Herotel, one of the country's early internet provider startups, has been gobbling up smaller providers to make its mark in non-metro areas, and its CEO Van Zyl Botha says consolidation is key for survival.
Founded in 2013, Herotel's growth has been marked by consolidations and capitalising on slower moves by its competitors.
Telkom, the country's former fixed-line operator, had the advantage of extensive ADSL/copper infrastructure on the ground, but had been slow to drive last-mile connections to homes and businesses. It presented competition, but Herotel managed to take the gap and gain ground.