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Johannesburg - Telecommunications company Telkom plans to start selling its internet services over rival Vumatel’s fibre network.
Vumatel, which offers an alternative to Telkom’s ADSL networks, has grown quickly since first connecting upmarket Johannesburg suburb Parkhurst in 2014.
Vumatel has previously said it plans investing R3bn in its network and connecting 100 000 homes in 2016.
Meanwhile, Vumatel has also received financial injections from the likes of Investec and Standard Bank as it races to connect more suburbs in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
Telkom, though, has its own fibre build ambitions as the company has said its fibre network now passes 81 000 homes and that it aims to connect one million homes by 2018.
Telkom’s move then to partner with Vumatel is aimed at reaching areas where Telkom says its network doesn’t pass through.
“Through Vumatel’s fibre network we will offer our products and services to our customers in over 21 new suburbs across Gauteng,” said Telkom Retail CEO Attila Vitai.
“It makes commercial sense to leverage the networks of other open access fibre network providers to ensure that our customers in these areas can be served immediately,” said Vitai.
Vumatel CEO Niel Schoeman said he welcomes the move.
“We welcome Telkom Retail as a new service provider on the Vumatel network and believe their depth of experience in this industry will certainly benefit the consumer,” said Schoeman in a statement.
