{
  "id": 9308875,
  "title": "Can shared and prepaid fibre make township connectivity more affordable?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/can-shared-and-prepaid-fibre-make-township-connectivity-more",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-23T10:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "IOL",
    "slug": "iol",
    "url": "https://iol.co.za/sunday-tribune/news/2026-09-23-can-shared-and-prepaid-fibre-make-township-connectivity-more-affordable/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "South Africa remains home to millions of homes without fibre or high-speed fixed internet access. Despite increasing fibre backbones and mobile coverage, only 14.5% of homes have fixed internet access according to ICASA's State of the ICT Sector Report. Disparities exist across provinces, with Mpumalanga lagging significantly at just 3.1%. Conventional fibre rollouts tend to focus on more advantaged areas, leaving lower-income communities behind. The main obstacle is affordability and access, as people with limited incomes and irregular cash flow prioritize basic needs over connectivity. Meaningful connectivity is crucial for businesses, work, and education. Pricing flexibility is essential to attract people and expand their potential.\n\nCommunity stories from Southfield, Cape Town, demonstrate how shared and prepaid fibre can make township connectivity more affordable. A landlord, after learning about routers and their capabilities, implemented a business model to provide fibre access to multiple tenants. By dividing the monthly subscription fee of R265 among residents and adding a small surcharge to their rent, every person on his property gained access to fibre at a fraction of the traditional cost. This innovative approach addressed issues like the Faraday cage effect in shacks and turned new subscribers into advocates, driving better customer retention and organic growth.\n\nOperators must shift their focus towards education and flexible access models to maximize connections in areas lacking stability. By teaching locals about the benefits of fibre, they become more likely to invest in and benefit from the network. This approach not only improves connectivity but also fosters community relationships. In conclusion, when ingenuity and flexibility combine, South Africa can transform its connectivity challenge and potentially connect the millions of people still without access. Sandile Mkhwanazi, Head of Community Relations at Frogfoot RISE, emphasizes that the true value of fibre lies in its lived impact on people's lives.",
  "summary": "Millions of South African households remain without fixed broadband. Flexible pricing, shared connections and community education could help fibre operators reach underserved communities.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}