Press Release:

How do ISPs Rate South Africa’s Fibre Network Operators?

Published on: 2023-09-05

Openserve, Metrofibre and Octotel are the fibre network operators (FNOs) most positively viewed by internet service providers (ISPs) responding to an FNO perception survey conducted by the Internet Service Providers’ Association (ISPA).

A total of 48 ISPs provided input to ISPA, which is focusing on ensuring that there is a smooth working relationship between FNOs and ISPs underpinned by open access principles that allow South Africans a choice of providers.

For the FNOs that were rated by more than ten ISPs, the following results stood out:

Openserve scored the highest for value for money (7.1), reliability (8.4), technical proficiency (7.4), optimism about the future (6.9) and likelihood of recommending the network to other ISPs (7.3).
Metrofibre had the highest scores for friendliness of staff (7.4) and business processes (7.2).
Octotel came in on top for support (7.3) and software systems (7.4).
Two operators, Openserve and Link Africa, shared the highest score (7.3) for adhering to open access principles, while Metrofibre and Frogfoot tied for best communications (6.7).

ISPA asked its members to rate each FNO based on a number of metrics, with scores from 0-10. The table below shows the average scores across all metrics for the FNOs rated by more than ten ISPs:

FNO	Average score
Openserve	7.0
Metrofibre	6.8
Octotel	6.8
Frogfoot	6.3
Vumatel	6.0
Link Africa	5.9
Dark Fibre Africa	5.8

Overall, ISPs rated the technical proficiency, reliability and staff of FNOs the highest, while poor support and communications tended to drag down the scores. FNOs rated by fewer ISPs generally scored lower overall scores, but Link Layer (6.1) and TT Connect (6.0) both fared well overall and were rated by more than five ISPs.

For the full table of results, click here.

ISPA has spent the last year engaging with its members and FNOs to develop a set of Fibre Network Operator and Internet Service Provider Best Practice Recommendations designed to ensure that FNOs and ISPs work together to deliver seamless, cost-effective fibre-based internet services to South Africans. These recommendations are being finalised and will be released shortly.

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