How fast is fast enough? DStv Internet answers your FAQs about fibre

DStv is not only bringing you Africa’s best entertainment, news and sports content, but has also moved into the world of internet connectivity. 

Through DStv Internet, it now offers uncapped, unshaped fibre packages that guarantee fast, smooth and more stable internet access needed to take online streaming and gaming to the next level. In fact, whether you use the internet to scroll social media, work, study or simply do routine tasks like shopping, banking and admin, a fibre connection will make the experience more enjoyable.

What is fibre?

Fibre cables comprise hair-thin tubes of glass that are bunched together. Light travels inside the tubes, carrying data at incredible speeds across huge distances. 

The technology was first used by doctors in the 1950s for medical purposes, adapted by engineers in the 1960s to transmit phone calls and, a decade later, the cables were being used to connect computers to early networks.

Now the world is connected by fibre cables that run hundreds of thousands of kilometres over land and under the sea, across the planet.

Why is fibre the best for streaming?

Fibre offers the fastest-possible connection speed when downloading and uploading large quantities of data; it's ability to handle unlimited speeds means that your connection won’t slow down over peak periods when you need it most.

Fibre is also the most stable type of internet connection since it's not affected by the weather. 

This combination of speed and stability is essential if you enjoy watching movies or series online, or if you work from home and spend plenty of time on online calls. 

How is DStv Internet's fibre connection installed?

A fibre connection requires a physical cable to be run from nearby street infrastructure, into your home. The DStv Internet installation team will plot the best, least obtrusive route for the cable and will likely drill a small hole in the wall to lead the cable inside, to a point of your choice. 

The fibre cable is connected to a palm-sized optical network termination (ONT) box, which is mounted unobtrusively on a wall. Since it requires power, this must be installed close to a plug point.

Next, you’ll need a router, which the DStv Internet team will deliver to you and set up; this will be connected to the ONT by a simple, supplied network cable.

Your router is your access point to the internet and creates a network that various devices can be connected to via wi-fi, or if they're close by, with network cables. To get the best speed and connectivity on devices like smart TVs and streaming boxes, you should ideally connect those to your router with network cables. 

Your wi-fi network can be named whatever you like and protected by a password, so that only the people you share the password with, can access it. Setting up your wi-fi network is a one-off process — then, for every new device you want to connect, you simply need to select the name of your network from the settings list on the device and enter the password to connect it.

So your wi-fi router connects to your ONT, which connects to your area’s fibre infrastructure, which connects to local internet servers, connecting you to the world.

How do I get a DStv Internet fibre connection?

The first step is to check if there are fibre cables running in your street. You can check by entering your address in the “Check Coverage” box on the Get DStv website. If you're covered, you'll be able to select the DStv Internet fibre package of your choice and complete your order online. The DStv Internet team will then be in touch to deliver your hardware and book a date for your installation.

If there's no fibre connectivity in your area yet, you can check if there's coverage for a DStv Fixed LTE connection, which uses the same cellular technology that your phone does, to connect you to the internet.

How fast is DStv Internet's fibre — and how fast is fast enough?

DStv Internet’s fibre connectivity is uncapped, unshaped and offers a peak download speed of 25Mbps (megabits per second) and upload speed of 10Mbps.

As a rule of thumb, streaming high-definition (HD) videos require download speeds of 2.5Mbps to 4Mbps to avoid annoying buffering and ensure a pixel-free, quality picture. Streaming 4K video requires a maximum connection speed of around 15Mbps. So, either way, DStv Internet’s 25Mbps/10Mbps speed gives you plenty of leeway to stream, work and play without stressing.

An uncapped fibre connection is one without a limit on the amount of data you can download (such as when streaming videos) or upload (such as when sending mail or WhatsApp messages). Every service provider applies a “fair usage” policy to connections, though, where users who abuse the system by uploading or downloading exponentially more data than others have their connection speed slowed to ensure that everyone else on the network is able to enjoy fast and efficient connectivity. 

“Shaping” of a connection refers to certain services being prioritised over others. So, for example, if you’re on a video call and someone on your network is trying to watch a YouTube video, their access to the video will be slowed slightly to ensure that you have enough bandwidth to run the audio and video on your call properly. An “unshaped” connection doesn’t prioritise access to one service over another, so everyone gets an equal slice of the connectivity pie. 

Which DStv Internet fibre package offers the best value?

DStv Internet offers a stand-alone fibre package to allow you and your family to connect to the online world. However, to give you more value and more epic content to stream, it has also bundled fibre internet and DStv's epic entertainment offering into one all-inclusive package — and added an exciting new gadget to the mix.

Priced at just R699 a month on a 24-month contract, this awesome bundle deal includes:

• An uncapped, unshaped fibre internet connection plus hardware; 
• A DStv Compact subscription, giving you access to 121 channels of local series, movies, cartoons and sports; and
• A DStv Streama.

The DStv Streama is an innovative TV box that uses a fast, stable internet connection to turn any compatible device into a smart TV. This means you no longer need a satellite dish to access the DStv content you love and can also stream a wealth of content from other streaming services.

And because DStv is all about making your life more convenient, there’s an option to include the additional subscription costs of streaming services such as Netflix, Showmax and Prime Video — all available as pre-loaded apps on the DStv Streama — to your monthly DStv bill, so you can cover everything with a single payment.

Get connected now.

This article was sponsored by DStv.