{"id":120846,"date":"2025-10-14T06:37:20","date_gmt":"2025-10-14T06:37:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/120846\/"},"modified":"2025-10-14T06:37:20","modified_gmt":"2025-10-14T06:37:20","slug":"new-nokia-fibertime-deal-to-extend-affordable-fibre-to-400000-south-african-homes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/120846\/","title":{"rendered":"New Nokia\u2013Fibertime Deal To Extend Affordable Fibre to 400,000 South African Homes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Finnish telecom and technology giant Nokia has partnered with South African Internet service provider Fibertime to expand affordable broadband access across the country\u2019s underserved townships. <\/p>\n

The two companies have confirmed plans to extend fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) coverage to an additional 400,000 households, marking a major step toward bridging South Africa\u2019s digital divide.<\/p>\n

The announcement<\/a>, made on October 6, 2025, builds on a previous partnership between the two companies to roll out FTTH networks in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Gqeberha, Mangaung, and Stellenbosch. <\/p>\n

The new agreement outlines a large-scale plan to bring fast, affordable fibre Internet to township communities that have historically been left off the broadband map, as part of Fibertime\u2019s goal to connect two million homes by 2028.<\/p>\n

Under the terms of the deal, Fibertime will deploy Nokia\u2019s Lightspan access nodes and Wi-Fi 6-enabled fibre access points to deliver faster, more reliable broadband to township residents. To simplify installations, the company will also use Nokia\u2019s ONT Easy Start platform, which automates the activation of fibre modems and eliminates the need for on-site technician visits. This is particularly valuable in areas where logistics and accessibility can make installations difficult.<\/p>\n

In addition, the agreement introduces Nokia\u2019s 7750 Wireless Access Gateway, a key innovation that allows for a single Wi-Fi network (SSID) to cover an entire township. With this setup, users can move between homes, shops, or schools without losing their Internet connection \u2014 creating a seamless and community-wide Wi-Fi experience.<\/p>\n

Fibertime will also integrate Nokia\u2019s AI-powered network management tools, including the Altiplano Fiber Health Analyzer, which uses automation to detect and resolve network issues before they affect users. These systems will help the company manage rapid growth while keeping service reliable and costs low.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith Nokia\u2019s support, we\u2019re able to significantly ramp up the rollout of our low-cost, high-speed Internet service to underserved township communities across South Africa,\u201d said Fibertime CEO Danvig De Bruyn. \u201cNokia\u2019s automation and AI tools not only boost efficiency but also help us detect and fix problems faster, improving the overall customer experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

FibeAt the heart of Fibertime\u2019s expansion is a simple but powerful model: affordability. The company offers uncapped fibre Internet for just ZAR 5 a day (about USD 0.29) through a prepaid, pay-as-you-go system \u2014 no contracts, no debit orders, no credit checks.<\/p>\n

Once an area is connected, users can buy vouchers at spaza shops or through their banking apps, enter the code in the Fibertime app, and instantly get online. The company currently connects about 1,200 households a day, offering speeds of up to 100 Mbps, and in some areas, up to 950 Mbps.<\/p>\n


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This push for connectivity comes at a critical time for South Africa\u2019s broadband landscape. According to the government\u2019s 2023\/24 Communication and Information System yearbook, only 14.5% of households had fixed Internet access in 2023, far below the universal broadband target by 2030 set under the South Africa Connect policy. By targeting township areas with prepaid, low-cost fibre, Fibertime\u2019s rollout directly tackles the twin challenges of affordability and accessibility.<\/p>\n

Beyond South Africa, this rollout reflects a wider movement across the continent to expand digital access. Similar initiatives include Liquid Intelligent Technologies\u2019 fibre expansions, MTN\u2019s rural broadband pilots, and Google\u2019s Equiano subsea cable, all part of a growing movement to bring affordable, high-speed Internet to underserved regions.<\/p>\n

For Nokia<\/strong>, the Fibertime partnership strengthens its position as a driving force in Africa\u2019s broadband infrastructure, expanding its footprint in fixed access, IP automation, and AI-driven network management. For Fibertime, it provides the technological backbone to scale faster, improve service reliability, and deliver affordable Internet to millions of South Africans who\u2019ve been waiting for a reliable connection.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Finnish telecom and technology giant Nokia has partnered with South African Internet service provider Fibertime to expand affordable…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":120847,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[259],"tags":[67380,73682,61791,6931,3715,30310,18,73683,64140,73684,19,285,73685,73686,73687,73688,73689,17,12592,73690,3716,73691,5258,73692,73693,82,5645,73694,73695],"class_list":{"0":"post-120846","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-internet","8":"tag-affordable-internet","9":"tag-ai-network-management","10":"tag-broadband-access","11":"tag-connectivity","12":"tag-digital-divide","13":"tag-digital-inclusion","14":"tag-eire","15":"tag-fibertime","16":"tag-fibre-internet","17":"tag-ftth","18":"tag-ie","19":"tag-internet","20":"tag-internet-connectivity-in-africa","21":"tag-internet-expansion","22":"tag-internet-in-africa","23":"tag-internet-in-south-africa","24":"tag-internet-penetration-in-africa","25":"tag-ireland","26":"tag-nokia","27":"tag-r5-internet","28":"tag-rural-broadband","29":"tag-smart-networks","30":"tag-south-africa","31":"tag-south-africa-connect","32":"tag-tech-infrastructure","33":"tag-technology","34":"tag-telecommunications","35":"tag-township-connectivity","36":"tag-wi-fi-6"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/120846","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=120846"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/120846\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/120847"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=120846"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=120846"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=120846"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}