Fibertime aims to transform Internet access in township communities by rolling out fibre-to-the-home at just R5 a day, making reliable, high-speed connectivity affordable for the first time.

Launched by technology pioneer Alan Knott-Craig in 2022, fibertime has rapidly expanded, connecting 158 000 households in 30 townships across six cities in five provinces.

Over the 16 months to April 2024, a total of 10 000 households were connected to fibre, with 148 000 households connected in the past 12 months.

“We are connecting homes, with an active installed router, at a rate of 1 200 households every day,” says Knott-Craig.

Ultimately, the Stellenbosch-based company has short- and medium-term goals of connecting 400 000 households by April 2026 and 1.8-million by 2028.

The company does not track homes passed; instead, it tracks homes connected – which means that a home is connected to a fibre network and has an active router installed.

“This ambitious rollout is closing the digital divide and unlocking new opportunities for millions in previously underserved areas,” he says.

South Africa is one of the most unequal societies in the world, and this extends to connectivity, he explains, noting that, out of 17-million households in the country, around 80% do not have access to fast, reliable and affordable broadband.

“Our goal is to change that, one township at a time. We aim to unlock opportunities for education, jobs and growth by empowering families, youth and small businesses to take control of and shape their own futures.”

The company is advancing towards this ambition by installing fibre in every household in every township area it targets, with a pay-as-you-go fibre model that is affordable, accessible and resilient.

“Connecting fibre to every township household in South Africa is in our DNA. When fibertime launched, the model was simple: a free router in every home and fibre at a significant discount for households in South Africa’s informal areas,” Knott-Craig continues.

According to Knott-Craig, the biggest differentiator is the price of Internet access and the supreme flexibility, offering unlimited and unthrottled fibre-to-the-home Internet at a cost of R5 a day.

“Speed is not a scarcity on a well-designed fibre network, and thus prices should not be determined based on line speeds,” he explains.

Further, the single SSID on their network allows customers to walk around in the township and stay connected.

“It is like mobile, but uncapped and superfast. This is all part of the plan to revolutionise the way people connect to the Internet.”

The digital divide entrenches and worsens the already huge inequality evident across South Africa.

“People in townships are now able to work online from home and save hugely on transportation costs. For children and youth to be able to access online resources, and for entrepreneurs to engage with artificial intelligence as a business tool.”

Digital access helps keep young people occupied, off the streets and out of trouble. It also offers simple entertainment for families at home, who can now enjoy the benefits of a connected world in ways they never could before, he points out.

Knott-Craig says Stellenbosch University’s Bureau for Economic Research (BER) came on board at the start of the project in 2022, with a view to measuring the “educational and economic outcomes”.

The first report is due at the end of 2025 and should provide a clear and deep understanding of how bridging the digital divide can propel the growth path for individuals and communities.

“The opportunities are immense,” he says, citing e-commerce as an example.

“When you connect people to the Internet, suddenly you have created a much larger market for things like online platforms, be they large global entities or community-based operations.”

Knott-Craig says there is a clear business case behind rolling out fibre to township communities. Currently 1.1-million homes are under construction, with a further 800 000 in planning.

“Fibre, including infrastructure, is worked out per hectare (10 000 square metres) and there is a massive difference in population density between areas like Kayamandi and Umlazi and your Bryanstons and Constantias.”

“Your affluent areas will only have a few properties per hectare, whereas your township areas will have far, far more.”

He says the company is highly profitable, and has to be in order to attract the necessary investment to fulfil the vision of connecting every household in South Africa.

“We have a longer-term plan to connect eight-million households all across South Africa, but that is going to cost R40-billion.”

Botswana, Zimbabwe, the Philippines and Mexico are other potential new markets once South Africa is fully connected.