ADSL’s Funeral March: The Slow Death of South Africa’s Internet Infrastructure
[Image: A graphic representation of a hearse carrying a coffin with a broken ADSL modem, symbolizing the end of an era]
As we mourn the impending demise of ADSL, the once-mighty Telkom’s legacy copper digital subscriber line network, it’s hard not to wonder: what happened to the good old days when the internet was slow, but at least it was stable?
According to Althon Beukes, CEO of Openserve, the writing is on the wall. In an exclusive interview with TechCentral, Beukes revealed that the last nails are being hammered into the ADSL coffin, with the company expected to drop the technology within the next two years.
[Image: A chart showing the drastic decline of ADSL customers over the years]
At its peak in 2017, Telkom boasted a staggering one million ADSL customers. Fast-forward to today, and that number has plummeted to a paltry 60,000. Beukes admits that the company missed the boat in converting its vast subscriber base to fibre, instead allowing the majority to abandon ship for faster, more reliable options like fixed-wireless and fibre networks.
[Image: A picture of a broken ADSL modem with a caption: "The technology that was once the backbone of South Africa’s internet infrastructure is now on life support"]
So, why are business and government clients still clinging to ADSL like a dying breed? According to Beukes, it’s often a case of sentimentality, with these clients attached to their trusty old numbers and reluctant to switch to more modern alternatives.
[Image: A picture of a fibre-optic cable with a caption: "The future of internet infrastructure is here, and it’s a lot faster than ADSL"]
But what about the costs of maintaining these legacy copper lines? Beukes points out that ADSL has 10 times the number of faults compared to fibre, making it a costly and labor-intensive affair. By cutting loose from ADSL, Openserve is not only freeing up resources but also paving the way for a more efficient, high-speed future.
As the curtain closes on ADSL’s tumultuous reign, one thing is clear: the internet landscape is forever changed. And for better or for worse, it’s time to bid farewell to the good old days and embrace the fast-paced world of fibre and beyond.
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