Press Release:

Applications Open for the ISPA Inspires Educational Sponsorship 2025

Published on: 2025-09-01

South Africa’s Internet Service Providers’ Association (ISPA) invites applications for its “ISPA Inspires scholarship” for the 2026 academic year. Applications open today, Monday, 1 September, and will close on 30 September, 2025.

Visit the ISPA Inspires website for more information and to register and submit your application.

Sponsorship for the 2026 academic year will be awarded to one or more promising young candidates interested in pursuing a career in the ISP (Internet Service Provider) sector. Sponsorship is available not only for universities, TVET, and technical colleges but also for any institution providing accredited ICT training or sector-specific courses where there is an identified shortage of skills in South Africa.

ISPA Inspires is a skills development project by ISPA’s Social Development Working Group and is now entering its sixth year. Applications for sponsorship of enthusiastic future ICT professionals during their 2026 academic year are now open.

“ISPA is dedicated to building a skilled and innovative ICT workforce for South Africa. The ISPA Inspires sponsorship is a vital initiative that supports talented students and contributes to the growth of our sector,” says Aurora Vani, Chairperson of ISPA’s Social Development Working Group.

Who should apply:

South African citizens
Current or prospective undergraduate students enrolled for the 2025 academic year at a South African TVET college, university, registered private college, or registered higher educational institution
Applicants enrolled or planning to enrol in a field of study related to ICT (Information and Communications Technology)
Priority will be given to previously disadvantaged individuals.

Note: Postgraduates and students already funded by an existing bursary or scholarship need not apply.

Previous experience in the information technology industry is not a prerequisite for applying.

For more information, please visit ispa.org.za/inspires.

Further Information

For further information, please contact the ISPA secretariat on the Contact ISPA page.

FNO	Ratings	Overall average	Value	Reliability	Support	Technical	Comms	Staff	Business processes	Software Systems	Open access	Optimism	Promoting
123NET	1	3.1	4.0	2.0	2.0	4.0	1.0	6.0	6.0	2.0	3.0	3.0	1.0
Balwin Fibre	3	4.7	2.3	4.5	3.3	5.3	6.0	5.3	6.0	6.0	3.3	5.3	4.7
Clear Access	2	6.5	6.5	7.5	7.0	7.0	6.0	7.5	6.0	5.0	7.5	5.5	6.5
Connectivity Services Fibre	1	4.6	4.0	4.0	4.0	4.0	5.0	5.0	6.0	4.0		5.0	5.0
Dark Fibre Africa	24	5.8	5.8	6.3	5.3	6.5	5.2	6.3	5.4	5.3	7.1	5.5	5.8
DNATel	3	6.9	5.3	7.0	7.3	7.3	7.3	7.3	6.3	6.0	7.3	7.7	6.7
Evotel	4	6.1	6.3	6.8	6.8	5.8	5.0	6.3	5.5	5.3	6.8	6.5	6.0
FibreSuburb Networks	2	6.0	3.0	8.5	4.0	7.5	8.0	9.0	4.5	4.0	4.5	7.0	6.0
Frogfoot	30	6.3	5.9	5.9	6.1	6.8	6.7	6.9	6.7	7.0	5.4	5.8	5.6
Garden Route Fibre Network	2	5.5	5.0	6.5	8.0	8.0	8.0	7.0	3.5	2.0	4.0	5.5	3.5
Huge Networks	1	2.8	2.0	4.0	5.0	4.0	4.0	4.0	4.0	4.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Internect	3	7.0	7.0	8.0	8.0	8.5	6.0	7.5	6.5	5.5	6.0	7.0	7.3
Lightspeed (Cybersmart)	3	7.0	7.0	7.3	8.0	8.0	8.0	8.0	7.0	6.5	5.0	6.3	6.3
Lightstruck	8	4.4	4.0	3.8	4.4	4.0	4.0	5.0	5.0	4.8	4.7	4.3	4.7
Link Africa	17	5.9	6.9	5.8	5.1	5.4	5.1	6.5	6.0	5.3	7.3	5.8	5.9
Link Layer	6	6.1	6.2	5.3	5.5	6.2	5.2	7.3	5.8	6.3	7.7	6.2	5.8
Linteg	3	3.2	4.3	4.7	3.3	3.3	2.3	4.0	2.0	1.3	3.3	3.3	3.0
Liquid Intelligent Technologies	9	4.7	5.2	5.8	5.0	6.1	4.2	5.8	3.9	3.9	3.1	4.0	4.2
Mesh Telecom	2	5.7	6.5	7.0	7.5	7.5	5.5	6.5	6.0	4.5	3.5	4.0	4.5
Metrofibre	24	6.8	7.0	7.2	6.7	7.3	6.7	7.4	7.2	6.7	5.4	6.5	6.3
Mitsol	4	4.8	5.0	5.5	5.3	5.0	4.5	5.5	3.5	3.8	6.0	4.5	4.5
MTN	6	4.7	6.2	6.0	3.5	4.5	3.5	4.2	2.8	3.0	6.0	6.0	5.5
Netstream	2	2.1	2.5	1.5	2.0	2.5	2.0	3.0	3.5	1.5	2.0	1.5	1.0
Octotel	17	6.8	6.7	7.3	7.3	7.3	6.6	6.5	6.6	7.4	6.1	6.7	6.7
Open Fibre	2	1.5	3.0	3.0	1.5	1.5	1.5	0.5	1.5	1.5	1.0	0.5	0.5
Openserve	38	7.0	7.1	8.4	6.4	7.4	6.3	6.6	6.9	6.5	7.3	6.9	7.3
Purple Forest Fibre	1	6.9	7.0	9.0	8.0	8.0	6.0	9.0	5.0	2.0	8.0	8.0	6.0
Route Networks	2	2.0	2.0	3.0	4.0	4.5	4.0	2.0	0.0	0.0	0.5	1.5	0.0
Seacom FibreCo	5	5.7	6.8	5.8	6.2	6.2	5.0	6.8	6.6	5.5	4.0	5.0	4.4
Teralink Networks	2	0.3	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.5	0.5	0.0	2.5	0.0	0.0
Thinkspeed	5	5.0	4.4	5.4	4.8	5.2	4.5	5.2	5.0	4.8	5.6	5.0	5.2
TT Connect	7	6.0	6.4	6.6	6.0	6.7	5.3	6.3	5.7	5.6	6.4	5.4	5.4
Vodacom	8	4.1	4.3	4.6	4.0	5.1	3.4	3.6	3.6	4.6	4.6	4.4	3.5
Vumatel	25	6.0	5.6	6.1	5.3	6.3	5.4	5.9	6.0	6.0	6.6	6.5	6.0
Waterfall Access Networks	3	4.1	2.0	7.7	3.0	6.5	3.0	3.0	3.0	1.5	8.5	3.0	3.5
Zoom Fibre	3	7.2	7.3	7.0	7.3	7.0	7.7	7.3	7.0	6.0	7.7	7.3	7.0

FNO	Ratings	Overall average	Value	Reliability	Support	Technical	Comms	Staff	Business processes	Software Systems	Open access	Optimism	Promoting
Balwin Fibre	2	7.0	9.0	8.0	7.0	7.0	7.0	7.0	8.0	6.0	5.0	6.0	7.0
Clear Access	2	7.4	8.0	8.0	8.0	8.0	8.0	8.0	8.0	3.5	7.5	6.5	7.5
Dark Fibre Africa	28	5.0	5.4	4.5	3.5	5.7	4.6	5.3	4.4	4.6	7.5	5.2	4.6
DNATel	1	9.7	10.0	10.0	10.0	10.0	10.0	10.0	10.0	8.0	10.0	10.0	9.0
Evotel	4	7.5	7.3	7.5	7.5	7.5	7.8	8.8	7.8	7.3	6.7	6.7	7.5
FibreSuburb Networks	1	8.0	8.0	8.0	8.0	8.0	8.0	8.0		8.0	8.0	8.0	8.0
Frogfoot	25	5.3	4.3	5.6	4.9	5.9	5.6	6.0	5.6	6.2	5.0	4.5	4.4
Huge Networks	2	1.2	2.0	2.0	2.0	0.5	1.0	3.0	1.5	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0
Internect	2	6.5	6.0	7.0	8.0	7.0	7.0	8.0	6.0	5.0	5.0	6.0	6.0
Lightspeed (Cybersmart)	6	6.7	7.7	7.5	6.2	6.5	6.6	7.0	6.8	7.0	5.8	6.5	6.5
Lightstruck	5	6.5	5.6	5.8	6.8	7.3	6.3	7.8	7.0	6.0	6.8	6.6	6.0
Link Africa	9	6.8	7.8	7.1	6.8	7.0	5.8	6.9	7.0	5.8	7.9	6.6	6.1
Link Layer	3	6.8	7.7	7.0	7.3	7.3	6.3	7.0	6.3	6.3	7.0	6.3	6.3
Linteg	3	2.8	3.3	3.0	3.0	2.7	2.7	3.7	3.0	2.7	2.3	2.7	2.3
Liquid Intelligent Technologies	9	5.9	6.4	7.3	6.1	6.7	6.1	6.3	4.6	4.3	5.1	5.9	6.4
Mesh Telecom	2	7.9	7.0	7.0	6.5	9.0	6.5	8.0	9.0	9.0	9.0	9.0	6.5
Metrofibre	18	6.9	6.9	6.7	6.8	7.5	6.9	7.9	7.4	6.9	5.7	6.7	6.4
Mitsol	2	8.3	8.5	9.5	9.0	9.0	8.0	8.5	7.0	7.5	8.5	8.0	8.0
MTN	5	4.3	4.4	5.6	5.2	4.6	3.4	4.2	4.4	3.8	3.8	3.8	4.2
Netstream	2	8.1	8.0	8.0	9.0	8.5	8.5	8.5	7.0	6.5	8.5	8.5	8.0
Octotel	12	6.5	5.9	7.0	7.1	7.2	6.9	6.8	6.8	6.8	5.5	5.8	6.0
Open Fibre	4	5.7	5.8	5.8	4.8	4.8	5.7	6.3	6.3	6.3	6.5	5.0	5.3
Openserve	29	6.1	6.7	7.9	5.7	6.6	5.4	5.7	5.4	5.1	7.0	5.5	6.3
Purple Forest Fibre	3	6.8	6.0	8.0	7.0	6.7	6.7	7.7	6.0	5.0	6.7	7.7	8.0
Seacom FibreCo	6	6.2	7.3	7.2	6.3	7.2	6.7	7.7	7.2	2.5	5.0	5.4	6.2
Teralink Networks	3	2.4	1.0	2.7	2.0	3.7	3.0	4.0	2.3	2.3	0.5	2.3	2.3
Thinkspeed	5	6.3	5.4	6.3	6.0	7.3	7.5	7.0	6.8	5.4	5.5	6.3	5.8
TT Connect	6	5.2	5.7	5.8	5.5	6.0	5.2	5.5	5.3	3.6	4.6	4.6	5.2
Vodacom	9	4.2	4.6	4.7	3.3	4.9	3.8	4.8	4.6	4.0	4.0	4.1	3.1
Vumatel	21	5.2	4.9	5.3	4.7	5.4	4.5	5.5	5.4	5.4	6.3	5.2	4.8
Waterfall Access Networks	3	6.0	6.3	7.3	6.7	7.0	6.0	5.3	5.7	4.7	5.3	5.7	6.0
Zoom Fibre	7	7.4	8.3	7.7	7.4	7.6	7.7	8.0	6.7	6.1	7.1	7.0	7.3

FNO	Ratings	Overall average	Value	Reliability	Support	Technical	Comms	Staff	Business processes	Software Systems	Open access	Optimism	Promoting
123NET	2	5.9	8.5	8	7	6.5	5.5	5.5	5	5	4.5	4.5	4.5
Balwin Fibre	5	3.6	3.3	4	4	4	3.8	3.2	4	4	1.8	4	3.4
Clear Access	3	6.4	6.3	7	7	7	5.7	7	6	4.7	7	6.3	6.7
Comtel	3	7.5	8	8	7.7	7.7	7	8	7	6.7	7.7	7.3	7.7
Connectivity Services	2	6.4	5	7	7.5	7.5	7.5	6.5	5.5	4	8	5.5	6.5
Dark Fibre Africa	27	5.3	5.7	5	4.4	5.9	5	5.8	4.9	4.5	7	5.3	5.1
DNATel	6	5.7	4.5	6.3	6.3	6.2	6.7	6.2	5.5	4.7	5.7	5.7	5
Evotel	12	6.5	6.5	6.8	6.7	6.6	6.5	6.3	6.5	6.1	6.8	5.9	6.6
FibreGeeks	4	7.4	6	7	7.5	7.5	8.3	7.8	7.8	7.3	7.5	7.3	7.5
FibreSuburb Networks	3	6	6.3	7	7	6.3	6	6	4.7	3.3	7.5	6	6
Frogfoot	30	5.4	5	5.1	5.4	5.9	5.3	5.5	5.5	5.7	5.5	5.3	5
Gaia Fibonacci Fibre	2	5.8	7.5	6	6.5	6	6	6.5	5	4	5.5	5.5	5
Huge TNS	2	4.4	4	5	4.5	5.5	3	4.5	4.5	4	4.5	5	4
Internect (FairCape)	1	8.8	7	9	9	9	9	10	8	7	10	10	9
Lightspeed (Cybersmart)	5	6.9	6.2	7	6.8	6.8	7	7.3	6.3	6.5	6.4	7.5	7.8
Lightstruck	8	4.9	4.6	5	4.9	4.9	4.4	5.4	4.8	4.6	5.1	5	4.9
Link Africa	13	6.2	6.5	6.8	6.2	6.6	5.8	6.7	5.9	5.2	7.1	5.9	5.9
Link Layer	5	6.4	6.2	6.2	6.8	7.2	7	6.8	5.8	5.8	7.8	5.4	5.6
Linteg Fibre	1	2.6	3	4	4	2	2	5	3	1	2	2	1
Liquid Intelligent Technologies	15	6.7	6.5	7.5	7.1	7.9	5.9	7.2	5.6	5.8	6.8	6.5	7
meshTelecom	1	4.6	4	8	8	5	1	1	2	6	7	6	3
Metrofibre	22	6.5	6.7	7	6.9	7.2	6.6	7	6.4	5.5	4.8	6.4	6.4
Mitsol	3	6.4	4.7	7	7	6.5	7	7.5	5.5	5.5	7	6.5	6.5
MTN	10	4.8	5.5	5.8	4.4	4.9	4.4	5	4.4	4.6	5.3	4.3	4.8
Netstream	4	4.2	3.5	4.8	4.5	3	4.3	4.8	4.5	4.5	5	4.3	3.5
Octotel	17	7.1	6.8	7.8	7.4	7.6	6.9	6.9	6.8	7.9	6.2	6.5	7.1
Open Fibre	10	5.5	5.2	6.2	5.5	5.4	5	5.4	5.3	5.4	5.8	6	5.5
Openserve	38	6.6	7.3	8.2	6	6.9	5.7	6	6.2	5.9	7.1	6.1	7
Purple Forest	3	7	5.7	8.3	9	8.3	8	9	5.3	3.7	7	6.5	6.5
Seacom FibreCo	6	6.4	6.2	6.3	6.3	7	6.2	7	6.6	7.3	5.3	6.2	6.2
Teralink Networks	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Thinkspeed	9	5.2	4.9	5.5	5.6	5.4	4.9	5.5	5.3	4.8	5.7	4.9	5.3
TT Connect	7	5.1	5	5.1	5.1	5	5.7	4.8	4.8	5	5.6	4.9	4.7
Unifibre	1	9	9	9	9	9	9	9	9	9	9	9	9
Vodacom South Africa	7	3.7	5.1	4.6	3	3.9	3	4	3.3	3.3	4.6	3.7	2.9
Vumatel	24	4.7	5.2	5.8	4.6	5.6	4.5	4.6	4.3	4.2	5.1	4.2	4
Waterfall Access Networks	2	6.7	5.5	8	8	8	8	8	4		4	6	7
Zoom Fibre	7	5.5	5.7	5.4	5	5.8	5.4	5.7	5.5	5.3	5.9	5.1	5.3

FNO	Responses	Average	Value	Reliability	Support	Technical	Communications	Staff	Business processes	Software Systems	Open access	Optimism	Promoting
Baldwin Fibre	3	5.6	5.0	5.0	6.0	7.7	5.3	5.0	5.7	5.3	5.3	5.7	5.7
Bitco	3	6.5	6.7	7.3	6.0	6.0	5.7	6.7	6.7	6.0	7.3	6.3	6.3
Clear Access	5	7.0	7.0	7.2	7.2	7.0	6.4	7.4	7.2	6.4	8.0	6.4	7.0
Comtel	6	7.0	7.0	7.2	7.2	7.3	6.5	7.2	6.2	6.2	8.2	7.3	6.8
Connectivity Services	3	4.5	4.3	5.0	4.3	5.3	5.0	5.0	4.0	3.0	5.7	3.7	3.7
Dark Fibre Africa	27	4.9	5.0	4.7	4.4	5.4	4.6	5.3	4.1	4.4	6.9	4.8	4.7
DNATel	5	7.4	6.4	8.3	7.6	8.0	7.2	6.4	8.0	6.8	8.2	6.8	7.2
Evotel	9	6.5	6.0	6.9	6.2	6.3	6.2	6.4	6.4	6.1	7.4	7.0	6.7
FibreGeeks	6	7.4	6.8	7.5	6.8	7.3	7.3	7.7	7.5	7.2	7.8	7.5	8.0
FibreSuburb Networks	4	6.0	5.3	5.3	6.3	6.3	5.3	7.0	5.5	4.7	8.0	6.5	5.8
Frogfoot	32	5.6	5.3	4.9	5.5	6.0	5.4	6.1	5.6	5.8	5.9	5.5	5.3
Gaia Fibonacci Fibre	3	5.2	5.7	6.5	5.0	5.5	3.7	5.0	5.0	3.5	5.5	6.0	5.5
Huge TNS	1	1.0	1.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	1.0				0.0	0.0	0.0
Hyperhood	2	7.3	9.0	9.0	8.5	8.0	5.5	7.5	6.0	3.5	6.5	8.0	8.5
Internect (FairCape)	2	7.2	6.5	7.5	6.0	7.5	6.5	8.0	6.5	5.5	7.0	9.5	8.5
Lightspeed (Cybersmart)	11	7.1	7.3	7.4	6.6	7.8	7.0	7.1	7.0	6.3	6.4	7.7	7.7
Lightstruck	7	7.0	6.9	6.7	7.1	7.1	6.7	7.7	6.4	6.0	8.1	7.0	6.7
Link Africa	15	6.1	6.5	6.9	6.2	6.8	5.6	6.1	5.7	5.1	7.1	5.6	5.6
Link Layer	6	6.1	5.8	5.5	6.2	6.0	6.7	6.2	6.8	6.7	6.8	5.7	5.0
Linteg Fibre	3	3.2	4.0	4.7	3.0	2.7	3.3	3.5	3.0	3.0	3.3	2.3	2.3
Liquid Intelligent Technologies	16	6.1	5.4	7.0	6.7	7.0	6.1	6.1	5.7	5.0	5.9	6.0	5.8
meshTelecom	3	5.4	5.0	5.3	6.0	5.3	5.3	6.0	5.0	4.7	6.3	5.0	5.0
MetroFibre	25	6.7	7.0	7.4	7.1	7.1	7.1	6.9	6.5	6.0	5.7	6.6	6.5
Mitsol	3	7.3	7.7	7.3	7.7	7.7	7.3	7.7	7.0	6.7	7.3	7.0	7.3
MTN	5	4.2	4.6	6.4	3.6	3.8	2.2	3.8	4.0	3.6	5.7	4.2	4.2
Netstream	3	5.3	5.3	4.7	5.7	5.3	5.3	6.3	4.3	4.0	6.0	5.7	5.3
Octotel	19	7.4	6.7	7.7	7.5	7.6	7.8	7.3	7.3	7.9	6.9	7.2	7.3
Open Fibre	8	6.8	6.4	7.1	6.9	7.4	6.4	6.9	6.9	6.9	6.4	6.8	7.3
Openserve	42	6.7	6.9	8.4	6.1	7.2	5.6	6.0	6.4	6.2	7.3	6.5	7.1
Purple Forest	3	7.1	6.0	7.7	8.3	7.7	7.7	8.3	6.3	4.7	6.7	7.0	7.7
Seacom FibreCo	5	6.3	7.2	6.8	7.4	7.6	6.4	6.6	6.2	5.3	4.0	5.6	5.8
Thinkspeed	8	6.2	5.0	6.6	6.9	6.9	5.7	7.0	6.3	5.9	6.9	6.0	5.6
TT Connect	7	5.6	5.0	5.9	6.4	6.9	5.3	5.9	5.6	4.6	6.3	4.7	4.7
Unifibre	2	6.7	5.5	7.0	7.0	6.5	7.0	7.0	7.0	7.0	7.0	6.5	6.5
Vodacom South Africa	11	4.8	5.2	6.3	4.2	5.5	4.1	5.0	4.0	4.1	5.9	4.4	4.4
Vumatel	24	4.6	4.5	5.7	4.4	5.4	4.6	4.7	4.4	4.0	5.0	4.2	4.0
Waterfall Access Networks	3	6.3	4.0	8.3	7.3	7.0	6.7	6.7	6.7	4.5	8.3	5.7	4.7
WECOM	6	6.7	7.3	6.7	5.8	7.2	6.3	6.3	6.2	6.0	7.3	6.8	7.2
Zoom Fibre	9	4.8	4.6	5.6	4.7	5.2	4.1	5.4	4.9	5.1	4.7	4.9	3.8