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Throughout the digital era, the capacity to communicate more information over longer distances has rapidly extended the boundaries of our technological development in many areas, such as data networks, wireless and satellite communications and broadcasters.

All of this has become possible with the use of fibre optics. Fibre optics are microscopic strands of pure glass about the same diameter as a strand of human hair. Hundreds of these fibres are organised in groups in optical cables and are used to transmit light signals over long distances.

Fibre cables carry large amounts of data in a single line, often reaching multiple terabits of data transfer. It is deployed for applications ranging from telecommunications infrastructure, ethernet systems, broadband distribution and general data networking.

Stem Connect, established in 2002, provides world-class fibre solutions to homes and businesses. The Company offers a unique approach to delivering affordable fibre connectivity to its clients, backed by a highly skilled and professional support team.

We recently interviewed the team at Stem Connect to gain an understanding of the fibre solutions and support that they provide. Read on to find out more.

What are the different types of Fibre solutions that Stem Connect offers?

Business Fibre

Business fibre or Fibre to the Business (FTTB) offers greater network coverage, secure connections and the high-speed internet connectivity necessary to operate your business efficiently. Stem Connect provides an affordable, robust and reliable business fibre line that is fully managed by their in-house experts.

The FTTB connection features a 1:3 contention ratio and packages are available in a range of speeds from 10 Mbps to 1000 Mbps. The Business Fibre solution is available on a 36-month contract with no hardware or installation costs. This option is perfect for small to medium-sized companies. 

Enterprise Fibre

Enterprise fibre or Active Ethernet (ActiveE) provides lighting speed and greater bandwidth allowing for peak productivity throughout your business. Stem Connect provides the robustness required to transmit data with low latency, minimum packet loss, throughput guarantees and network uptime. 

Stem Connect guarantees a 1:1 contention ratio for clients that cannot afford downtime and require a stable connection to conduct crucial high-bandwidth activities. This flagship product is perfect for large businesses or businesses with a high uptime for mission-critical tasks. 

Home Fibre

Home fibre or Fibre to the Home (FTTH) is an opportunity to futureproof your home and be ready for the Internet of Things. Stem Connect provides a doorway for you to stream, work and study without interruptions. 

With a stable connection, 24/7 support, and uncapped speeds from 10 Mbps to 1 Gig, Stem Connect enables its business clients’ exclusive residential connections available to executives and employees. Enjoy professional-grade internet while working from home. 

Standard

  • Available on business, broadband, enterprise and home fibre.
  • Enterprise fibre: 24-hour mean time to repair, depending on the supplier.
  • Business fibre: 48-hour mean time to repair, best effort service, no after-hour support.
  • Broadband/home fibre: no guarantee on the repair time, best effort service, no after-hour support.

Gold

  • Available on enterprise fibre.
  • 1 hour response time.
  • 2 hours mean time to repair, depending on the supplier.
  • 24/7 background management and monitoring.

Gold Plus

  • Available on enterprise fibre.
  • 1 hour response time.
  • 2 hours mean time to repair, depending on the supplier.
  • Failover to microwave or LTE service.
  • 24/7 background management and monitoring.

Titanium

  • Available on enterprise fibre.
  • Guarantee an uptime of 99.99%.
  • Active passive failover / failover like for like.
  • 1 hour response time.
  • 1 hour mean time to repair.
  • 3-minute maximum downtime.
  • 24/7 background management and monitoring.

Do you offer LTE connectivity?

LTE is an advancement in the development of wireless connectivity for commercial and industrial applications. Stem Connect provides two types of LTE solutions:

Standard LTE

The Standard LTE option can be implemented over three different networks, and data can be moved between the sim cards. The main advantage of this solution is the ability to test all three networks in a specific location and select the network with the best throughput for use.

In addition, if a network is experiencing downtime, there is the alternative of swapping to another working network. The payment term on Standard LTE is on a month-to-month basis.

Fixed LTE

Fixed LTE does not offer the same flexibility as Standard LTE. In this option, only one sim card is linked to a device. The device is paired to the tower, and that tower is connected to the network provider. The advantage of this solution is the guaranteed bandwidth, i.e. if a business requests bandwidth and the capacity is available, the network provider will guarantee it.

On this option, data usage is predictable, and lower rates are available on top-up packages. The payment term on Fixed LTE is a 24-month contract.

As impressive as these two solutions appear, there are some drawbacks to employing LTE technology. “A significant downfall is that LTE is not as stable or reliable as fibre or microwave connections. For this reason, Stem Connect only deploys LTE for clients located in areas where Fibre is hard to reach and where there are no other connectivity options available,” explained Julian Naidoo, the Sales Manager from Stem Connect.

Are you looking for an exceptional fibre partner? Stem Connect has got you covered! As a licensed open access fibre network provider, Stem Connect has an extensive footprint across South Africa, connecting thousands of businesses and homes across the small and major cities.

Their ethernet switches, routers and fibre modems support a variety of fibre solutions that guarantee high connection speeds, reliability and scalable bandwidth.

Contact us today if you would like to know more about Stem Connect’s smart fibre solutions for home and business.