MetroFibre Review
A buyer-focused review of MetroFibre – the Centurion-headquartered SA fibre network operator running an open-access wholesale model on the residential side alongside its own direct enterprise stack of dedicated lines, Layer 2 services, IP transit, hosted security and Business Voice.
Is MetroFibre worth shortlisting?
Yes for SA buyers with MetroFibre coverage – densest in Gauteng and KZN, now also in the Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga and North West – looking at residential fibre via an approved retail ISP, or for businesses needing dedicated internet, Layer 2 transport, IP transit, data-centre interconnect or Business Voice direct from a regional fibre operator. Buyers in the Western Cape, Free State or other uncovered areas are typically better served by operators with reach at their address – coverage is the main shortlist filter, not brand.
- HQEco-Square, 298 Witch-Hazel Ave, Highveld, Centurion 0157
- Phone+27 87 151 4000
- ModelOpen-access wholesale FNO on residential + direct enterprise stack on SMME and Large Business
- CoverageFive provinces by 2020 and 500,000-plus homes passed by 2024; densest in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, with offices in Gqeberha, Jeffrey’s Bay, Emalahleni and Klerksdorp (metrofibre.co.za, 4 Sep 2026)
A hybrid SA fibre operator – open-access wholesale on the residential side, with its own direct enterprise stack on the business side – densest in Gauteng and KZN and now spread across five provinces.
MetroFibre sits in an unusual position among SA fibre network operators. On the residential side it follows the same open-access wholesale model as Vumatel and Openserve, with retail ISPs running over the infrastructure. On the business side it carries its own catalogue of dedicated internet access, business internet access, Layer 2 services, IP transit, MetroSecure managed security, MetroCloud exchange, Data Centre Express and Business Voice – products that pure wholesale FNOs do not surface directly to buyers. Geography is still the main procurement filter: coverage is densest in Gauteng and KZN, with a growing Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga and North West footprint and thin reach elsewhere.
Is MetroFibre likely to suit you?
Good fit: residential or business buyer inside the MetroFibre footprint needing fibre or dedicated services.
Pros and watch-outs
What MetroFibre does well, and where the hybrid positioning shapes the fit.
- Hybrid operator model: open-access wholesale for residential FTTH (buyer transacts via approved retail ISPs) alongside a direct enterprise catalogue (dedicated internet access, business internet access, Layer 2 services, IP transit, MetroSecure, MetroCloud exchange, Data Centre Express, Business Voice). Pure wholesale FNOs like Openserve do not surface this business-direct layer.
- Dense Gauteng and KZN coverage, plus a footprint that has grown to five provinces with 500,000-plus homes passed, gives buyers a credible alternative to Vumatel’s largely metro Gauteng / Western Cape footprint and Openserve’s national-but-thinner reach.
- Property-developer programme on the residential side – complex installations are handled through a dedicated developer track rather than an ad-hoc consumer flow, which matters for sectional-title bodies corporate and new estates.
- SMME bundle (BizFibre, MetroSwitch, MetroSecure, Voice, BizMesh) is published as a distinct product set – small-business buyers see SMME options surfaced explicitly rather than upsized consumer plans.
- Residential per-line rates are gated behind the MetroFibre Marketplace address check – buyers cannot freely browse a published price list. The actual per-Mbps figure surfaces only after entering a coverage address. Make peace with that or expect to do the address check before procurement comparison.
- Residential customer-service experience varies, as it does for the other wholesale operators – the retail ISP carrying the line drives most of the day-to-day touchpoints, but install and fault-side response sits with MetroFibre. Ask your shortlisted retail ISP for their fault-attribution policy when the underlying issue is on the operator side.
- Coverage is densest in Gauteng and KZN and thinner in the Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga and North West. Buyers in the Western Cape, the Free State and other uncovered areas should default to other operators (Vumatel, Openserve, Octotel) with reach at their address.
Score breakdown
Five categories that decide whether MetroFibre is the right fibre operator for your home or business – weighted to the buying evidence a South African organisation actually uses.
Residential per-line rates appear only inside the Marketplace after an address check and the enterprise products are quoted through the account team. Raised because MetroSwitch cloud PBX carries a published from-price of R287.50 a month with per-second billing and no long-term contract, and the SMME fibre ladder (20 Mbps to 1 Gbps) is published month-to-month (verified 4 September 2026), so a small-business buyer can at least anchor before engaging.
Open-access residential FTTH plus a direct enterprise catalogue of dedicated and business internet access, Layer 2, IP transit, managed security, cloud exchange, data-centre connectivity and business voice, with an SMME bundle alongside. Wider than pure wholesale peers.
3.2 stars across 3,861 Google reviews on the Centurion head-office listing, sampled 16 August 2026. Very large volume with a weak average, and much of the residential signal reflects the retail ISP on the line.
Owns and operates the network under an ECNS licence across five provinces, with 500,000-plus homes passed by 2024. A Basic Business SLA is published – a minimum of 95% uptime a year and a 24-business-hour maximum repair time – which is a weak commitment by enterprise standards and carries no service credits, so the dimension holds at 6.5.
Residential support runs through the retail ISP while installs and faults land with MetroFibre. A residential/business ticket portal, a main line and WhatsApp number (087 151 4000), departmental email addresses and Experience Stores with posted hours are published (verified 4 September 2026). Held back because no response-time commitment beyond the 24-business-hour repair line exists, and the 3,861-review feed remains the resolution signal.
Pricing – gated residential, quote-driven business
Residential per-line rates surface only after an address check inside the MetroFibre Marketplace. Business products (dedicated lines, Layer 2, IP transit, security, voice) are all quote-driven through the account team. No public per-Mbps rate card on the consumer-facing site.
| Cost area | Where the rate sits | Buyer question | Risk level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residential FTTH lines | Inside Marketplace post-address-check | Which approved retail ISP at my address + speed tier + activation fee? | Address-gated |
| SMME fibre (20 Mbps – 1 Gbps) | Month-to-month tiers published; Rand rate on enquiry | Rate per tier + does the Basic Business SLA (95% uptime, 24-business-hour repair) apply? | Confirm at quote |
| Dedicated internet access | Quote-driven | CIR vs EIR, contention ratio, uptime SLA, MRC term? | Demand in writing |
| Layer 2 services + IP transit | Quote-driven | Peering points, route diversity, MTU support, BGP options? | Demand in writing |
| MetroSecure + MetroCloud + DC Express | Quote-driven | Hosted DC location, scaling units, security SLA, redundancy? | Confirm at quote |
| Business Voice / MetroSwitch cloud PBX | MetroSwitch from R287.50 a month, per-second billing, no long-term contract | Extension and minute allocations per package, number ranges, porting policy? | Demand in writing |
What real customers say
The MetroFibre Google Business Profile sits at 3.1 stars across 3,493 reviews at the Centurion head office. The sample size is meaningful. As with other wholesale fibre operators, much of the residential customer-service signal flows via the retail ISPs that carry the line rather than via MetroFibre directly – install and fault-side touchpoints land with the operator, while billing and account interaction sit with the retail brand.
3.1-star rating across 3,493 reviews at the Eco-Square Centurion head office – claimed listing, large enough to be statistically meaningful. Feed reflects a mix of residential and direct-business touchpoints.
Residential reviews often reflect the buyer’s experience with the retail ISP carrying the line, not always the operator directly. Install, activation and fault-side complaints are legitimate MetroFibre responsibility; billing and cancellation complaints route to the retail brand.
MetroFibre publishes an “Approved ISPs & Resellers” structure so residential buyers see exactly which retail brands ride the infrastructure at their address – an open-access transparency signal worth weighting separately from the GBP aggregate.
Buyer move: ask your shortlisted retail ISP what their fault-attribution policy is when the underlying issue is on the operator side, and confirm which approved retail brands ride MetroFibre at your specific address.
The MetroFibre catalogue
A two-half product structure – open-access wholesale for the home, direct enterprise stack for the business.
Open-access wholesale model
Home fibre delivered through approved retail ISPs riding MetroFibre infrastructure. Buyer shortlists the retail brand at their address; the operator handles the physical line and fault-side response.
BizFibre + MetroSwitch + Voice + BizMesh
Tailored small/medium-business bundle – sized for SMME buying patterns rather than upsized consumer plans, with MetroSecure managed security and BizMesh distributed-WiFi options as add-ons.
Large-business connectivity
Dedicated internet access and business internet access tiers for larger sites needing committed bandwidth, lower contention and uptime SLAs in writing.
Carrier-grade transport
Layer 2 services and IP transit for buyers needing point-to-point or multi-site transport, peering and routed services. Surfaces a carrier-grade product layer that pure wholesale FNOs don’t expose directly.
MetroSecure + MetroCloud exchange + DC Express
Managed security, cloud exchange and data-centre interconnect services – useful for businesses needing hosted infrastructure alongside the connection from the same operator.
Direct voice from the operator
Business Voice surfaced as a direct product alongside the connectivity stack – the operator carries this layer itself rather than leaving voice to the retail-ISP partners (distinct from Vumatel and Openserve).
MetroFibre covers your address (densest in Gauteng and KZN) and you want either residential fibre via an approved retail ISP, or direct business connectivity from the same operator.
- Your home or business address is inside MetroFibre’s five-province footprint and coverage is confirmed at that address.
- You need direct business connectivity (dedicated internet, Layer 2, IP transit) with an operator-grade SLA – not just a retail-ISP wrapper.
- You’re a property developer or sectional-title body corporate looking at fibre installation through a dedicated developer track.
- Hosted data-centre or managed security on the same account as the line is a procurement priority.
For buyers inside the footprint, MetroFibre is a credible option once coverage is confirmed.
- Outside the MetroFibre footprint: coverage is concentrated in those two provinces – buyers elsewhere should start with an operator that has reach at their specific address.
- Need the largest national FTTH footprint: Vumatel has 2 million homes passed and the broadest metro coverage in Gauteng and the Western Cape.
- Need broad non-metro / smaller-town reach: Openserve has 1.4 million homes passed with fibre and the broadest non-metro footprint of any SA fibre operator.
- Cape Town specifically: Octotel is the Western Cape regional operator with concentrated metro coverage there.
Alternative operators to compare
Three SA fibre operators worth comparing alongside MetroFibre at your address.
Vumatel
Largest SA FTTH wholesale operator at 2 million homes passed. Maziv-owned, dual product split (Vuma Core + Vuma Reach), open-access carrying every major retail ISP.
Openserve
Telkom SA SOC’s wholesale fibre arm. 1.4 million homes passed with fibre and the broadest non-metro footprint of any SA fibre operator. Pure wholesale model.
Octotel
Western Cape-focused FNO with concentrated metro coverage in Cape Town and surrounding areas. Useful comparator for buyers in Western Cape where MetroFibre doesn’t reach.
South African essentials
Four SA-specific signals to verify before signing.
MetroFibre operates as a licensed SA electronic communications network service (ECNS) provider. Verify the operating-entity name at register.icasa.org.za if procurement requires it.
Use the MetroFibre Marketplace availability check on metrofibre.co.za to confirm fibre coverage at your specific home or business address before any procurement work – coverage is densest in Gauteng and KZN and address-specific elsewhere.
For residential fibre, shortlist the approved retail ISPs riding MetroFibre at your address. The retail ISP carries the customer-service interface; MetroFibre handles the physical line and fault chain.
Dedicated internet access, Layer 2, IP transit, MetroSecure, MetroCloud, DC Express and Business Voice all sit behind quote conversations. Get SLAs, uptime targets, contention ratios and regional facility locations in writing before procurement signs anything.
Sources and disclosure
Where this review’s facts come from, and how WhichVoIP gets paid – both transparent before you act on any of it.
- metrofibre.co.zaUsed for the open-access wholesale residential model, SMME bundle (BizFibre, MetroSwitch, Voice, BizMesh), Large Business product set (dedicated internet access, business internet access, Layer 2, IP transit, MetroSecure, MetroCloud, DC Express, Business Voice), approved retail-ISP framework, the +27 87 151 4000 contact number, the five-province footprint, the Basic Business SLA and the MetroSwitch from-price. Verified live 19 May 2026; re-verified 4 September 2026.
- MetroFibre Google Business Profile (Centurion)Used for the 3.1★ / 3,493 aggregate rating and the Eco-Square head-office address. Listing is claimed. Open source →
- MetroFibre Marketplace (ftthorder.metrofibre.co.za)Used to confirm that residential per-line rates are gated behind the address-availability check.
- Prior review baselineUsed for the 2024 publication context and Gauteng / KZN coverage history.
- 4 September 2026Live re-read of metrofibre.co.za on 4 September 2026 (about, SMME, business, contact and ticket pages). Three page facts were stale: coverage now spans five provinces with 500,000-plus homes passed (the review said Gauteng and KZN only), a Basic Business SLA is published (95% uptime, 24-business-hour repair), and MetroSwitch cloud PBX carries a from-price of R287.50 a month. Pricing value moves from 5.5 to 6.0 and support quality from 4.5 to 5.0; reliability holds at 6.5 because the published SLA is weak. The headline moves from 5.7 to 5.9.
- 4 September 2026Re-scored on the five-dimension rubric (pricing value 25%, feature set 25%, customer reviews 20%, reliability and uptime 15%, support quality 15%) from 6.9 to 5.7. Customer reviews now reads the Centurion Google listing recorded in the WhichVoIP record (3.2 stars, 3,861 reviews, sampled 16 August 2026). Product and pricing facts were not re-verified in this update.
- 19 May 2026Score recalibrated from 7.5 to 6.9 against the updated 4-axis rubric. The 3.1★ / 3,493 GBP signal weights Support honestly. Hybrid operator framing (open-access residential + direct enterprise) surfaced explicitly – distinct from Vumatel and Openserve’s pure-wholesale positioning. Honest read on Pricing transparency: gated residential rates and quote-only business pricing limit the public comparison story.
Disclosure: This review was researched and written by WhichVoIP’s editorial team using primary sources (provider website, Google Business Profile, and Marketplace coverage check). WhichVoIP may receive a referral fee when you request quotes through our platform. Read our full editorial policy.
How this score should be read
Scores are editorial guides, not guarantees. MetroFibre’s 5.9 is the weighted sum of the five dimension scores above: 0.25×6.0 + 0.25×7.5 + 0.20×4.0 + 0.15×6.5 + 0.15×5.0. Sponsorship has never moved a score on this site, and MetroFibre is not a sponsor.
- 25%Pricing value, including commercial transparency, contract flexibility and quote-process friction.
- 25%Feature set, including portfolio depth, integrations and admin usability.
- 20%Customer reviews, measured as a standing against other South African providers on the same review platform, adjusted for how much evidence supports it.
- 15%Reliability and uptime, weighted toward providers that own or fully control their network rather than reselling.
- 15%Support quality, weighted toward customer-review patterns rather than provider claims about SLAs.
FAQ
Short answers for the questions buyers typically ask before requesting quotes.
What is MetroFibre?
A South African fibre network operator with coverage across five provinces, densest in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal. Hybrid model – open-access wholesale FTTH on the residential side (carried by approved retail ISPs) plus a direct enterprise catalogue for SMME and Large Business buyers.
Where does MetroFibre cover?
Densest in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal metros and complexes, with a growing Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga and North West footprint. Outside the covered areas, buyers should default to Vumatel, Openserve, Octotel or another operator with regional reach at their specific address.
How much does MetroFibre cost?
Residential per-line rates are gated behind the MetroFibre Marketplace address check – you enter your address and the marketplace surfaces the available retail ISPs and their rates. Business products (dedicated internet, Layer 2, IP transit, MetroSecure, Business Voice) are all quote-driven through the account team.
Does MetroFibre offer Business Voice?
Yes – surfaced as a direct product on the large-business catalogue alongside the connectivity stack. Distinct from pure wholesale fibre operators that leave voice to the retail-ISP layer.
Which retail ISPs ride MetroFibre?
MetroFibre publishes an “Approved ISPs & Resellers” structure on the residential side. Use the Marketplace coverage check to see exactly which retail brands are available at your address.
How does MetroFibre compare to Vumatel?
Both are open-access wholesale operators on the residential side. Vumatel has the largest national FTTH footprint (2 million homes passed) and is concentrated in metro Gauteng and Western Cape. MetroFibre is densest in Gauteng and KZN, reaches five provinces, and additionally carries its own direct enterprise stack (Layer 2, IP transit, MetroSecure, Business Voice) that Vumatel doesn’t surface directly to buyers.
What does the Google review feed look like?
3.1 stars across 3,493 reviews at the Centurion head office. As with other wholesale fibre operators, much of what shows up in the feed reflects experiences with the retail ISP carrying the line rather than MetroFibre directly. Install and fault-side touchpoints land with MetroFibre; billing and account interaction sit with the retail brand. Ask your shortlisted retail ISP what their fault-attribution process looks like when the underlying issue is on the operator side.