DESPATCH residents and businesses can now enjoy internet speeds of up to 100Mbps with the new world-class fibre network that Herotel IGEN has started connecting.
The first customers have been connected to internet with this fibre network that is faster, more reliable and offered at prices far lower than ADSL, wireless or LTE.
“Simply put, it is a game-changing internet technology,” said Phillip Olivier, general manager of Herotel IGEN.
“The Despatch fibre network represents a technological investment into the local community by a local company , which will improve access to education, entertainment and open up new business opportunities.
“As a further bonus to homeowners, it has been proven that access to fibre increases the value of properties over time.’’
The network will be built in sections, which means some parts will be available before others. Parts of Despatch CBD have been switched on and the network will progressively be rolled out to the other suburbs of the town.
“Herotel has opted to construct an aerial fibre network that is strung mostly along poles in the servitude of the mid-block between homes (along the boundary walls).
“This is the preferred deployment methodology of large telecommunications companies like Verizon in the United States and British Telecoms in the UK,” said Olivier.
Putting the fibre optic cables in the air has numerous cost saving benefits to Despatch residents.
“A further upside for homeowners is that there is almost no need to dig up the streets or pavements in front of houses, as many other companies choose to do. The limited amount of trenching that was required has already been completed by our project team and we don’t foresee any major work in the pavements going forward,” said Olivier.
Olivier, who is from Port Elizabeth, is proud that the fibre network is locally-owned and maintained.
“We are building the network with our own hands, using local labour sourced from the local community, as well as local suppliers, with no need to import contractors or labour from outside the region.
“Our clients can contact our local office directly without going through an ISP which acts as an unnecessary middleman. For sales and support you will not need to deal with a national call centre that might be based in Johannesburg or Cape Town. You will talk to people from the area, real people who know where Despatch is and what the community stands for.”
During the further rollout in Despatch, Herotel IGEN is also offering an additional perk to homeowners.
“Our team members, dressed in uniform, will be approaching residents to plant poles within the servitude on their property boundary line. In gratitude for granting us access to plant a pole in the servitude of their property, we will be offering a limited special promotion to those residents who assist us first,” said Olivier.
- For more information see the advertisement on the front page of this week’s UD Express.
