Vox Chooses Minim Cloud Software to Deliver Its Next-Gen Home Wi-Fi Experience

Posted on 2 July 2021 by admin

Vox has chosen Minim’s AI-driven cloud software platform, mobile app, and customer care portal to underpin the Vox Wi-Fi Home Manager, an easy to use mobile app offering full Wi-Fi management, visibility, threat detection and device management. Wi-Fi Home Manager will initially be available to all Vox customers with the MikroTik hAP AC ² router, a popular choice for home Wi-Fi in South Africa, and bundled in with all FTTH (Fibre to the Home) sales.

“Minim provides a cost-effective solution for smart, secure, easy-to-use Wi-Fi,” said Mike Kuczmierczyk, Senior Product Manager for Wi-Fi at Vox. “Their platform’s existing MikroTik integration enabled us to avoid additional hardware expenses and activate routers already in the field. Now, we can offer a mobile app to delight customers— as well as save customer support costs and avoid rolling trucks. It’s an exciting launch.”

Minim’s open-source approach to both embedded and cloud-hosted middleware accelerates time to market for both network operators and router manufacturers. The company’s middleware agent securely streams network telemetry to the Minim platform and requires as little as one tenth of the hardware memory and performance as competing solutions. This efficiency-by-design enables Minim to deliver application services on the low-cost hardware needed in emerging markets.

The Vox Wi-Fi Home Manager includes three Minim components that use AI to help network operators identify and manage devices, optimise network and secure subscribers:

A cloud middleware agent that communicates with Mikrotik hAP AC ² to monitor and manage each customer’s Wi-Fi network;
The Minim Cloud platform to collect and process real-time home network data with proprietary device fingerprinting technology; and
The Minim Care Portal, which allows Vox care representatives to view customer Wi-Fi networks, historical activity, and health indicators for better support.

The mobile app, which will carry the Vox brand identity, helps customers:

Manage and share Wi-Fi network credentials;
Identify and monitor devices on their network;
Check device usage and signal strength with historical data;
Protect against malware, network intrusions, and detect other threats; and
Create family profiles to supervise children’s activity and filter content.

“We are so thrilled to call Vox a customer,” said Minim SVP Sales John D’Amato. “From the moment we began collaborating on Vox Wi-Fi Home Manager, it was clear that they were committed to delivering exceptional value and quality for subscribers. Our team is excited about working with them in our ongoing efforts to advance our cloud driven applications.”

What is the Future of PBX?

Posted on 25 May 2021 by Suhail Dinat

By now, you should know all about PBX – but how much do you know about PBX in the Cloud?

The importance of communication to any business cannot be overstated, and any disruption in said communication can have a lasting negative impact on your brand. This is why connectivity is key and why more and more businesses are turning towards the remote, Cloud-based system that is PBX.

In post-Covid times, we’ve all had to adapt. Whether it’s brands to a remote environment or employees to a coffee-table-come-desk, everyone’s had to improvise and overcome so well it’d make Bear Grylls proud. Oh, speaking of adapting… Did you know that PBX and Cloud migration represents the perfect solution for brands (and people) on-the-go in its ability to allow for connectivity regardless of location; or for any organisation seeking streamlined, professional and efficient operations via a unified comms solution?

With a more volatile business world than any in recent history, it’s natural to seek the most progressive technology without spending an arm and a leg. With Cloud PBX, you’re able to do just that, which is why we’re excited to inform you that the future of our communications at Vox is coming in the form of 3CX Cloud.

Yep, we’re moving up, and you can expect better prices, more stability and increased freedom. Amazing how one shift can make a world of difference, right?

But what’s the point of the shift?

Well, with the ever-progressing technological world comes an increased need for digital solutions.

These solutions need to be just that in nature, in that they solve real, tangible brand or customer problems. In addition to this, we believe that our products need to push the boundaries of innovation, and our shift to 3CX represents just this- a step forward into the new, Cloud based tomorrow.

It’s not just rhetoric and adjectives, however, and our shift is actually based on a host of benefits. Some of the key aspects you can enjoy from this move include:

Mobility and Expansion:

Your PBX system is your way of staying relevant and adapting to the new today. If you haven’t already relooked at how your staff communicate, you should. With the system comes the freedom of not being restricted by conventional phone systems, allowing for rapid expansion (or scaling, if necessary), complete flexibility and business growth.

Ease of Maintenance, Minimal Upkeep:

Unlike old-school, complicated phone systems of yesterday, you don’t need tech support to maintain Cloud PBX. In fact, the system is well-controlled and linked to users’ mobile handsets. It can be as closely supervised as required (down to tracking, monitoring and listening) or adding users, troubleshooting and quantifying useful, hard Data to improve your performance. The bottom line? It can be done remotely. Easy as pie.

Whenever, wherever:

One of the biggest challenges of running a modern-day business is being accessible when you can’t be tied down to a desk. With Cloud PBX, it’s business as usual no matter where you are. Connect and interact with your colleagues, employees and customers on the road, at a conference room or on a mountain if need be. Time and location? These things are now flexi. Computers, faxes, a single unified inbox solution or using your PC to access Data remotely – when you move up, your important stuff is always on hand.

But what’s the deal with 3CX specifically?

Well, you should know that the brand and product are the proud recipients of the UC Platform Supplier of the Year, 2020, at the Comms Business Awards in London. That’s global recognition for an International grade product, one which has held up (and toppled) contenders from some of the greatest minds in the tech world.

Aside from that, the platform offers a wealth of benefits so immense, it’s only natural that the next stage of our communications entails expansion into such possibilities.

3CX Cloud is, essentially, a single phone system which can provide everything you need and allow for complete scalability or growth as required. Their functionality far outstrips conventional handsets and presents an out-the-box, unified communication solution compatible with Mac, Windows, Ios or Android respectively. Not only is the tech tried-and-tested, but it’s easy-to-manage, quick to install and affordable to boot.

The platform allows you to work even without power which, considering our current Loadshedding environment, is always a positive. The monthly pricing is competitive and the capabilities extend beyond simply making calls. Video call, share screen, present, or host a totally interactive meeting.

It gets better. You can work remotely through mobile apps and always know who’s calling. Take calls from your browser or enjoy a free video conference. Live chat, migrate with Microsoft 365, manage Facebook messages, send business text messages or cut your Telco costs by 80%.

The future begins today, and it starts with 3CX Cloud. All you need to do is sit back and get ready to start this journey with us.

Safeguard Yourself Against Ransomware

Posted on 20 May 2021 by Richard Frost

With the current spate of Ransomware attacks (most recently on the Irish Health Service Executive), one can’t help but be concerned. The onset of Covid-19 and increase in work from home users has seen the risk of said attacks multiplying ten-fold, as many people can no longer enjoy the protection of company Firewalls and other systems. And, with the Health Care industry as a whole already overwhelmed by the pandemic, a looming cyber threat is altogether more present as hackers try to take advantage of mass hysteria.

With this in mind, it’s only natural to ask, “what can I do to stop a potential attack?” or “if I am attacked, what happens next?”.

But, first off, let’s understand the impact of a Ransomware attack.

Ransomware is, by definition, a form of malware that encrypts a victim’s files. The attacker then demands a ransom from the victim to restore access to the Data upon payment.

Ransomware can infect a system via a delivery method like a phishing email with a malicious attachment. In fact, around 95% of such attacks begin with an innocent looking email, wherein attackers can gain trust through social engineering before tricking their victim into opening a malicious file that installs the Ransomware. Once installed, the malware goes about encrypting all the files on the systems and then demands a payment to decrypt them. Some companies choose to pay the ransom, some try to gain a decryption key, and some have no choice but to format their systems and restore from a hopefully uncorrupted backup. The sad reality is that ransomware attacks often cost companies in one way or another, with total costs now globally mounting to billions of dollars.

Aside from the financial element of remediating the attack or loss of Data, however, there is also reputational damage and the possibility of a fine should you lose other people’s information through a breach. GDPR fines at some large companies have been in the hundreds of millions. Here in South Africa, with POPIA enforcement coming into effect from 1 July, we too will soon see fines being handed to companies losing users’ data.

So, what can be done to prevent this from happening?

Many companies are now practicing Zero Trust – a concept of no longer trusting anything inside or outside your network and making sure that someone is verified before gaining access to systems.

Deploying Privileged Access Management solutions protects critical assets by controlling access to privileged accounts and verifying the user before allowing access to systems.

A lot of corporates are now investing in technologies like EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response) or MDR (Managed Detection and Response). It continuously monitors the endpoint and gathers Data to block malicious attacks using rules-based automation and analytics. Combine this with an incident response capability or service through the EDR Vendors MDR service or a 3^rd party provider.

The US Government is even adopting zero trust strategies and deploying EDR solutions internally to reduce attacks.

How Vox can help:

At Vox, we offer Email Security solutions to help prevent a delivery of the malware via Email. Suspected phishing mails are held until verified and either released or deleted.
Our EDR platforms, integrated into our SIEM (Security Information and Events Management) platform ensure proactive monitoring of the endpoints and lighting response to a potential breach from our SOC (Security Operations Centre). The EDR will contain the threat whilst allowing investigations into the attack and finally the threat will be eliminated. The EDR Platform allows a role back of the system attacked to a clean version of the system prior to the attack.
Combined with our CSIRT (Computer Security Incident Response team) service to deal with potential attacks, Vox offers peace of mind from Ransomware attacks or the fear of being left to deal with the incident on your own.
Backup services ensure a clean copy of your Data to assist in restoring servers as a last resort.
Another key solution to the prevention or spread of Ransomware is Privileged Account Management (PAM). PAM solutions mitigate risk from Ransomware by implementing a least privilege approach and credential theft protection to stop an attack on the ground zero machine, while privileged credential rotation and isolation block lateral movements and prevent the spread of the attack.

We are moving more towards Zero Trust strategies and are becoming more capable of offering our clients end-to-end services which protect you against Ransomware attacks. So, chat to us and let’s see how we can help you!

Protecting Your Kids Online: A Carte Blanche Follow Up

Posted on 13 May 2021 by Suhail Dinat

On Sunday May 2, 2021, our Head of Network and Endpoint Security Richard Frost was privileged enough to be part of a segment on Carte Blanche. In it, he discussed the topic of Digital Predators and targeting children online (which can be found here).

Whilst the segment went a long way towards raising awareness around the grim reality that is child sexual abuse online, Richard feared that there weren’t enough solutions presented. Yes, the problem was noted, but how could the public identify and address it? As a father, this weighed heavily on his mind, so much so that it inspired this guide to navigating your kids Internet use.

First off, the hard facts:

A study conducted via the Centre for Cyber Safety and Education assessed the usage of kids between grades 4 and 8, and the results were quite alarming. From the findings, some of the more damning statistics indicated that 40% of the kids surveyed had either connected or chatted with a stranger online. Of those:

53% had revealed their phone number to a stranger.
21% spoke via phone with a stranger.
15% attempted to meet a stranger.
11% met a stranger in their own home, the stranger’s home, a park, mall or restaurant.
30% texted a stranger from their phone.
6% revealed their home address to a stranger.

Scarily, 90% of these kids revealed they have at least one device capable of unmoderated browsing. This indicates a serious problem with potentially devastating consequences, as not only are our kids sitting ducks, but there is a world full of dangerous predators ready, willing and able to take advantage of them.

But what can we, as parents, do about it?

While the above has hopefully grabbed your attention, today’s piece is about solutions, and thankfully there are a variety of behaviour and technological based controls for parents to implement to safeguard their families.

You can start by moderating their airtime and restricting their access between certain hours. Separate them from their devices if they’re meant to be studying or sleeping, and move the family devices to common areas where you can keep an eye on their browsing habits. For toddlers, you can download content in advance and switch off the connection later, and even games or social media should be carefully controlled.

Similarly, it’s relatively easy to regulate your kid’s social media content. Teach your young ones what not to share with the outside world (particularly new people), as predators take advantage of naiveite. Educate them on not revealing private information such as plans, addresses or whereabouts, and maintain an open line of communication so that they’re not afraid to confide in you. Be open and explain the dangers, and don’t yell if they make a mistake, let them feel like you’re there to listen should anything unwanted occur.

You should also educate your kids on the dangers of adding, accepting or meeting strangers online (again, even when gaming). Remember that it’s easy to change your identity and pretend to be someone else, which is what many people do to gain the trust of their victims. Warn your little ones about the dangers of meeting anyone they don’t know and enforce strict rules around keeping you informed of their whereabouts at all times.

Lastly, set Internet guidelines and disable location services via your apps. Keep an eye out for behavioural changes including sudden secrecy, unexplained gifts or increased alone time. As a parent, you usually instinctively know when your child is upset. However, pay close attention to their behaviour for anything unusual; particularly before, during and after going Online.

Cyber Security Software

Although your first steps should be correcting browsing behaviour, there are several tools designed to protect your kids online which should be considered your primary line of defence.

Our Vox Software is sourced only from award winning, international market leaders. Trusted by consumers the world over, you’ll be configured according to your needs without compromising on security. You can enjoy these solutions on either a monthly or once-off fee structure depending on your budget or add them to existing FTTH/FTTB packages. Our support desk can assist with installation and training, as well as provide an easy “how-to” guide.

The following products can be used to help protect children online:

Kaspersky Safe Kids (offered by Vox):

Compatible with PC, Mac & Mobile, Vox offers our customers the Kaspersky Total Security Solution.

How does it work?

Kaspersky Safe Kids includes an app for your child together with a parent app. This gets connected via your “My Kaspersky” account. Your own mobile app will allow you to see reports and customise settings accordingly, while you can manage your child’s settings and check reports via your “My Kaspersky” account.

How it keeps your kids safe online:

The software allows you to block access to adult websites and content.
As a parent, you can block harmful YouTube search requests on topics like drugs & alcohol.
You can also manage access to games & inappropriate apps as well as your kid’s screen time by device.
If required, you can share expert advice and tips from child psychologists on online topics

How it helps you protect your kids in the real world:

Kaspersky Safe Kids uses a GPS tracker to locate whereabouts on a real-time, online map.
You can define a “safe area” for your kids to stay within, with instant alerts should they move beyond said area.
You’ll be notified when a device is low on battery in order to always stay connected.

In your journey to make things safer for your child, the more protection the better. Sadly, predators are real, and any kid can be a victim. As a parent, I strongly believe in all the products and measures stated above, and I pray that these may be of similar assistance to you.

Keep an eye out for our next feature on our soon-to-be-launched product, Digimune, which takes Dark Web safety to a new level.

Until then, stay safe.

Say Goodbye to Dropped Calls and Slow Data Connections

Posted on 13 May 2021 by Andrew King

Estimated Reading Time: 2 Minutes

Get faster data speeds and reliable calling capabilities for your home and business

We’re all more reliant on our cell phones today than ever before. So much so, that dealing with dropped calls, struggling with poor connections, missing messages and not being able to stream data is just not an option.

It doesn’t matter where you are, city or countryside, even the strongest cell signals will have trouble finding their way to you – whether it’s thanks to the building materials used to construct homes and office blocks or our physical distance from cellular towers and signal obstruction by trees, hills and mountains.

Thankfully, there is something you can do about it. With a market-leading Wilson Pro cellular signal booster from Vox, you’ll be able to take the available signal outside, bring it into your home or office via a cable, boost it with the appropriately sized amplifier and distribute the amplified signal throughout the building with a single solution. One that assures you of strong, reliable cellular coverage wherever and whenever you need it within your building.

Similarly, the signal transmitted from your GSM device will be boosted by your amplifier before being transmitted back to the cellular tower you’re connected to.

We know choosing a cell booster can be a time-consuming exercise – we’ve been there. It’s even more confusing if you don’t have a technical bent. That’s why we’ve done the legwork for you, so you don’t have to agonise over making the right solution choice for your needs.

We’ve tested and built antenna and booster solutions that are easy to install and are guaranteed to improve your signal strength up to 32 times.

Vox’s Cell Boosters work for all cell phones and carriers in South Africa and will boost MTN, Cell C, Vodacom and Telkom 4G LTE and 3G signals for any building up to 1000 square metres. If you find that doesn’t quite cut it and you require a specific solution for a larger or more challenging building layout, Vox is more than capable of providing a customised solution to suit your needs.

Better still, with a Cell Booster from Vox, you can rest assured that your solution is ICASA and NRCS approved and won’t be confiscated by the authorities.

For as little as R713, including VAT, per month, a Cell Booster from Vox is a no-brainer…

To rent your Cell Booster, visit vox.co.za and get ready to say goodbye to poor signal quality forever.

Makhanda’s Roads to get a Long-Overdue Facelift

Posted on 12 May 2021 by Duo Marketing

Vox’s Enterprise and Development partner, 51% black-owned Grahamstown Wi-Fi, to oversee filling of 300 potholes

Rolling out information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure is known to be vital to a country’s developmental and productivity prospects, just as its road network is a fundamental cog in its economic and social development.

Vox CEO Jacques du Toit says various levels of infrastructure should work in harmony, and to support its recent investment in the rollout of ICT services in Makhanda, its Enterprise and Supplier Development partner, 51% black-owned Grahamstown Wi-Fi also known as EcoLogic, has partnered with a local service provider to repair potholes in the city.

Potholes are more than a nuisance and pose a financial and safety risk. In April this year, Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula told parliament that government needed between R700 and R1,500 per square meter to fund pothole repairs across the country. He said that the Provincial Road Maintenance Grant sets aside R12bn for pothole repairs to the country’s 754,600km road network.

“The pothole project, which will take around two months to complete, is the next phase of our long-term investment in the city of Makhanda,” says Du Toit.

“Grahamstown Wi-Fi and their joint venture partner, fibre infrastructure provider Frogfoot, have made significant progress. Of course, there is annoyance in the necessary digging up of pavements, but it pays off when residents get access to world-class ICT services. The next step is supporting road safety and tourism, while benefiting the local economy,” said Du Toit.

Grahamstown Wi-Fi co-founder Thinus Jurgens says they have identified just short of 300 potholes in the city. “As a local resident, the deterioration of the roads hits home on a personal level. We have partnered with SAE General Contractors led by Colin Hare, who will close about eight potholes a day using state-of-the-art cold pre-mixed tar which is built to last,” he says. He adds that their process will involve working on small sections of road at a time to result in as little disruption to traffic as possible.

“This is important to us as locals as it forms part of the general refurbishment and upliftment of our city. We need to go through the necessary digging lay fibre. Residents are now starting to enjoy world-class, high-speed internet, and the roads we all use every day are about to enjoy the next improvement.”

Du Toit says that when Vox invests in smaller towns or cities, it does so by embracing the local industry and skills. “Makhanda is its own city, with its own DNA and population. Since day one it has been important to us that whichever projects are embarked on involve and benefit the people of the city – from the internet service provider business owned by Vezi Zantsi and Thinus Jurgens, to their current road upliftment project,” he says.

Jurgens agrees, saying by mere virtue of the fact that Grahamstown Wi-Fi’s office is on African Street, mere metres from Pepper Grove Mall, the business is intrinsically tied to the prospects and daily life of the city.

“Ultimately, infrastructure is vital to development and prosperity, and this includes basic infrastructure such as roads and fast and reliable connectivity. We are honoured to be involved in both – supplying ICT services and driving the pothole repair initiative to improve the road network for our fellow residents,” he says.

New Bundles from Frogfoot!

Posted on 6 May 2021 by Suhail Dinat

They say that nobody forgets their first time, and for the most part this is true. Especially when it comes to Fibre.

Some of us still remember the days of dial-up and that beeping noise that penetrated your skull. Some of us remember when the Internet was meant to end the world in Y2K. Some of us haven’t dealt with the speed, reliability, strength, bandwidth, latency and security (it’s a long list, we’ll stop now) of Fibre. And, for some of us, Frogfoot’s new bundles are kind of a big deal- especially if it’s your first time with Fibre.

This is why our New Bundles are getting all the spotlight right now. But why all the Internet talk, you ask?

Well, the scale at which our world has changed over such a short period would have been unfathomable a few years ago. At least a quarter of the world is either in lockdown as we speak or still reeling from its effects. Air travel, borders, supply chain as a whole – everything has been altered, but perhaps top of that list is the demand and need for effective connectivity.

Truth be told, reliable Internet has been a mainstay in thriving modern businesses for years. With work-from-home and stay-indoor instructions, however, a fundamental difference has been the need for employees to adapt alongside businesses. Couple this with an increased demand for all things streaming, surfing, remote-working and Cloud, and Fibre is suddenly at the top of everyone’s wish lists. Seemingly overnight, ISP’s the world over have been under pressure to meet the needs of the whole without compromising on quality.

While traditionally, these ISP’s have had to navigate between supply and demand to remain profitable, the reality is that it’s now a consumer favourable market – one boosted by high demand in a saturated, competitive working sphere. Customers are now spoiled for choice when it comes to connectivity, meaning service excellence coupled with competitive pricing have become fundamental.

And, speaking of pricing, now’s as good a time as any to announce that our New Bundles, Rates and Specials are ready and effective as of 1^st May 2021. In addition to this, we have launched the new pricing and 30mbps products a bit earlier than anticipated. Our speeds and costing can be found here:

But why Frogfoot?

Well, we’re not one to namedrop, but we’re kind of ranked the top Fibre network in the country. It’s sort of a big deal when you’re voted the best Fibre related service provider in the middle of a pandemic- but that’s exactly what we did last year.

If one more person has to mention how 2020 changed our working world, we’ll probably hop off a building faster than a 1000Mbps Frogfoot line. As much as the topic has been discussed, however, things did change during those unexpected and unprecedented times, but what didn’t change was our commitment to great Fibre. Support, promotions and innovative services all combined to get us our prestigious award, and we haven’t dropped the ball since.

So, why would 2021 be any different? Frogfoot listened to our customers and to the communities that we service, and we are proud to announce changes to our packages that will allow customers to do so much more. We’re offering more sugar in your coffee, more pumpkin spice in your latte, more bang for your buck, more frog in your foot and more bandwidth to our end consumer (without more damage to your wallet, that is).

With this in mind, it’s safe to say that as of May (see what we did there?), you can expect different pricing at the same awesome levels of quality you’ve come to know and love. We’re ‘hopping’ to better speeds and connectivity while providing you with nothing short of excellence.

Thanks for coming to our Ted Talk, and we hope to see you in the Fibre streets soon.

No power? No problem. Say hello to our 500W UPS solution

Posted on 29 April 2021 by Guin Davies

Shop UPS Solutions

Compact, affordable and easy-to-use, our Home Office UPS will keep those load shedding blues at bay.

If there’s one thing we all need, it’s access to an affordable and reliable backup power supply. Last year we launched our 40W Fibre UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) to keep your Wi-Fi network connected when load shedding strikes. This UPS allows you to continue streaming, browse social media or search online with up to four hours of uptime.

We’re proud to announce the perfect companion to that UPS is now also available to rent via the Vox Shop.

Compact, yet mighty, the 500W portable Vox Home Office UPS keeps your most important devices powered up all at once when the power goes down. We’re talking laptop, monitor, printer and smartphone. Allowing you to continue working from home, uninterrupted, for up to four hours, no matter what.

The Vox Home Office UPS features lithium ion batteries for longer uptime. While its pure sine wave inverter ensures only clean power reaches your devices, helping to prevent any damage that can happen when a power surge occurs.

If you’re not working, the 500W UPS is also powerful enough to keep your TV and DStv decoder running anywhere from two to four hours. Meaning the only tantrums you’ll hear during load shedding will be deciding what to watch.

And, just like our Fibre UPS, the Home Office UPS is extremely user-friendly. It offers plug-and-play installation, with 24/7 support just a phone call or email away – should you need it.

Vox puts weight behind black-owned fibre enterprise in Makhanda

Posted on 8 April 2021 by Diana Martins Prenner

Vox has given a shot in the arm to the development of communication infrastructure and services in Makhanda, formerly known as Grahamstown, in the Eastern Cape, with its latest Enterprise and Supplier Development initiative.

Vox CEO Jacques du Toit says that there is a growing body of research that connectivity has a direct impact on the economic prospects of a region. “Any investment needs to have a return, and the socioeconomic return of investing in communication infrastructure is compelling. We set out to support a secondary city such as Makhanda so that the population there can unlock the education and economic benefits made possible by fibre and world-class information communications technology (ICT) services,” he says.

Du Toit says that there is little merit in embarking on an Enterprise and Supplier Development initiative unless there is a clear strategy to benefit people and the region. “This is our third initiative, and so we have brought that prior experience into this 51% black-owned initiative. We identified local talent Vezi Zantsi and Thinus Jurgens and brought in skills to support them where necessary with the orientation that as they develop the enterprise, they will upskill the local talent,” he says.

The key, says Du Toit, is that the arrangement is not exclusive in nature. “Yes, we have enabled this initiative, and carry the hard start-up costs, but ultimately this entity is going to be free to supply and provide services for whomever they choose. That is real empowerment, and because they are internet service provider (ISP) agnostic, the people of Makhanda will be the ultimate winners. That was our goal – to make a meaningful black economic empowerment investment and support a secondary city, which in this case is largely dependent on students and tourism, which has been severely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic,” he says.

Zantsi says that the initiative has the potential to dramatically change the connectivity landscape of the city. “Vox has certainly given us the runway we need to take advantage of the opportunity to serve the people of Makhanda. The driving force behind the initiative is to build a long-term, sustainable company that will render technical services to ISPs and the community,” he says.

Jurgens, who is known to many in the business community in Makhanda, says the initiative has the potential to elevate the city’s capabilities to that of primary cities. “Frogfoot, a subsidiary of Vox, owns and will maintain the fibre network. Our opportunity is in doing home installations, and working with companies such as Vox, among others down the line, to provide a full ICT service to clients, bringing the city on par with the major cities in South Africa,” he says. “As we grow, there is an exciting opportunity for locals to be upskilled.”

Vox Introduces Cloud Mail to Help SA Business Reduce Email Costs

Posted on 3 March 2021 by Duo Marketing

Vox has announced the introduction of Vox Cloud Mail, an enterprise-grade solution that will help businesses reduce email costs by up to half, by charging them based on how much overall storage space they use rather than the number of users being added.

Traditional business email offerings are often based on paying for the number of mailboxes being added, with each mailbox being given a predefined amount of storage space. The reality though is that most staff only use between 30% and 50% of their mailbox capacity, with the platform providers benefiting from breakage.

“Vox Cloud Mail is a refreshing approach to email: we allow you unlimited email inboxes, and you only pay for the storage you use, saving your business anything between 30% and 50% annually on email costs. Even better, Vox is allocating their Fibre to the Business (FTTB) customers a certain storage tier free of charge,” says Craig Freer, Executive Head of Cloud and Managed Services at Vox.

All customers will be given unlimited mailboxes that can be self-managed. In addition, customers with a 10MB FTTB line will get 100GB free in email storage space, 20MB line will get 150GB of storage, and 50MB line will get 200GB of email storage.

For the top-end, this represents a potential saving in excess of R19 000 or more annually.

“In addition, if it is a standard migration – that is just a platform to platform sync, which in most cases it is – Vox will carry out the migration from your current provider to Vox Cloud Mail for free. This will be done by our skilled Managed IT services team that has over a decade’s experience in mailbox migrations,” says Freer.

The Vox Cloud Mail platform includes enhanced functionality such as self-management of individual mailboxes, allowing businesses to create an unlimited number of mailboxes and allocate storage to each one, and manage them accordingly. When businesses need more storage to meet their needs, they can simply upgrade to the next storage tier, with an additional 100GB of storage costing just R1,80 per month. Alternatively, they can contact the Vox Customer Centre to have all of this done for them.

Productivity and collaboration features in the solution include email access from anywhere, contacts, tasks, calendars, calendar sharing, file sharing and chat – as well as comprehensive administrative tools for organisations to manage all of this. Customers gain further value-added services including email security, email archiving, email branding and office productivity tools.

“Similarly, Vox will be providing their Fibre to the Home (FTTH) customers with free email on the shared Vox Cloud Mail domain. Each account will get five mailboxes for the family, with each user getting 5GB of storage space, which can also be upgraded. This is ideal for new users who are looking for an easy to remember email address rather than being forced to include multiple characters and numbers with their name, as is often the case with existing email providers.

Available in your area