We have received a great deal of emails asking us about Neotel ADSL, and below is pretty much what's up with that at the moment.
Currently Telkom is the only provider offering ADSL to consumers.
Neotel has a licence that permits them to provide last-mile services to the public, i.e. lay cables to your house, business or wherever.
Neotel has rolled out wireless services in various areas of South Africa as the capital outlay for a fixed-line network is massive, this Neotel has opted for wireless services based on CDMA and WiMAX technology.
Unfortunately we probably won't be seeing Neotel ADSL offerings in the near future until Neotel gain a substantial foothold in the market and roll out fixed lines to new, viable areas. Currently Neotel is laying fibre not only to corporates, but to gated estates and complexes as well.
As quoted from Neotel's site:
Neotel plans to introduce a variety of voice and data services (including high-speed-Internet and true broadband access services) for individual consumers and SMMEs in South Africa. Neotel will focus on converged wireless services, offering voice and internet access over a single device, thereby bringing convenience and simplicity in telecoms services. The converged high-speed Internet access and voice services are currently being piloted by Neotel, and will be commercially available in select areas of the major metros immediately following the completion of the pilot in early 2008. Neotel is also working towards rolling out true broadband services over various technologies, including wireless technologies such as WiMAX and wireline technologies such as DSL and fibre. Broadband services are targeted for introduction in phases over the year 2008. |
So there you have it - no Neotel ADSL at the moment, but it could happen in the future.
With WiMAX providing excellent performance and reliability it could well be a viable alternative to ADSL, although Neotel's WiMAX pricing at the moment is terribly expensive for not only home users, but the average smaller company as well.
As expensive as Telkom's ADSL is compared to the rest of the world, it's still more affordable than other options currently available in South Africa. |
