The developers of Steyn City Lifestyle Resort are setting up a Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) network to create an intelligent city.
This FTTH network, which has been pre-installed at the developers’ cost, is open access and will be delivered to the front door of every apartment and home throughout the resort, which is currently under construction in the north of Johannesburg. Because the FTTH network is open access, residents will have the freedom to choose a service provider that suits them.
The network is supported by two data centres on site and it will be the backbone that powers the Steyn City app. The app will open up an interactive portal on homeowner’s smart devices and TV sets and is intended to keep the future residents up to speed and connected to society and to their community.
The portal will allow real-time full access to city and resident information such as in-house community notifications, CCTV security cameras, golf course and recreational facility bookings, utility billing, and ongoing access to internet usage statistics.
Residents will also be able to share or send movie, picture and music content between the TV and smart devices, for example laptops, tablets, smartphones and printers. The portal will give homeowners access to phone services such as voice mail, message notifications, and also social media networks including Facebook and Twitter, via the TV. In addition, they will be able to browse the web on their television screens while simultaneously watching live TV.
“We want our residents to experience the joys of yesteryear, such as traffic safety and the beauty and freedom of movement parkland living provides. At the same time we understand the role smart technology plays in our residents’ lives today,” comments Giuseppe Plumari, CEO of Steyn City Properties.
“We know they want instant connectivity and we want to provide the best possible platform for them to enjoy all the conveniences that modern life demands. Steyn City Lifestyle Resort will provide that balance between modern city living and parkland paradise,” he adds.
The greatest advantages of FTTH are the strength and speed of the connection. Unlike ADSL, FTTH is a light-based technology that is not as limited in terms of distance or speed. This means that residents will be able to use their web-based services without having to wait for their applications or pages to buffer while loading.
With a FTTH connection true broadband speeds are possible and depending on the subscribed service, residents can download a 60 megabyte music album in approximately six seconds or a four gigabyte high definition movie in six minutes.
ADSL is a copper-based technology that is prone to lightning strikes, theft, and interference from outside factors such as power lines, but because fibre is light based, residents with this service do not have to worry about such disruptions affecting the uptime of their connection.
The speed of fibre is limited only by the technology on either side of the connection, so having it in the ground means that, as technology improves to develop devices that allow for higher speeds, future residents will be able to experience the same benefits of FTTH as those who use it today. This has the potential to improve the resale value of the Steyn City property.