Frogfoot brings broadband FTTH coverage to Protea Glen, Soweto
Frogfoot Networks, a licensed open access fibre network provider, is rolling out fibre infrastructure in Protea Glen, Soweto, in a phased approach, with up to 20 000 homes and business standing to benefit from access to affordable, reliable broadband connectivity.
“Providing world-class connectivity has been the main driver behind this project, and we are excited to be the first fibre to the home (FTTH) provider in this area. Increased access to the internet can help improve economic growth in the region,” says Shane Chorley, Head of Sales at Frogfoot.
Earlier this year, President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed a Presidential Commission on the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), which will assist the government in taking advantage of the opportunities presented by the digital industrial revolution. Affordable broadband connectivity is critical to making this a reality.
Being an open access provider, customers stand to benefit from more choice and better service; with over 50 internet service providers (ISPs) operating on Frogfoot Networks, customers have numerous options when it comes to line speeds, whether they have a capped or uncapped account, data package sizes, and more.
A growing number of companies of all sizes are already making use of cloud-based services, tools and business applications to save money, improve the way they run, introduce new products and services to customers, and gain a competitive edge - without having to spend on getting their own IT infrastructure. Entirely new types of service-based businesses are being ‘born in the cloud’, spurred on by access to emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and more.
High speed internet is even changing household consumption patterns in South Africa. More people are watching video online, whether it is through their favourite YouTube channels, or from video-on-demand services such as Netflix or Showmax. Apart from using their mobile devices, the proliferation of smart TVs and media boxes means that they are watching online videos on big(er) screens too. Artists, content creators and entertainers are downloading and uploading large volumes of data daily.
Expanding fibre connectivity further means that more people have access to education, skills development, and training materials online - be it internet research for students' school work or even to complete online courses and gain certification from recognised institutions - and Frogfoot is ensuring that local education institutions stand to benefit from this infrastructure investment too.
“As with other areas covered by Frogfoot fibre, schools within the coverage area can apply for a fibre link as part of the company’s schools promotion campaign, which gives these institutions access to a free FTTH connection of up to 1Gpbs, with their preferred internet service provider, and we urge schools in the area to take advantage of this opportunity by engaging with ISPs,” adds Chorley.
The areas being covered as part of the infrastructure rollout are Protea Glen East and West, with work starting in the West. This region will be divided into 10 Zones, while Protea Glen East will comprise 11 zones. Work on the project is set to commence in early July, and it is expected that the first zone - covering about 1000 houses - will be completed by the end of September.
To see if your area is part of the Frogfoot FTTH network, go to the Coverage tab.
