In order to get Fibre connectivity to your home and business, the fastest form of internet connectivity, you need two types of service providers to help you out – a Fibre Network Owner (FNO) and an Internet Service Provider (ISP). Here are the key differences between an FNO and an ISP.
What is an FNO?
FNO stands for Fibre Network Owner, and as their name suggests they are the companies that own and manage your Fibre optic connectivity infrastructure. FNOs are responsible for laying down the Fibre infrastructure in your area; they trench and lay the Fibre optic cables, and then install the Fibre boxes outside your boundary wall, and connect the newly-trenched Fibre lines to this box.
Once you have ordered Fibre, they install ONT devices in your residence, which you use to connect your router to.
Examples of FNOs throughout South Africa include TT Connect, Metrofibre, Openserve and Vumatel.
What is an ISP?
ISP stands for Internet Service Provider, and they are the service provider you order your Fibre packages and data from in order to get connected to the internet!
Infraplex (Pty) Ltd is an ISP and we are responsible for the day-to-day management of your Fibre line, which includes handling any technical or account issues. It is also our responsibility to ensure that you are receiving the agreed-upon speeds you are paying for and to make sure that you don’t experience any downtime. THis is done through our technical team monitoring our connections and fixing faults that cause downtime.
Essentially, ISPs sell internet packages on the Fibre networks that have been built by the various FNOs. That is why Infraplex has partnered with many FNOs to ensure that we expand our reach and can offer connectivity to our customers wherever they are. This includes offering alternative connectivity solutions if there is no fibre available in your area. This will be done through means of wireless and LTE connectivity options.
In summary
A Fibre Network Owner (FNO) manages and owns your Fibre optic connectivity infrastructure. An Internet Service Provider (ISP) provides you, the customer, with an internet service to your required devices.
This means an FNO installs and maintains its own Fibre network infrastructure, which is then used by the ISP to give the customer access to internet connectivity solutions. In he event of a fault, the first course of action would be for the ISP to investigate the issue and if it is a physical fibre fault, the ISP will liaise with the FNO to attend and fix the physical fibre fault.
Who should you contact to find out if your area already has Fibre installed?
Your ISP will have this information on hand. For instance, at Infraplex, our sales team will assist you in finding out if there is fibre coverage in your area, you can either call, WHatsApp or live chat on our website with our consultants and provide us with you address and we will let you know if your area is Fibre ready or if it is still waiting for an FNO to install Fibre optic cables.
Who should you order Fibre from?
You need to order your desired Fibre package from an ISP, like us. They will help identify the best Fibre package and deal that is right for your particular needs. When choosing an ISP, you should not only look at the package prices, but also the value that come with it.
Who should you call when experiencing issues with your Fibre line?
If you experience any issues with your Fibre line, you should contact your ISP. They should proceed by performing line checks to ensure that the issue or issues you are experiencing aren’t related to your ONT device. They should then proceed to help you get to the bottom of things.
We hope that we shared a bit of knowledge with you that weren’t aware of previously, and that this helps you if you are looking to purchase Fibre now or in the future. Our hope was to eliminate any confusion, and show you that it’s really so simple because it all gets handled for you. If you would like to order Fibre and choose Infraplex as your ISP of choice, select one of the options below are use are chat window to the right of the screen.
Information sourced from RSAWEB