How to choose the right fibre ISP
So, the trenches have been dug, the cable laid and a brand new FTTH connection installed at your residence’s boundary wall. Now all that’s left to do is choose your Internet Service Provider (also known as an ISP). But, with hundreds of service providers operating in South Africa, choosing the right ISP for your needs can be intimidating. Let’s take a look at some key considerations you should pay attention to before settling on a fibre provider.
Find out which ISPs are available on your FNO
The first thing you need to consider the ISPs available on your FNO. Hollywood Connect has partnered with the following FNOs in South Africa:
- Openserve
- Zoom Fibre
- MEtro Fibre
- Link Layer
If you’re not too sure what’s available in your area, head over to our fibre coverage checker and enter your home address. You will then be directed to a page listing all the packages available to you. If your address isn’t covered, you’ll have the option to fill in your contact details, and we’ll get in touch once fibre does become available in your area.
Support, Support, Support
Customer support at South Africa’s ISPs has come a long way since the dark days of ADSL. Gone are the days where you as the customer would have to deal with Telkom and your ISP pointing fingers at one another while you sat for weeks without a reliable connection.
Things are different nowadays. For one, there are fewer infrastructure-related problems. Fibre is lighter and far more durable than legacy copper lines. Copper also has a significantly lower tolerance for tension and is far more valuable on the scrap market. And while fibre isn’t indestructible, it’s far more reliable than copper.
That said, things do go wrong from time to time. Whether there’s an undersea cable break thousands of kilometres away from your home affecting your connection’s performance, or there’s an issue closer to home, it’s important that your ISP’s support team can quickly pinpoint these issues and escalate them to the necessary technical teams for resolution.
Here at Hollywood Connect our dedicated support team is available to support our customers 24/7 through the following channels:
- Phone: 087 093 6949
- Email: [email protected]
- Live Chat: Click the Hollywood Connect Logo in the bottom right of your screen to start a Live Chat
Alternatively, you can head over to this page and enter your details for a member of our support team to get in touch with you.
Cost vs Quality
While we all want the cheapest possible service, it’s important to weigh up the quality of a fibre service versus the cost. It’s tempting to look at the cheapest, fastest product available. No fibre product is worth its salt if the service is consistently suffering from prolonged dips in performance or disconnections.
It’s difficult to gauge the quality of a service before you’ve signed up. Fortunately, most ISPs offer month-to-month deals, so you’re not locked into a long-term contract. Not satisfied with the product? Switch to a new provider. With so many ISPs vying for a finite number of subscribers, the power has shifted significantly toward the consumer.
Bells and Whistles
As mentioned above, ISPs are doing everything in their power to woo consumers. If your ISP doesn’t offer a free Wi-Fi router or free installation, swerve them. Hollywood Connect offers both a free router and free installation across all our FNOs.
Additional pieces of hardware we offer at nominal costs:
- Micro UPS: Stay connected when load shedding hits with our mini-DC UPS. This device will keep your router and ONT powered during any power outages.
- Wi-Fi Extenders: Boost your Wi-Fi coverage across your home with our mesh devices. These create a distributed Wi-Fi network that covers up to 300m² to eliminate dead zones.
Ready to elevate your home internet experience? Get in touch with us and we’ll advise you on the ideal fibre product for your home’s needs.