TooMuchWifi, a Cape Town based internet service provider (ISP) is on a mission to improve connectivity for underserved communities.
Accessing unlimited data must not be considered a luxury, it has become an essential part of our daily lives. Having no internet is a significant impediment to making a living, getting an education, registering a business or accessing the knowledge that exists on the web. It puts people from underserved communities, like Townships, at a disadvantage.
Despite the need for a reliable internet connection, South Africa is among the countries with the most expensive data options in the world.
According to the Worldwide Mobile Data Pricing 2022 Report, calculations show that we pay 134% more for data than any of the other BRICS nations. In 2021, 7.5 million low-income South Africans were paying 80 times more than middle- and upper-income earners for access to the internet.
An ISP actively combating this economic crisis is TooMuchWifi. Today, the 7-year-old company announced it has slashed its already low data prices so significantly that customers can now get 24 hours of unlimited internet access for just R5 – using a daily hotspot voucher.
It has also introduced an unlimited monthly hotspot voucher for R120, a price drop of up to 70%, while prices of weekly vouchers have been reduced from as much as R100 to just R30, another price reduction of 70%.
The company has been able to do this with investment from the MIC (Mineworkers Investment Company) and Bamboo Capital, both of which are social impact investors who share the company’s vision and commitment to making internet access available to all.
Newly appointed TooMuchWifi CEO Tauriq Brown says, “We believe that lowering our prices will allow more people in the communities to connect to the internet and do so more often. Most hotspot users can’t afford monthly plans due to limited income, and instead rely on weekly or daily vouchers.
Through this latest effort, we want to make it easier for all South Africans to connect, no matter their income. With the support of our strategic partners, such as MIC and Bamboo Capital, we are now able to lower pricing and give back to the communities we serve.”
Anshu, a Spaza shop owner and TooMuchWifi reseller, has this to say about the new Hotspot pricing structure; “Having an internet connection keeps you connected to the rest of the world. You’re able to stay up to date with the latest news and trends, and talk to family and friends.”
TooMuchWifi currently operates in the Western Cape with a customer base of 400 000, servicing 40 low-income communities across the province. However, Brown’s strategic and personal quest is to expand geographically across the country, and in time, internationally.
“Access to the internet has become an essential need. It opens up the world to users, allowing them to acquire information, to gain or maintain an education and search for employment, among many other key reasons. While strides have been made by South Africa’s largest ISPs to offer lower rates, pricing is still simply too high for lower-income people.”
“We believe it’s our duty to help those that need it most, and this is a sentiment we share with our investors. Being able to access the internet for 24 hours for the price of a R5 voucher can change the game for many, many more individuals or business owners, and improve their quality of life and access to opportunities.”
TooMuchWifi services over 40 communities in the Western Cape and has expansion plans to provide reliable and cost effective wifi across Africa.