Best ISP and Broadband Service Providers in South Africa 2023

The push for more Fibre infrastructure by ISP providers leveraged a massive growth in South Africa’s internet speeds over the years. This lead to nationwide access to fast internet speeds for the people of South Africa. In fact, the best connections options are Fibre and LTE. If you need an internet connection at home, the Fibre connection is undoubtedly the way to go. But how do you choose when there are more than two dozen ISPs available in the country? Our editors here wrote this article to help you decide which are the best ISP in South Africa.

Out of the entire continent of Africa, South Africa is one of the most technologically advanced nations (and is still expanding). It is most evident when almost 60% of the internet traffic in Africa comes originates only from South Africa. That is most definitely mind-blowing! After all, 56% of the country’s population (equating to nearly 38.12 million users) has access to the internet.

Our comparison referred to MyBroadband’s Q4 2020 Customer Satisfaction Report and South Africa’s Netflix ISP Speed Index, which was last updated in April this year.

How to Pick the Best Broadband Service Provider in South Africa 2023

Choosing the best broadband or internet service provider is the same for everyone. It does not change drastically from one country to another. The main factors to look for are internet speeds, reliability, and after-sales customer support.

Download and Upload Speeds only tell half the story

Consumers look at the download and upload speeds of a fibre internet package. I know you are guilty of this because I know I am. Although internet speed is an excellent place to start, you should not base your entire decision on the download and upload speeds only. Internet consistency and fast customer support are crucial, too!

First, how fast your internet is nothing if not consistent. One second you are reaching the maximum download speed, and the next, you have no internet connection. You will get frustrated if this happens to you. This situation proves the importance of a reliable and consistent internet connection.

Your Location Matters

Each neighbourhood has a different available Fibre Network Operator (FNO). The availability of fibre connection packages depends on your location. Moreover, it also tells you how much per month you pay because it differs for every fibre provider. But the worst thing your area can tell is if fibre is available at all. If this is the case, you have to go with the more widespread but slower ADSL connection.

Go for Internet Freedom with Unlimited Packages

All of the packages we included in this include unlimited internet. Unlimited means you can watch movies and TV shows, upload unlimited photos to Instagram, or join video conferences at your heart’s content. But you have to be careful in choosing an internet service provider because some will say they offer unlimited or uncapped, but implement the exact opposite. What is their difference, anyway?

Uncapped, Unshaped, and Unthrottled

What does a fibre connection that is uncapped, unshaped, and unthrottled mean? Uncapped and unlimited should mean the same thing. However, some internet providers have a different definition for each word. Sometimes, some internet providers make your internet slower once you consumed a certain amount of data per month, but you still have an internet connection. In this situation, this internet connection is only ‘unlimited’. On the other hand, ‘uncapped’ means what people assume it precisely means – no data allowance and no internet slowdowns.

Unshaped has an entirely different meaning. It means that no prioritisation takes place. Have you experienced internet slowdowns when other people on the network are downloading or streaming? Well, the reason behind this slowdown is network prioritisation. If the internet is unshaped, everyone connected will have an equal internet bandwidth.

The practice of limiting internet speeds once you reached a data limit is called throttling. Most of the time, the internet speed at the end of the month is slower. Therefore, you should get an internet connection that is uncapped, unshaped, and unthrottled for the best internet experience.

Does the package include a free router?

Not all broadband packages come with a router. A router is an essential part of your internet because it manages all the devices in your network. Moreover, if a router cannot handle your internet bandwidth, you are wasting the internet speed you should be getting. It is always better to get a free router, especially when you don’t know the first thing about it. However, the included router is so horrible that you should consider replacing it immediately in some cases. 

Sometimes, the included router is not enough for a larger house which can cause internet dropping and weak spots. Using a wi-fi extender can help to prevent this from happening to you.

Beware of Upfront Fees

Aside from the monthly fees that you expect to pay, there are other expenses you should consider in choosing your internet service provider. The most common upfront fees are the installation and activation fees. For example, fibre internet requires a specific type of cable (fibre-optic cable) that professionals need to install. And you, as a consumer, have to pay for these services. In rare cases, the internet service provider will charge you for the delivery fee of the router.

Check Online Ratings for Customer Satisfaction

Online ratings help both the business and the consumers. Great business look at customer feedback for aspects they can improve on. Consumers also look at the customer reviews. While canvassing for any service, reading through reviews from customers gives you a helpful perspective. All the positives, the negatives, and whether the customer is satisfied are all there. Allot some time giving these a read. If you do not have the time, you can use this article as a reference.

Best ISP in South Africa 2023

Our editors made a list of the best broadband providers in South Africa. This article aims to clear any confusion about which is the best.

Cool Ideas: A Proven Pioneer in the Fibre Internet

Cool Ideas | Netflix ISP Speed Rank: 1st | MyBroadband Rating: 8.09 / 10

Considered as one of the pioneers, Cool Ideas is one of the firsts who offer fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) for the masses. Since then, Cool Ideas found this passion in providing people with ultrafast unrestricted internet and open access fibre. Right now, Cool Ideas expanded its internet offerings to businesses with the fibre-to-the-business (FTTB). It is worth noting that Cool Ideas also offer VoIP phone service.

Cool Ideas ranks first in Netflix ISP Speed Index and MyBroadband’s ISP ranking in South Africa. Although Cool Ideas did not score the highest rating of all the ISPs, it tallied the highest among large ISPs. It comes as no surprise because Cool Ideas have one of the fastest internet services on this list. You can check all of their internet packages below.

Cool Ideas Internet Packages Review

We all experienced running out of data. It is utterly frustrating when you need to use it. It runs out at the perfect time: when we need it the most. Fortunately, one of Cool Idea’s belief is that everybody should experience the internet without limitations and data cap. All Cool Ideas’ FTTH and FTTB internet packages are uncapped, unshaped, and unthrottled, staying true to their belief.

Furthermore, Cool Ideas give you the luxury to upgrade or downgrade internet speeds every month as you see fit. All their internet plans are only on a month-to-month basis which is a plus on our books.

It does not stop there as they include a free-to-use router conveniently delivered right in front of your doorsteps. As icing on the cake, Cool Ideas backs their affordable and high-quality internet service with world-class support.

If you are after insanely fast internet speeds, you better immediately get CoolIdea’s 1000/10 Mbps internet package for a discounted price of R1499.00. This promotion from Vumatel only lasts until December 2021!

Cool Ideas Internet Packages from Vumatel

MTN: Affordable Internet Data at Home

MTN South Africa | Netflix ISP Speed Rank: 3rd | MyBroadband Rating: 7.93 / 10

Arguably, MTN is South Africa’s best mobile network with their plethora of mobile plans and mobile data choices. If you need internet at home, you can use their fast LTE internet data to create a Wi-Fi network using a provided router.

MTN supplies their customers with the Sh@relink MF286R Fixed LTE router. To use MTN’s LTE internet as Wi-Fi, the use of this fixed LTE router is mandatory. The Sh@relink Fixed LTE router lets you connect up to 64 devices.

Netflix ranked MTN South Africa 3rd on their leaderboard, alongside Cybersmart. MTN ranked second with a superb rating of 7.93 out of 10 in MyBroadband’s customer satisfaction report.

MyMTN Home Internet Packages from MTN

Unlike all the internet packages on this list, only MTN offer LTE internet for home internet. Therefore, all of the internet plans below have a data cap. Where are their fibre internet packages? Head up to MTN’s Supersonic for fibre internet packages.

You might notice the Night Express on MTN’s data cap allowance. What is MTN Night Express? One of the reasons why these plans are so affordable is the night express. MTN provides its user with Nightime Express data that you can only access on a specific time frame – from past midnight to six in the morning. Although very inconvenient, I can see it perfect for students who are doing an all-nighter.

Our editors agree that the most affordable plan gives the best value. This package gives you 120 GB of internet data. It includes 100 GB of internet data that you can use anytime or at night express. The rest is for music streaming and MTN home bundle. What are inclusive in the music streaming and MTN home bundle? You can use the music streaming data on either Apple Music or Deezer only, while the MTN home bundle is for video conferencing apps like Zoom, Skype, etc.

Lastly, all of these internet deals include six months of Apple Music and an additional 20 GB of start-up data.

MyMTN Home Internet Packages from MTN

Afrihost: Pure Fibre, Pure Delight

Afrihost | Netflix ISP Speed Rank: 2nd | MyBroadband Rating: 7.85 / 10

The founding days of Afrihost are unlike any other internet service providers. Afrihost is the brainchild of three best friends: Gian Visser, Brendan Armstrong, and Peter Meintjes. They envisioned building a company without any corporate nonsense, which delighted their first customers. This excellent customer service continued until today, evident in the number of awards they garnered year by year.

Aside from the customer service, there are a lot more things from Afrihost that deserves some applause. Firstly, Afrihost offers internet packages free from lengthy contracts. Therefore, you are not locked in and can cancel anytime you desire.

Secondly, Afrihost has a double-money-back guarantee policy. You can try out their services for 60 days, and they will pay you to double what you paid if you are not satisfied with their services.

Lastly, Afrihost is one of the five ISPs who ranked second in Netflix. Furthermore, it ranked third among large ISPs in South Africa with an equally impressive customer satisfaction rating of 7.85 out of 10.

Afrihost Fibre Packages from Openserve

Afrihost offers both fibre and DSL internet to its consumers. Their packages range from 25 to up to 200 Mbps in download speeds. These packages are uncapped, unshaped, and unthrottled. So, you can use your internet connection extensively without the worry of data running out. Afrihost also provides a free router without any installation and activation fee.

Afrihost DSL Packages

If you want a more budget option, you can opt for their DSL packages starting at just R297.00. The speeds available vary from 5 to 40 Mbps. Like Afrihost’s pure fibre internet packages, these DSL packages are uncapped, unshaped, and unthrottled. Setup is FREE also!

Mind the Speed: Blazing Fast Speed that Users Love

Mind The Speed | Netflix ISP Speed Rank: Unranked | MyBroadband Rating: 8.59 / 10

Seasoned internet experts with more than 20-years of experience are the brains behind the quality service offered by Mind the Speed. With this extensive experience, they recognised what customers want most – speed, affordability, and reliability. 

Since Mind the Speed is relatively new in the game, they did not belong to Netflix’ ISP Speed Index. However, they have an off-the-roof customer satisfaction rating from MyBroadband of 8.59 out of 10. They even managed to beat Cool Ideas’ rating by 0.50. This high rating means that their customers are satisfied.

Mind The Speed Fibre Packages from Openserve

The offerings from Afrihost is similar to what Mind the Speed offers, with relatively the same price tags too! However, Mind the Speed one-ups its competition with some freebies they are giving away. With Mind the Speed, they give you a FREE voice account and FREE 10 GB cloud backup.

The fibre packages of Mind the Speed are uncapped and unshaped and are not subject to the Fair Use Policy (FUP). Thus, you can use your fast fibre internet to your heart’s content. Moreover, you will not be bound to a long contract with its month-to-month agreement. Mind the Speed supplies all their customers a free-to-use router that requires no installation fee.

Wirulink: Get the Fibre Internet You Only Need

Wirulink | Netflix ISP Speed Rank: Unranked | MyBroadband Rating: 8.26 / 10

Fast, reliable, and affordable are the three things Wirulink strives for. Wirulink always aims to give its valued customers a fast, accurate, and personalised service. To do so, this small ISP only use the up-to-date and latest technology without breaking their customers’ wallets.

Like Mind the Speed, Wirulink did not make it into Netflix’ ISP Speed Index. However, their customers love their service so much that they garnered a satisfaction rating of 8.26 out of 10. We included Wirulink here on this list because Wirulink and Mind the Speed have higher customer satisfaction than the leading ISP, Cool Ideas.

Wirulink Fibre Packages from Evotel

Wirulink offers a wide range of fibre internet packages starting from 5 to 200 Mbps. “Get what you need only” is what Wirulink aims to do. If you see yourself streaming videos more, our editors suggest that you get a faster download speed and a lower upload speed. However, if you need to use the internet for video conferencing, you need that beefy upload speed. 

Despite being uncapped and unshaped, all Wirulink fibre packages are subject to acceptable usage and fair use policy. Moreover, the listed monthly fees below include VAT. One last thing to note, the additional connection fee becomes FREE on the 13th and 25th months for the 12-month and 24-month contracts, respectively.

If you are interested in Wirulink’s wireless packages, you can go to Wiru’s page by clicking here.

Supersonic: MTN’s Insanely Fast and Reliable Fibre Internet 

Supersonic | Netflix ISP Speed Rank: Unranked | MyBroadband Rating: 7.16 / 10

MTN’s Supersonic gives a no-fuss-no-muss fast internet experience without weighing you down with a lengthy contract. Application for an account is quick and convenient, so you get fast and stable internet in no time. You can monitor your account using their supersonic WIFI app, available for download for both iOS and Android.

Despite being unranked in Netflix ISP Speed Index, Supersonic still receives praise from its valued customers. With a high customer satisfaction of 7.19 out of 10, MyBroadband awarded Supersonic the best ISP Award for 2019. 

Supersonic Fibre Packages

Supersonic has one of the most complete offerings among the ISPs on this list. They offer ten varied fibre internet packages, both symmetrical and asymmetrical ones. Aside from Cool Ideas, you can get an insanely fast 1000 Mbps internet plan only from Supersonic. Reliability is not an issue also because Supersonic’s fibre internet runs on MTN’s stable network.

All Supersonic fibre packages include standard fibre installation, ISP activation, a Wi-Fi router, on-site installation, and Wi-Fi coverage assessment.

MWEB: Fibre Internet at a Competitive Price

MWEB | Netflix ISP Speed Rank: 2nd | MyBroadband Rating: 6.1 / 10

Founded in 1997, MWEB is now considered one of the major internet service providers in South Africa. MWEB offers fast and competitively-priced ADSL, LTE, and Fibre internet packages. Due to this, more than 350,000 Afrikaners chose MWEB for their internet needs.

MWEB managed to rank second in Netflix ISP Speed Index. Moreover, the customer service from MWEB is on par with its competitor despite being rated at only 6.1 out of 10. Although its customer satisfaction rating is slightly lower than the ISPs prior, Ask Africa Orange Index recognised MWEB as South Africa’s Best Customer Service ISP three times in a row!

MWEB Fibre Internet Packages

MWEB’s fibre offerings are short and simple to prevent confusing its customers. Our editors believe that the starting fibre package is particularly competitive priced only at R399.00. Moreover, their 1 Gigabit per second fibre internet is the cheapest ultrafast fibre internet package on this list. You will never go wrong choosing MWEB as an internet service provider. One thing left to note is it is not currently available in some areas of South Africa. 

Final Verdict

Based on the various online reviews and information available, our editors can confidently say that Cool Ideas, MTN, and Afrihost currently offer the best broadband service in South Africa. However, there are some new internet service providers on the rise, such as MWEB. If you plan on getting fibre internet with a 1 Gbps download speed, MWEB is worth looking at! Otherwise, Cool Ideas is your safest bet.

MoneyToday

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MoneyToday South Africa is a financial website aims to assist consumers with comprehensive information on personal finance, loans, insurance, investment opportunities, financial guides, tips and comparison of a large number of finance and insurance companies on the South African market.

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