As a result, the partnership will enable Fibertime to connect 1.5 million new customers using Nokia’s Lightspan FX Optical Line Terminals (OLTs) and Wi-Fi 6-enabled Optical Network Terminals (ONTs).
The fibre expansion will begin in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Gqeberha, Mangaung and Stellenbosch, with plans to extend into additional countries and communities.
As part of the agreement, Fibertime will deploy 500,000 Nokia Wi-Fi 6-enabled ONTs over the next three years, prioritising underserved homes.
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This comes as less than 85% of South Africans have access to high-speed broadband, leaving many dependent on expensive mobile data plans that cost up to 70 times more per gigabyte than fibre.
According to the telecoms giant, the move will deliver affordable, reliable pay-as-you-go broadband, opening new opportunities for local communities in education, employment and business.
Nokia president of fixed networks, Sandy Motley, said: “Nokia’s fibre solution is uniquely positioned to help Fibertime reach millions of underserved customers needing high-speed broadband for essential services like online education and telehealth.
“Our scalable OLT portfolio provides flexible coverage for both densely populated and rural areas. Paired with our Wi-Fi 6-enabled ONTs, we enable fast, automated onboarding. Together, these solutions allow Fibertime to speed up deployments and provide the capacity to bring thousands of customers online at once.”
Fibertime, founder, Alan Knott-Craig added: “With Nokia’s support, we’re confident in our ability to reach 1.5 million homes within the next five years. We’re unlocking a massive, untapped market of 13 million homes in South Africa that are ready for affordable, quality internet.
“That market will need approximately R60billion of investment over the coming decade and will generate reliable returns for investors. The market opportunity is akin to that presented to mobile operators when they expanded into prepaid markets. Together with Nokia, we can bridge the digital divide, accelerate growth, and create lasting social and economic impact across South Africa.”
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