Open-access metro fibre — Link Africa is an open-access network famous for threading fibre through municipal sewer and stormwater pipes. Its technology, footprint and how it works.
Link Africa
Type
Open-access FNO
Since
c. 2013
Tech
Fibre via existing pipes
Focus
Metros + business
Link Africa earned its reputation with a genuinely clever trick: instead of digging up the road, it runs fibre through the pipes already under it.
The story behind Link Africa
Operating since around 2013, Link Africa holds the African rights to a technology that threads fibre-optic cable through existing municipal sewer and stormwater systems, far faster and less disruptive than trenching. It has since leaned toward fibre-to-business and fibre-to-tower, and in 2021 sold a slice of its home-fibre network to MetroFibre.
How Link Africa works
Link Africa is an open-access network: it owns and maintains the fibre in the ground, but it doesn't sell you the internet directly. Instead, several independent ISPs ride the same line, and you choose which one to buy from, and you can switch ISP later without a new installation. That's why our coverage check shows the network at your address, then lets you compare the ISP packages on it by real monthly price.
Where Link Africa reaches
Its footprint spans the major metros, Johannesburg, Tshwane, Ekurhuleni, Durban, Pietermaritzburg and Cape Town, including business districts and a number of townships, across fibre to homes, businesses and towers.
Speeds & signing up
Residential tiers are sold through ISPs at a range of speeds. As with any open-access network, you choose the ISP and can switch later, check your address to see what’s available.
Common questions
Why did my Link Africa home line become MetroFibre?
Link Africa sold part of its home-fibre network to MetroFibre in 2021, so some former Link Africa home connections are now served by MetroFibre.
Link Africa fibre deals & prices
Uncapped fibre on Link Africa runs from R589 to R1 097/month across 7 speed tiers (cheapest ISP shown per speed). Prices are refreshed weekly and are best-effort estimates — confirm at sign-up. Actual availability depends on whether Link Africa is live at your address.
10 Mbps
↑ 5 Mbps
R609/mo
20 Mbps
↑ 10 Mbps
R809/mo
25 Mbpsfrom
↑ 25 Mbps
R589/mo
50 Mbps
↑ 50 Mbps
R679/mo
100 Mbps
↑ 100 Mbps
R779/mo
200 Mbps
↑ 200 Mbps
R849/mo
500 Mbps
↑ 500 Mbps
R1 097/mo
Link Africa fibre coverage map — how to check your address
Link Africa publishes a broad coverage map, but a network-wide map only shows the suburbs where Link Africa has built — not whether the fibre has actually reached your home. Coverage is laid street by street, so two houses a few doors apart can be on different sides of the rollout. The only reliable check is at your exact address.
Instead of reading Link Africa’s map and then checking each ISP one by one, enter your address once on FibreScout: we confirm whether Link Africa is live at your home right now, and show every ISP package on the line by real monthly price.
Link Africa builds street by street, so the only reliable check is at your exact address. Enter your address on FibreScout and we confirm whether Link Africa is live at your home and show every ISP package on the line by real monthly price.
How much is Link Africa fibre?
On Link Africa, uncapped fibre runs from about R589 to R1 097 per month across 7 speed tiers (up to 500 Mbps), depending on the ISP. Prices are refreshed weekly; confirm at sign-up.
Which ISPs sell fibre on Link Africa?
Link Africa is an open-access network, so several ISPs compete on it — including Afrihost, Webafrica, Vox, Cool Ideas, Mweb, Supersonic. FibreScout compares them by real monthly price at your address.
Is Link Africa the same as my internet provider?
No — Link Africa is the network operator (FNO) that lays and runs the fibre line. You buy your internet package from an ISP that sells over Link Africa. One line, many ISPs to choose from.