Vumatel, these days simply “Vuma”, is the network that kicked off South Africa’s home-fibre revolution, and it’s now the country’s biggest.
The story behind Vumatel
Founded in 2014 by Niel Schoeman and Johan Pretorius, Vumatel wired up Parkhurst in Johannesburg, the first residential neighbourhood in the country to get fibre to the home. Its success pushed the mobile operators and Telkom to follow, and the rest is history. Today Vumatel sits inside Maziv, the infrastructure group ultimately backed by Remgro (with Vodacom taking a co-controlling stake that closed at the end of 2025).
Vuma is impossible to miss, its bright pink branding and neighbourhood sales model became part of the suburban landscape. By 2025 it had passed around 2 million homes, making it the clear market leader.
How Vuma works
Vuma 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 Vuma reaches
Vuma covers all the major metros, concentrated in Gauteng, the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, and continues to expand into lower-income areas through its Vuma Reach product.
Speeds & signing up
Vuma Core offers uncapped, symmetrical packages up to 1 Gbps through more than 50 ISPs. Pick the ISP whose price and service suit you, check your address to compare what’s live.
Common questions
Is Vuma the same as my ISP?
No. Vuma owns the fibre; your ISP (Afrihost, Webafrica, Cool Ideas and others) sells you the service over it. You can switch ISPs without changing the line.
What’s the difference between Vuma and Vuma Reach?
Vuma Core is the premium product; Vuma Reach is an affordable, prepaid-friendly option aimed at townships and emerging areas.