South African businesses will soon have true high-speed Internet access no matter where they are, says Dederick Venter of @lantic, the consumer Internet service provider within the Vox Telecom group.

“Home users and businesses in smaller towns and rural areas have been deprived of many of the benefits of the Internet for too long,” says Venter. “Connectivity provides a solution to one of mankind’s most basic needs, communication, and the South African market has been neglected long enough.”

“With new developments in satellite technologies, people no longer have to simply accept the fact that there is a shortage of ADSL infrastructure expansion or the relative slow speeds and high cost of data transmitted via the cellphone networks -- assuming there is coverage,” Venter continues.

Until now, satellite solutions could cost thousands of rands a month, says Venter. “From August this year, @lantic customers will have access to YahClick, an affordable broadband satellite service. What distinguishes YahClick from current satellite services is that it makes use of high power Ka-band spot beams – while this sounds rather technical, it simply means more bandwidth, smaller dishes and lower cost to the end user.  Speeds will range from 512kbps to over 15Mbps.  The entry level product offers broadband access at less than R200 per month.”

The YahClick offering is a partnership between the Vox Telecom Group and the Middle East's leading satellite service provider, Abu Dhabi-based Yahsat, who picked up a highly coveted SatCom Star Award for the ‘Most Innovative Product/Service for Africa’ this month.

“The service will cover most of South Africa.  This is the ideal solution for farms, game lodges, ecotourism operations and any other users that are ‘off the grid’ for other broadband options,” says Venter.

“It’s also a great back-up option for people who normally rely on an ADSL line without the risk of down-time due to cable theft,” he adds. “And the waiting time for a connection is much, much shorter. Instead of waiting several weeks or months, our customers will be able to get high-speed surfing within days.”