Zoom Fibre launches cheapest fibre in South Africa

Zoom Fibre customers will soon see their fibre speeds at least double, with the fibre network operator (FNO) increasing speeds on its network without adjusting pricing.

Moreover, the FNO has introduced the cheapest fibre package available to South African residents — a symmetrical 15Mbps line for R247 per month.

In addition to introducing the 15Mbps package, Zoom Fibre has discontinued its symmetrical 10Mbps and 25Mbps packages.

Instead, existing customers on those packages will see their speeds bumped to 30/30Mbps and 50/50Mbps, respectively.

Pricing remains the same, with customers on the 30Mbps package paying R447 per month and those on the 50Mbps line paying R647 per month.

The free speed upgrades apply to Zoom Fibre’s entire offering. The rest of the package changes are as follows:

• 50/50Mbps migrated to 100/100Mbps
• 100/100Mbps migrated to 200/200Mbps
• 200/200Mbps migrated to 500/250Mbps
• 500/250Mbps migrated to 1Gbps/500Mbps

MyBroadband asked Zoom Fibre for confirmation of the speed changes.

The FNO confirmed that it has at least doubled the speeds offered on each package while pricing has remained the same.

It added that the speed changes aren’t promotional and will take effect permanently.

“The new line speed is aimed at providing better value at a lower price, therefore improving the experience on the Zoom Fibre network,” Zoom Fibre told MyBroadband.

“The new 15Mbps offering aims to drive internet connectivity in Zoom Fibre targeted areas.”

“This upgrade is evidence of our commitment to providing cutting-edge services that meet the ever-growing demands of the digital landscape,” it added.

South Africa’s cheapest fibre line

The fibre market in South Africa has shifted in recent years. Many FNOs have discontinued slower entry-level services while reducing the prices of faster packages.

While the prices of higher-speed packages have dropped substantially, they are still out of reach for many South Africans.

For this reason, operators like Vumatel, Openserve, and Frogfoot have launched lower-cost fibre networks in some townships, suburbs, and towns.

Called Vuma Reach, Openserve Web Connect, and Frogfoot Air, these network rollouts typically target underserved and densely populated areas.

Prior to the launch of Zoom Fibre’s 15Mbps line, the cheapest fibre service available on Afrihost’s website was Frogfoot Air’s 10/1Mbps package for R297 per month.

The most affordable Openserve Web Connect and Vuma Reach packages were priced at R329 and R399, respectively, both offering 20/10Mbps speeds.

Web Connect’s entry-level package is available cheaper elsewhere, with ISPs like Axxess and RSAWeb selling it for R299 per month.

Zoom Fibre’s introduction of a symmetrical 15Mbps fibre line for R247 per month further lowers the entry point for fibre Internet access.

A 15Mbps connection is suitable for at least two HD streams and online gaming, video calling, and general browsing.

Zoom Fibre’s new packages and speed upgrades are summarised in the table below. Prices are from Afrihost’s website and may vary at different ISPs.

Now read: Openserve has 1Gbps home fibre — why it costs almost R2,900 per month