Uncapped Wi-Fi for R89 a month? Government funding helps Gauteng start-up aim for this goal

The Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), an entity of the department of science and innovation, is funding a Gauteng-based start-up that is developing an antenna-based internet solution for low-income communities.

FibrePoynt (Pty) Ltd plans to deliver a system at a lower cost than currently possible.

The agency explained that FibrePoynt enables the rollout of fixed wireless broadband network without trenching underground fibre in the last-mile connection to homes — reducing infrastructure costs by more than 50%.

To roll it out to individuals, the company launched HomePoynt, a derivative product spun out of its core wireless technology.

HomePoynt is described as a last-mile connectivity solution that has the potential to bring down internet costs to as low as R89 a month for uncapped Wi-Fi.

“The technology has been developed with a key focus on townships, peri-urban and small towns thus closing digital divide in underserved areas. HomePoynt connects users to broadband core networks in a peer-to-peer set-up and provides wireless internet service for homes and public areas, where there is already backhaul coverage but no end-user access.”

Pilot projects have been carried out and the aim now is to embark on a mass rollout of the product with help from the private sector.

Local entrepreneurs will be offered the opportunity to operate and roll out the network to their respective communities, said the department's tech agency.

Sipho Dikweni, portfolio commercialisation manager at the TIA, said: “Local empowerment is the critical antidote to socio-economic ills. We call upon follow-on funders and network operators to support the full-scale commercialisation of this exciting and impactful technology.”

FibrePoynt said it has developed an internet service provider (ISP) model, termed Kasiwave, transferring the skills to the local communities to build and maintain the network infrastructure. The goal is to ensure that 20% of the revenue generation remains in the local communities.

How it works:

TimesLIVE