Internet service provider Afrihost has soft-launched three uncapped fixed wireless access (FWA) packages powered by Comsol’s newly deployed 5G-Advanced network. Positioned as a flexible, high-capacity alternative to fixed-line fibre, the product suite delivers wireless home internet across entry-level, mid-tier, and premium performance brackets.
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The service lineup starts with an entry-level 25Mbps uncapped tier priced at R275 per month, followed by a mid-tier 75Mbps plan at R549 per month. The flagship “Wireless Plus” tier retails for R875 per month, providing uncapped access at the maximum throughput supported by Comsol’s infrastructure.
All three tiers feature the pre-configured ZTE G5TS wireless router, engineered for plug-and-play installation:
- Wireless Plus Plan: Includes the router at no upfront cost. However, a R999 early termination penalty applies if subscribers cancel, downgrade, or default on payments within the initial six months.
- Standard Plans: Subscribers on the 25Mbps and 75Mbps tiers receive a R1,000 discount, purchasing the router for R1,499. Promotional offers are restricted to three devices per legal entity while stocks last.
To balance network capacity across users without imposing hard caps or disconnections, Afrihost utilizes a structured two-stage Fair Usage Policy (FUP):
- 25Mbps Package: Provides unthrottled speeds for the first 50GB of usage. Traffic is subsequently limited to 10Mbps for the next 30GB, after which speeds throttle to 2Mbps for the remainder of the monthly cycle.
- Wireless Plus Package: Offers maximum 5G speeds for the initial 300GB. Upon reaching that threshold, bandwidth scales back to 20Mbps for an additional 50GB allocation, before settling at a continuous 4Mbps floor.
The underlying connectivity relies on Comsol’s wholesale 5G-Advanced consumer network launching in Gauteng. Built over the past six months via a turnkey partnership with Chinese telecommunications supplier ZTE, the radio and core infrastructure utilizes a dedicated 60MHz spectrum allocation in the 3.7GHz band (3,740MHz to 3,800MHz).
Comsol plans to complete blanket coverage across Gauteng by the end of 2026. The network operator will then begin dual expansion campaigns across the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal starting in 2027, alongside rollouts into key regional towns.
The consumer 5.5G deployment is backed by a multi-billion-rand growth equity injection that leaves underlying operational control intact. The funding round was co-led by Platform Investment Partners, headed by Dimension Data co-founders Richard Came and Shaun Clark, and Wimsey Capital, the family investment office connected to Capitec co-founder Chris Otto. Additional growth capital was supplied by long-term investor Convergence Partners, led by Andile Ngcaba, alongside Solcon Capital and Mactavish Investments, the investment vehicle of Comsol CEO Iain Stevenson.
