Evolution Magazine - First Edition - May 2024

What’s Inside?

Editor’s Note

Editor’s Note (continued...)

RCCF Connection

RCCF Connection (continued...)

Editor’s Note:

We’re FNO leaders in our own right!

Boots on the ground (continued...)

13 Reasons Why! Boots on the ground

Who thought we would be here today? Certainly not me! Only the universe could have predicted that life in Africa would be completely digital in 2024, with 1.1 billion users projected by 2029, according to Statista, a German online platform that specializes in data gathering and visualization.

It’s a fact: without the internet, you wouldn’t be able to read this column – this special production brought to you by Evotel. The world has evolved to a level where the internet has revolutionized our lives, and today you’d feel left out if you’re in Mzansi and not part of Evotel’s network. I’m honored to be a part of this inaugural monthly edition of the Evotel brand, and you’ll be seeing this face frequently as we bring you the best broadband network solution from our unchallenged infrastructure.

South Africans across the country have entrusted us with their homes, and Google Reviews shows that we are champions in our own right when it comes to fibre network operation—the stats are there to be seen if you’re connected to the internet.

In this edition, you will learn a lot about us and why South Africa has deployed us to lead and maintain fibre optic networks, as well as partner with leading internet service providers (ISPs). Just a fortnight ago, Spain celebrated Internet Day and various Latin American countries, and South Africa will observe this special day next month, while on the rest of the continent it’s commemorated in February each year.

In November 2024, the internet will be 33 years old in South Africa, having been introduced in 1991 when the first protocol packets started flowing on leased circuits. There were many naysayers and critics who never believed the internet would survive this long in South Africa, as many thought it would take their jobs and make them lose money.

That was definitely a threat, but the sooner we adapted to it, the more we realized that we can counter it and work alongside it for mutual benefit. I am raising this because most internet service providers rely on companies like Evotel to send their signals into your homes.

Trust Index Rating

- HelloPeter

It’s our responsibility to ensure that ISPs have a stable, uninterrupted network connection.

The manner in which Evotel has been servicing its clients is attested by HelloPeter, an open service review platform, where we’ve achieved a 4.13 star rating out of 5, the 2nd highest FNO in the country

Who wouldn’t celebrate after being given the thumbs up by such a platform where experts meet, and critics are at their loudest?

Give yourself a pat on the back if you’re with Evotel! And if you’re not, Evotel is always ready to deliver the excellence you deserve.

WE CHANGE LIVES IN RUSTENBURG!

Communities Feel Safe Under Evotel-Sponsored Policing Forum

Communities in Rustenburg are seeing light at the end of the crime-riddled Bojanala district tunnel, according to Ansie Pretorius, an administrator of the Rustenburg Crime Combating Forum (RCCF).

Not that everything is perfect in Rustenburg regarding crime, but the forum is working tirelessly to protect vulnerable communities living in fear around the Bojanala district. Pretorius says they will stop at nothing until crime stats drop drastically so everyone can live freely.

The North West city is ranked 11th of the cities with the most reported dangerous crime, and unfortunately, it comes first in the province.

When asked what they are doing to combat crime, Pretorius showed us a well-crafted board at her entrance gate, which bore the Evotel signage. She attributes the “Fibre to Everyone” company as a leader in driving them towards safety.

She says the sponsorship and support they receive from Evotel are immeasurable, as they need as much internet connectivity as they can to communicate with their communities at night.

Interestingly, they use an Android free-todownload app called Zello, which works like a two-way radio and relies solely on internet connection, an area of expertise for Evotel.

She further attributed Evotel’s involvement in their group to their growing numbers, now standing at over 6,000 members.

“We welcome new signees to the forum daily, interested in joining and requiring gate boards, which show that they are protected by RCCF. The signage is also sponsored by Evotel,” she said while flanked by forum chairman, Kobus Ferreira.

“We are a non-political, non-profit, and non-racist body working towards assisting everyone affected by crime in Rustenburg,” said the chairman at the Pretorius home in Rustenburg Central

“It’s very dangerous living in this city,” added Ferreira, as he demonstrated how the Zello app works. Pretorius, in another room, communicated with him without any signal interruption.

RCCF Connection

“I must say, the gate boards work well for us, and we need more as everyone wants them. These boards are free for everyone who wants to join the forum. We work with the police, different community policing forums, emergency medical services (EMS), and various security companies.”

When a crime is reported to Pretorius, whose contact details are on the gate boards, she alerts everyone on the Zello app group. Immediately, all members jump out of their houses, wear their Evotelsponsored reflectors, and charge towards to those in need, attempting to rescue the situation.

“We are doing this for free, but we just love protecting communities, and this is thanks to Evotel’s selfless effort to keep us together,” Pretorius added, indicating that their five years of support have gone far, indeed.

Protecting the Rustenburg Community

BOOTS ON THE GROUND Boots on the ground

Rustenburg’s Machinery to Evotel’s Golden Success Story

There’s never a moment without seeing a branded Evotel car passing through Rustenburg North, West, and surrounding areas.

Speaking to the supervisor of a team of contractors, Robert Mushakwe told this publication that they need to be visible in their area of operation, as it’s their mission to respond to outages within minutes

We witnessed this when they received an outage query from the head office in Johannesburg. They jumped into their cars, racing to resolve the situation and ensure clients are not without connection for long.

This is their “golden rule”.

“It’s our priority to keep our clients happy at all times,” said Mushakwe, who seems to have a great working relationship with his team of colleagues, which includes locals, namely: Kidman Miba, Fortune Mokhethi, Martha Mboweni, Obakeng Molefe, and Ipeleng Moeketsi.

“Working for Evotel is a rewarding experience where you get to learn many things and gain exposure to greater opportunities,” Mushakwe added. “We meet different people of many walks of life and characters.

Most importantly, we gain more experience in optic fibre network maintenance and are offered opportunities to learn about preventive maintenance installation.”

“For us, it shouldn’t take an hour to respond to outages. In fact, within that time, we should have been able to restore the connection; otherwise, there has to be a solid reason why it took longer. When we receive an outage report, we quickly do the repairs.

We have enough team members who share Evotel’s vision, and we work collectively towards one common goal. The civil team goes first, followed by maintenance, and this process happens quickly.”

Mushakwe to play against other professional teams, but for now, friendlies are working for us,” Mushakwe said.

Mushakwe mentioned that they have regular team-building exercises during their off-time. They’ve started an Evotel soccer team that plays against other company teams around Rustenburg, and he believes this is a great initiative.

“Everyone seems to be interested, and this helps us understand each other better outside of work. We have two teams from installation and maintenance. One day, we hope to have a team that can be registered to play against other professional teams, but for now, friendlies are working for us,” Mushakwe said.

Cruising through the busy streets of townships and suburbs across Rustenburg, you can’t go far without noticing black boxes on the pavements. The next time you see one, please treat it with caution as it carries the future.

The technicians face challenges with municipal and private contractors who often destroy our infrastructure when digging for water pipes or sewage, and even gardeners who at times are reckless, causing serious outages.

13 Reasons Why?

1. We are the highest rated Fibre Network Operator in South Africa based on our Trust Index rating on HelloPeter. It reflects our exceptional service and our commitment to meet your needs.

2. We are the highest rated Fibre Network Operator in South Africa based on Google Reviews submitted by our clients. This is a testament to our exceptional service and commitment to excellence.

3. We have earned the trust of 48 Internet Service Providers to offer you a broad network solution.

4. We have over 95% redundancy, unlike most of our competitors. This means you can stay online even if some lines fail, as long as you can power the Fibre equipment on your side.

5. All of our Networks are equipped with battery back up systems. We ensure uninterrupted service on our Fibre networks as long as you have electricity. This is one of the features that make us a reliable provider during loadshedding.

6. Our internet service relies on Fibre as our core technology. Fibre is far more resillient to loadshedding that can disrupt wireless networks. You only need to ensure that your device has power to connect to our service.

7. Our core technology of Fibre is inherently more stable than wireless technologies. This means you will experience consistent speeds all the time.

8. Our core technology of Fibre is inherently more stable than wireless technologies. This means you will experience less latency. This is especially valuable for gamers and on video calls when it is frustrating to experience delays.

9. Our core technology of Fibre allows you to control your own line in terms of available data speed. This is different to wireless technologies that may become more congested as more users in your area use this service. You will not be affected by peak user times.

10. We offer a direct line to a human support agent when you need it. We know that sometimes you may face some issues or obstacles. We have a unique feature that distinguishes us from many of our rivals: You can contact us and receive customized help from a real person. This is not a common practice in the industry, where most companies depend on automated systems or chatbots.

11. We offer professional help for any issues you may have with your Internet Service Provider. Unlike certain Fibre Network Operators, you can contact us directly if your issue is not being resolved and we will assist you.

12. You can contact us through many different channels on our social media for support if you prefer. This is unusual in the industry.

13. We communicate any down-time issues that may affect our services to our customers via emails and social media platforms. We use these methods to update our customers as we value transparency and customer satisfaction.

To advertise in this newsletter, let us know!

(This space is for our ISPs - Internet Service Providers)

Space Available:

1 x Full Page

1 x Half Page 1 x 10 x 8