Our most frequently asked questions!

Hey there, welcome to our frequently asked blog post, if you’re reading this, there’s a real chance that you might have a question about us or about your internet. If you cannot find the answer that you are looking for please don’t hesitate to contact your nearest branch.

Let’s not waste any time and jump straight into it!

Q: Who is Herotel?

Herotel began its journey in 2014 by consolidating 33 independent internet companies that covered more than 500 small towns across South Africa.

These companies united around a common cause, a burning desire to bring world-class  Internet to small towns and rural areas. Today, we have already built fibre to more than 100 000 homes and connect thousands more through our wireless internet products.

Q: How do you build your fibre networks?

 

Q: Will Herotel employ locally when they come and build fibre in my town?

Yes, we are committed to sourcing as much local labour as possible for the general civil work associated with building the feeder network, after which we will finish the project with our specialised telecommunications teams that mostly reside locally. We believe that it is very important to be close to our customers, which is why we will continue to serve the community out of our regional offices where we permanently employ local residents.

Q: What is the first step to building a fibre network?

The first step in building a fibre network is constructing a feeder network that will connect your town to the national fibre network, which needs to be trenched into the town. A feeder network can best be described as the fibre highway that runs through the centre of town, from which we create off-ramps into the suburbs that connects homes and small businesses. The feeder network and the road crossings are the only two aspects that we need to bury under the ground, the rest of the network is in the air.

Q: Is Herotel licensed to build and manage fibre networks?

Herotel is a licensed telecommunications company. These licences are issued by ICASA. Herotel holds both an ECNS and an ECS licence from ICASA, which are both required in order to legally build and sell telecommunications services.

Our ECN licence gives us the right of servitude to build the network in the mid-block in the absence of any restrictions promulgated in law. We must, and do, arrange access to these properties in a respectful manner. We will use this method to provide an affordable fibre network to your town. We consult with the homeowners to determine the optimal pole location, and poles will only be installed on an appointment basis. Herotel teams will engage with residents to arrange permission to access properties in order to plant poles.

Q: How does Herotel go about getting these “telephone” poles planted and what community engagement is undertaken?

Our teams will move through the suburbs engaging directly with residents, during which time they answer any questions or concerns that homeowners might have. Although we have a licence to build the network (ECN), we require and want to access the properties respectfully, and we look for like-minded residents who will willingly give us access to their property to speed up the process. Our team members are employed by Herotel and will be clearly identifiable with security tags and by the uniform and branded vehicles that they drive. The team will also arrange information-sharing days in town.

Q: Do these “telephone” poles look like the old Telkom/Eskom poles?

No, they are much smaller and can easily be hidden in your backyard in the telecommunications servitude. They are rarely visible from the street.

Q: What does a fibre network do to property values?

Studies have shown that the presence of a fibre network increases property values over the long term. Access to high-speed broadband across the wider community will enable more citizens to enter the digital economy. The ability to run a business, entertain your family or learn from home is just around the corner. Herotel plans to assist communities to narrow the digital divide and to help your municipality deliver on the economic promises of the 4th industrial revolution (4IR).

Q: Can fibre make me sick?

No, there is no scientific evidence that fibre can make you sick. In the case of fibre, this is especially true as the data is transmitted as light signals within the fibre cable. Fibre cables do not emit radio waves.

Q: What is the difference between 5G and fibre? 

They are very different technologies in how they connect you to the internet. 5G uses radio waves for sending and receiving data, which means that it is being broadcast over a distance and then received by radios. Fibre uses light to transmit data through fibre optic cables, which means that the connectivity stays within the cable and cannot transmit or broadcast outside of it. In short, fibre directly plugs you into the internet while 5G creates a broadcast zone that you connect to over the radio spectrum.

Q: Is there a difference between the fibre cables used under and above the ground?

No, it’s the exact same fibre cables that are used for both. We just choose to build them above the ground (when we build between homes), and not underneath it. It delivers the exact same speed and quality.

Q: Who should residents contact at Herotel if they have questions or concerns with the process, or if they would like to find out more about the fibre project or pricing? 

Please contact the team here for further information.