Top Questions SA Businesses Ask Before Upgrading Their Internet

Upgrading your business internet connection feels a bit like deciding whether to renovate your office or move to a new building. It’s exciting, full of promise, but also packed with questions. The good news is: if you ask the right questions now, the upgrade can transform how your business works instead of becoming a headache.

If you’re a South African small or medium-sized business looking at a move to faster fibre, LTE or a managed connection, this article is for you. We'll walk through the top questions we hear from business owners like you, unpacking each one with local detail and smart tips so you walk into your upgrade confidently. And yes, by the end, you’ll likely say, “Why didn’t we do this sooner?”

1. “Is fibre actually available at our address?”

You might be ready to upgrade, but is the infrastructure ready for you? In SA the first step is often coverage. Many metros have a good fibre footprint, but even then, there are “on-net” versus “off-net” distinctions. On-net means the building or street already has the fibre line; off-net means the provider still has to bring the line or perform civil works.

Providers like Vox list business fibre packages and coverage tools. They clearly state that if you’re on their network, you can expect faster setup. Other business fibre providers may require survey, installation and permit work depending on location. 

Tip: Before signing anything, ask: “Is our site on-net with yours?” If not, ask for estimated delays and what civil work is required (and who pays). That way, you won’t be surprised by a three-month wait when you expected two weeks.

2. “How long will installation really take?”

You might see a provider advertising “installation within 7 days” for fibre. But as any SA business owner knows, the reality often depends on several variables: duct access, municipal wayleaves, building approvals, and schedule backlog. For example, Vodacom advertises fibre deals with “installation within 7 days” under ideal conditions.

At the same time, many business sources note that where civil work is needed, waiting time can stretch significantly. 

What to ask your ISP:

• What’s the lead time for our exact address?

• Is there any civil work (trenching, permits) required?

• What is the interim solution if we’ve got to keep working while waiting?

If your business simply can’t afford downtime, you may want to ask for a temporary LTE connection while the permanent fibre is installed.

3. “What will the installation involve: permissions, civil work, landlord sign-off?”

If your office is in a modern business park with pre-wired infrastructure, upgrades are often straightforward. But if you’re in an older building, outlying location, or there are body-corporate approvals needed, installation can involve more than just plugging in a new router.

According to Centracom’s business fibre guide, businesses should check for: landlord/estate approvals, access to riser shafts, permission for trenching, cable rights of way, and whether the cost of civil works is borne by the client.

Here's a checklist for you:

• Building management (or body corporate) approval obtained?

• If trenching or road-opening is required, who covers the cost?

• Where will the ONT/router live? Is your comms room ready?

• When will cabling from riser to office be done, and by whom?

If these aren’t clear, you could get billed later for unexpected costs, or face delays.

4. “What service-level guarantees do I get, and do they matter?”

Speed is nice, but reliability is your critical measure. Your business may live or die on being online when you need to be. That’s where Service Level Agreements (SLAs) come in. Business-fibre providers often promise uptime percentages, response times to faults, and service credits if targets aren’t met. 

Providers caution that home or consumer plans may have weaker SLAs, more contention, and fewer guarantees. A good guide is to look for at least 99% uptime and ask about escalation. 

Key SLA questions to ask:

• What uptime % is guaranteed (and how many hours of downtime that equals per month)?

• What is the fault response/repair time?

• What forms of compensation (service credits) are available if the SLA is breached?

• What are the exclusions (e.g., municipal outages, third-party cable cuts)?

In short: don’t ignore the fine print. A cheap plan with no support might cost you more during that “critical hour”.

5. “What redundancy or failover options are there?”

Even the best connection can fail. In South Africa, extra risks like cable theft, load-shedding or infrastructure damage mean you should plan for a “what-if”. A lot of business internet contracts now include LTE failover or a second link. Vodacom offers a Business Internet Fibre product that includes free LTE while you wait, signalling that failover is already a standard thought. 

Using a dual-WAN router setup where fibre is primary and LTE kicks in automatically on outage is becoming a smart standard. Ask your provider if they offer: automatic failover, monitoring, separate paths (so the failover isn’t on the same path as your main link), and whether it’s included or an add-on.

6. “If fibre isn’t available, is LTE good enough as a main connection?”

In remote locations or new developments where fibre hasn’t reached yet, LTE (or fixed wireless) can do the job. Providers such as Vodacom list LTE business-internet options alongside fibre.

That said, LTE comes with caveats: signal strength, tower load, weather or power issues can affect performance. The recommendation: use LTE wisely: it's great for smaller sites, temporary offices or as backup, but if your business has heavy usage or real-time voice/video requirements, you’ll likely prefer fibre or a dedicated connection.

7. “Will existing services (VoIP, cloud, VPN) still work?”

Upgrading internet means more than just speed; it’s about supporting all the tools your business uses. If you have legacy PBX systems, SIP trunks, on-premises servers or heavy cloud backups, ask if your new line supports: static IPs, quality of service (QoS), symmetrical upload/download, and latency guarantees.

Business fibre plans often include these features (dedicated bandwidth, static IPs), which matter for VOIP or cloud usage. For example, Vodacom lists “Business Internet Fibre” plans that include static IP options and uncapped or symmetric bandwidth. 

If these aren’t addressed, you risk losing call quality or having slow backups.

8. “What equipment and who owns it?”

Does the upgrade come with a router, ONT (Optical Network Terminal), cable to your server room, and wireless access? Who owns it? Who supports it? Who replaces it when it fails? For fibre, providers like Vox clarify: “Dedicated fibre packages” give symmetrical service; ONT/router installation details are in their documentation. 

Questions for your provider:

• Will you supply ONT and router, or do we supply?

• What warranty is on the equipment?

• Is managed or unmanaged equipment included?

• Who handles configuration, firmware updates and support?

If you ignore equipment responsibilities, you may end up juggling extra bills or unsupported hardware later.

9. “What contract lengths, pricing models and hidden costs should I expect?”

Contracts for business-fibre often run for 12, 24 or 36 months. Longer terms often give better pricing. But word on the street: always read the fine print. For example, some providers' fibre terms detail cancellation fees if you cancel within six months. 

And don’t just look at the headline monthly price, check: installation fee, civil works costs, router costs, IP addresses, early termination penalty, bandwidth upgrades, contract flexibility. Some deals advertise “uncapped” but still have fair usage policies.

Tip: Get a comprehensive quote in writing with all fees, contract term, upgrade options and the “what if we move office or grow” scenario. Then compare apples to apples.

10. “How will my connection cope with cloud services & backups?”

If your business uses Microsoft 365, cloud backups, file sharing or video conferencing heavily, upload speed and connection stability matter. Fibre plans typically give symmetrical or near-symmetrical speeds (equal upload/download), ideal for backups. This is one of the big differences between home and business fibre.

If you skimp on upload speed or pick a highly contended or wireless line, your backup windows may stretch into the night, your team may suffer lag, and your cloud productivity may slow. Get clear data on upload, how many simultaneous users/application load, and check if the provider supports your business use.

11. “How do I compare quotes properly?”

Different providers use different terminology and offer different inclusions. We suggest checking for reliability, SLA, speed, support, and value-added services.

Here’s a quick quote-comparison checklist:

• Speed (download & upload) and whether it’s symmetrical

• Contention ratio / whether bandwidth is shared

• SLA details (uptime %, response/repair times)

• Static IP / number of IPs included

• Contract term & early termination fee

• Installation fees, civil works cost

• Equipment (router/ONT) and who supports it

• Failover options and cost

• Upgrade path (can I upgrade speeds easily?)

A cheap price may tempt you, but if it lacks support or falls over at 9 am, you’ll regret it.

12. “What support and monitoring will I get afterwards?”

A good connection isn’t just about the ‘go-live’ day. After installation, you’ll want support and monitoring: 24/7 helpdesk, fault escalation, proactive monitoring, usage reports, and ideally a single point of contact.

Business solutions should include 24/7 nationwide support and managing multiple technologies (fibre, LTE, wireless). 

When you talk to your ISP, ask: “What happens if we lose connectivity at 08:15 on a weekday? 21:00 on a Sunday? What’s your escalation process?” Clear answers signal seriousness.

13. Bonus: “What most businesses don’t think to ask, but should”

Let’s walk off the beaten track.

• Office move or growth? Ask: “If we move in 12 months, what is the process/cost to transfer?” Some contracts treat the new location as a fresh install.

• Speed “bursting” or cheap upgrades? Some plans advertise “upgrade in 24 months” but don’t mention extra cost or wait time.

• Uncontended vs contended bandwidth: On “business-fibre” you may still share infrastructure (e.g., 10:1 contention) unless it's “dedicated fibre”. 

• Power/backup at your router: Even the best connection fails if your office loses power. Ask about UPS for your ONT/router or whether your provider includes battery backup for the link itself.

• Future-proofing: With 10Gb-capable networks, ask whether your provider supports upgrades, and whether the contract or hardware locks you in.

• Transparency on outages: Ask for outage history, how they notified you last time, and how downtime was credited back (or not).

• Check building ducts and estate restrictions: In some estates or commercial parks, bodies corp or estate rules limit external cabling or excavations, which can delay installations.

• Work anywhere capability: If part of your team works remotely or from home, ask if the service extends or integrates with remote-access solutions, or if LTE/remote failover is part of the plan.

These are the questions many businesses overlook, but they separate a smooth upgrade from a stressful one.

Upgrading Your Internet is a Move, Not Just a Purchase

Upgrading your business internet in South Africa is not merely switching providers. It’s about enabling your operations, supporting your people, and future-proofing your digital presence. Whether you go fibre, LTE, or a hybrid managed connectivity approach, the key is asking the right questions before you sign.

Know what your building supports, understand installation timelines, check SLAs, ask about failover options, compare quotes carefully, and pick a partner who supports you beyond the sale.

Why Yolo’s Full Connectivity Offering Makes Sense

At Yolo Telecoms, we believe your business deserves connectivity that just works, whether it’s via managed fibre, business LTE, or both together for true redundancy. We guide SA businesses through upgrades like this every day, covering all those questions above so you don’t have to worry. We’ll check your location, walk you through lead times, explain your contract, monitor your connection and support you long after installation.

Ready to make the switch? Let’s talk. We’ll map out the best connectivity upgrade for you (fibre, LTE or hybrid), handle the details, and keep you online, productive and future-ready.

Contact Yolo Telecoms today and let us help you level up your business internet in a way that makes sense: no fluff, no surprises.

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