Constantia Network Upgrade

Dear Residents of Constantia

As a result of Frogfoot’s latest acquisition, we have identified the need to upgrade certain aspects of the Constantia network to ensure that it meets our high standards. As part of the process, clients may experience limited downtime while we transfer their fibre to the new network.

The upgrade will commence on the 8^th of May 2023 and all services need to be migrated by 9 June 2023. Should you have any queries or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact Frogfoot at 021 448 7225.

For more information about Frogfoot and our commitment to delivering high-quality network solutions, please visit our website at www.frogfoot.co.za.

Thank you for your continued support and understanding.

Regards

The Frogfoot Team

Frogfoot apologises for network outages

Dear Customer

Frogfoot Networks would like to apologise for the network instability that affected customers in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape between 25 May and 3 June, which has since been resolved in partnership with its vendors.

Frogfoot identified that the core routers in Cape Town experienced crash events on their line cards due to a software bug following a configuration change – carried out as part of its overall network design upgrade – causing regional connectivity interruptions. The same configuration changes were applied to core routers in Johannesburg and Durban successfully.

Frogfoot’s core team worked closely with technical specialist teams (JTAC and ATAC) and the company’s equipment vendor, Juniper Networks, in order to investigate the cause of the event and identify what was needed to address the issues, which proved to be more complex and challenging than originally anticipated. Some failures were the first of their kind globally. The fix included software updates, rebooting routers and replacing physical line cards.

As of 4am on Friday 3 June, the problem has been resolved and no services are currently impacted. Frogfoot Networks understands the impact on our clients, and apologises for the interruptions in connectivity. We are working closely with the same technical specialist teams at Juniper to mitigate against such issues in the future.

Frogfoot has seen improved stability after the software update in Cape Town, and will be scheduling this change in other regions for further improvements and standardisation.

Regards
Shane Chorley
Head of Sales and Marketing

Realising abundant connectivity through Open Access Fibre

Shane Chorley, Head of Sales and Marketing, Frogfoot Networks.

When it comes to Fibre connectivity, the concept of an Open Access business model is here to stay. It provides the most effective way of driving competition between Internet Service Providers (ISPs) while giving customers freedom of choice at affordable rates.

Under an Open Access model, the Fibre Network Operator (FNO) provides an infrastructure that can be used by any number of licensed ISPs. This creates a clear distinction between the responsibilities of both parties. The roll-out and maintenance of the physical infrastructure, for example, the fibre cables, are the domain of the FNO. The ISPs, in turn, are responsible for the value-added services offered on top of that, i.e. the internet access and support sold to the customer.

It is also why many operators in smaller towns are still clinging to a traditional approach that sees them providing both infrastructure and connectivity to customers. For them, it is about capturing an entire community from both FNO and ISP perspectives to eliminate any potential for competition. The implication of this is that things like customer service and product innovation will often be neglected.

The carrot they dangle in front of consumers and businesses with a demand for abundant, reliable, high-speed connectivity, is low rates. But once customers are on the network, there is little stopping the FNO/ISP from regularly increasing prices, leaving users with no choice but to keep on paying due to a lack of competition or alternative options.

Access done differently

With Open Access, the above-mentioned situation, where customers are stuck, with no other options, becomes at thing of the past.

Take Frogfoot Networks as an example. We supply fibre to over 140 ISPs on our national network. This means consumers and businesses can choose an ISP that delivers the value they are looking for at a price they can afford. The ISP has the benefit of getting access to fibre infrastructure at a standard price so it can focus on competing on quality, customer service, and value proposition. The FNO can commit to connecting as many cities and towns to high-speed internet with the ISP responsible for switching the customer on.

Of course, the challenge with this is that the FNO does not have a direct relationship with the end customer. It is very reliant on the ISP to provide and support customers with the service and sell the Fibre. Fortunately, the relationship between the ISP and the FNO is a mutually beneficial one. Each needs the other to deliver on their own strategic mandates to succeed.

Connecting South Africa

Because Open Access is becoming a more common practice, we see that larger FNOs may consolidate the smaller FNOs in time. The larger businesses will continue to roll out infrastructure throughout the country and will engage more with the ISPs servicing towns in remote areas.

But, this will not come without challenges. By taking fibre infrastructure out of the equation, a smaller ISP must now focus on expanding into other areas. So, while some might have only delivered wireless services due to a lack of fibre infrastructure, this is about to change, therefore requiring a rethink about their service offerings.

But ultimately, the focus remains on delivering reliable connectivity to as many South Africans as possible. Larger FNOs are investing heavily in this infrastructure and using Open Access as their go-to-market strategy. To this end, we encourage ISPs to partner with those FNOs who have embraced Open Access and provide a more compelling value proposition to customers.

Ready to take the leap and get connected with Fibre? Check for coverage here!