Telecommunications in South Africa is in crisis, plagued by a culture of DIY (Do-It-Yourself) and an obsession with cutting costs by buying the cheapest possible hardware. While this approach might work for small-scale deployments, it falls apart spectacularly when scaled to thousands of devices. The consequence is a sector that struggles with rampant security vulnerabilities, inadequate maintenance, and systemic outages, all of which directly impact customers and the broader digital economy.
Many telecommunications professionals drive high end cars such as Toyota Hi-luxs or VW Golfs. But meanwhile back at the ranch, what they implement in their own backyards for their customers are similar to the cheap Bolt taxi, the Qute.
DIY | The Illusion of Control
Many ISPs and operators in South Africa take pride in their technical teams’ ability to provision, maintain, and troubleshoot networks manually. These guys are viewed as heroes but are in reality roadblocks to advancement. While this might work for a single router, the same approach becomes unsustainable at scale.
Here’s why:
Time Constraints: Managing thousands of devices manually isn’t feasible with limited resources.
Human Error: Hand-crafted configurations are prone to mistakes, especially when rushed.
Lack of Structure: Without automation, device management is disjointed and reactive, leaving gaps in maintenance and monitoring.
The belief that "we can do it ourselves" often leads to cutting corners. Instead of investing in robust solutions, many ISPs opt for Mikrotik routers—cheap, plastic devices that may suffice for small-scale use but fail under the demands of a business-grade network.
The Consequences of Cutting Corners
The widespread use of Mikrotiks in South African telecommunications has created a perfect storm of vulnerabilities. These devices often run outdated firmware, lack proper maintenance, and are frequently misconfigured. The results are catastrophic:
Botnets & DDoS Attacks: Unpatched Mikrotiks are routinely onboarded into botnets by bad actors. These botnets have been responsible for some of the largest Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks in South Africa’s history, overwhelming many businesses, even generating more traffic than even the country’s largest peering exchange, NAPAfrica.
Shocking Demarcations: Many so-called "business services" rely on poorly maintained infrastructure that lacks the security and stability required for reliable operations.
Customer Impact: These vulnerabilities result in frequent outages and degraded service quality, eroding customer trust and damaging businesses.
The race to the bottom—prioritizing cheap equipment over quality—has left South Africa’s telecommunications sector in a downward spiral.
Another example, is the business division of one of South Africa’s largest mobile operators which deploys Huawei HG routers for their business customers. This is a low powered and unstable piece of equipment, which although designed for home use won’t even be fit for purpose in that environment, never mind being used by a business.
The Solution | Automation & SD-WAN
The only way out of this quagmire is to embrace automation and modern solutions like SD-WAN. Here’s how:
The Power of Automation
Automation eliminates the inefficiencies and errors associated with manual processes. It allows ISPs to:
Streamline Provisioning: Deploy and configure devices automatically, reducing deployment times and ensuring consistency.
Enhance Maintenance: Schedule and apply updates across the network without human intervention, ensuring devices remain secure and up to date.
Improve Monitoring: Centralized dashboards provide real-time visibility, enabling proactive issue resolution.
The Case for Nepean Network’s SD-WAN
Nepean Network’s SD-WAN solution offers a complete departure from the DIY chaos that currently prevails. Here’s why it’s the better choice:
Centralized Management: Nepean Network’s SD-WAN uses a secure and segmented management plane, eliminating the need for hand-crafted configurations.
Enhanced Security: Unlike Mikrotiks with their flimsy DNS and outdated firmware, Nepean Network’s SD-WAN provides robust security features, including end-to-end encryption and automated patching.
Scalability: Whether managing ten devices or ten thousand, Nepean Network’s SD-WAN scales effortlessly, solving the resource crunch that plagues ISPs.
Reliable Performance: Automated overlay networks optimize connectivity, ensuring stable and high-performance communication even during network failures.
A Better Future for South Africa’s Telecommunications
Replacing cheap Mikrotiks with an SD-WAN solution like Nepean Network’s isn’t just a technical upgrade—it’s a fundamental shift in mindset. By investing in quality and automation, ISPs can:
Reduce Outages: Proactively prevent vulnerabilities that lead to botnet infections and DDoS attacks.
Enhance Customer Experience: Deliver consistent, reliable services that build trust and loyalty.
Boost Efficiency: Free up resources previously consumed by manual processes, allowing teams to focus on innovation.
The Path Forward
South Africa’s telecommunications sector can’t afford to stay on its current trajectory. The DIY mentality and obsession with cost-cutting have left it vulnerable, unstable, and ill-equipped to meet modern demands. By embracing automation and adopting solutions like Nepean Network’s SD-WAN, ISPs can break free from the race to the bottom and build a future that prioritizes quality, security, and scalability.
The choice is clear: keep patching the cracks with duct tape, or invest in a solution that secures and stabilizes South Africa’s digital future. The time for change is now.
