which is just enough to help him keep up with his busy pet Border Collies (just one more daily cup of coffee wouldn’t be fair on the dog…).

Add in his wife of 20 years, Claire, and his two teenage children, and it’s a busy and enjoyable life, he says gratefully.

“For me, there is always something different to do at work. I’ve been exposed to working on new projects because of my line manager, Pam, as well as our CEO, Jacques du Toit – something that I appreciate enormously, and which speaks to the organisation’s culture of being innovative and flexible.

“This, I think, is what sets Vox apart from the other ISPs, together with the passion and heart for the business that our senior executives always display. There is a significant number of people within the company ‘who live and breathe green’, and I am passionately one of them,” he concludes.

And anyone who has a training need of any kind within Vox knows exactly who to call – Greg Gyngell!

Vox introduces cost-effective Active-Active Connectivity Solution for SMBs

Posted on 9 January 202528 November 2025 by Andre Eksteen

By Andre Eksteen, Senior Product Manager – FTTB at Vox

Access to the internet has become the lifeblood of modern organisations, and companies have turned to fibre as a reliable means of connectivity. Many businesses are reliant on a single internet link; however, this poses a serious risk in case of downtime. In response, Vox has launched its Active-Active Redundant service, a cost-effective, seamless failover solution that offers continuity, bandwidth efficiency, and peace of mind for small and medium businesses.

Cost considerations tend to push many small and medium businesses (SMB) into only having a single connectivity link, but any disruption will leave them unable to communicate with employees, customers and suppliers. This makes redundant connectivity not just a nice-to-have, but a business-critical service. Those SMBs that do have some kind of failover often make use of a passive service that lays dormant until their primary link goes down. In effect, they are paying for something that they don’t really use.

The Vox Active-Active Redundant service combines two broadband links from different vendors, offering a load-balanced solution that supports simultaneous traffic across both links, providing customers with seamless failover in case of downtime on one link, with the other link maintaining internet connectivity. Customers with multiple fibre network operators in their area can use fibre as a secondary link, while those without this option can make use of a wireless service.

While there are existing active-active solutions on the market, these tend to run on Software-Defined Wide Area Networking (SD-WAN) environments and are typically expensive. On the other hand, the Vox Active-Active Redundant service cost-effectively addresses the business need for reliable network uptime. It is a simpler solution, and customers stand to benefit from the savings where they don’t need the host of features that SD-WAN provides.

Customers making use of the Active-Active Redundant service can select between fibre network operators including Frogfoot, Openserve, MetroFibre, Link Africa, Octotel and Vumatel; wireless network connectivity options include MTN and Comsol. Businesses using this service can also obtain their secondary link at a reduced price if the primary link is also provided by Vox.

Pricing starts from R1 798 for dual 20 Mbps links and the potential monthly savings ranges between R100 and R400 on the secondary link and R99 for the Active-Active configuration. The service goes up to dual 500 Mpbs links, which are available for businesses with higher bandwidth requirements.

Benefits from using Vox’s Active-Active Redundant include increased uptime and business continuity, cost-savings from using both links for bandwidth, and improved efficiency with an active-active configuration that provides customers with burstable bandwidth when both links are operational. In addition, the service is offered as a simplified solution with included router setup, reducing the need for additional devices.

If your business has a high reliance on network uptime, you must consider introducing a failover service to your connectivity solution. And if you are looking at a cost-effective, seamless failover service that provides you more value for money, look no further than the Vox Active-Active Redundant service.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Active‑Active redundant connectivity?
Active‑Active redundant connectivity uses two independent internet links that operate simultaneously, sharing traffic and providing seamless failover if one link fails.

How is Active‑Active different from passive failover?
Passive failover keeps a secondary link dormant until the primary fails. Active‑Active uses both links concurrently, so you benefit from combined bandwidth and no wasted capacity.

Can I use fibre and wireless links together?
Yes. Where multiple fibre operators aren’t available, a wireless connection can be used as the secondary link to provide redundancy.

Do I need SD‑WAN to get Active‑Active functionality?
No. Vox’s Active‑Active Redundant service is a simpler, cost‑effective option that provides load‑balancing and failover without requiring a full SD‑WAN deployment.

Will both links be used all the time?
Yes. In an active‑active setup both links carry traffic during normal operation, giving burstable bandwidth and efficient use of resources.

How quickly will traffic switch if one link fails?
Failover is designed to be seamless so that business disruption is minimal. Vox configures the service to maintain connectivity when a single link experiences an outage.

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