In a confirmation to MyBroadband, Mweb has acknowledged the closure of its Fon network, marking the conclusion of a venture that once held promise but ultimately failed to gain traction. The Fon network, which quietly ceased operations in 2018, was envisioned as a global Wi-Fi network concept that never quite materialized as anticipated.
The partnership between Mweb and Fon was unveiled in January 2014, with Mweb offering its uncapped ADSL customers complimentary access to Fon's worldwide Wi-Fi network. Fon operated on a participant-driven model where members shared a portion of their bandwidth in exchange for access to a network of global Wi-Fi hotspots. Members were equipped with specialized Wi-Fi routers that created secondary Fon hotspots within their networks, enabling others to connect to these hotspots in close proximity. Additionally, Fon sold access passes for individuals who were not contributors to the network.
To bolster the initiative, Mweb distributed Fon-enabled routers and Wi-Fi range extenders to all its ADSL customers, further sweetening the deal by granting Fon users free access to Mweb's own Wi-Fi hotspots across the country.
Despite initial enthusiasm and a few years of operation, the concept of paid-for and membership-based public Wi-Fi access failed to gain momentum in South Africa. Moreover, Mweb encountered corporate upheavals during this period, which impacted its Wi-Fi networks.
Established by Naspers in 1997, Mweb gained prominence with its innovative Big Black Box dial-up product, promising streamlined internet access. Over the years, it introduced pioneering services like uncapped ADSL in 2010. However, by 2013, Naspers sought to divest its interests in Mweb, leading to the sale of Mweb Business to Dimension Data in 2014, including its Wi-Fi network assets.
Subsequently, Mweb's Wi-Fi network was amalgamated with AlwaysOn under a new entity called WirelessCo, a joint venture between Dimension Data and Naspers. However, despite rebranding efforts and strategic shifts, including the introduction of LTE-Unlicensed (LTE-U) technology aimed at addressing spectrum constraints in the South African telecommunications landscape, WirelessCo, later rebranded as VAST Networks, struggled financially.
Ultimately, the owners, Naspers and Dimension Data, decided to wind down VAST Networks in October 2019 due to its inability to turn a profit. Despite earlier assurances from Internet Solutions, a subsidiary of Dimension Data, about the continuity of the Fon offering, Mweb decommissioned its Fon service in 2018, signaling the end of an era for the Fon network.
Despite its ambitious vision and strategic partnerships, the Fon network's demise underscores the challenges of transforming innovative concepts into sustainable business models within the ever-evolving telecommunications industry.
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