In order to ensure that everybody has the best experience, we manage our network by prioritising different types of traffic so that our clients' Internet is running as smoothly as possible - no matter the time of the day or the utilisation of the network.
Let's Get StartedAlthough our intention is to never shape, sometimes, during outages and special circumstances, we may be required to shape some real-time services. Your connection speed will be as fast as your Line allows for Realtime traffic.*
*Actual speed is dependent on line speed, distance from the exchange, quality of the cabling in your area and current capacity of your Telkom exchange for DSL connections. Throttling may be applied to home uncapped packages once the monthly threshold is reached.
Non‑Realtime services are shaped on a sliding scale, with higher bandwidth users getting shaped more than low bandwidth users - But only on non‑realtime services, never on realtime services. This helps ensure that our network does not get congested, and that all of our clients have an overall good broadband experience.
If left completely unchecked, torrents and non‑realtime downloads could use most of the network capacity, which can result in other more less interactive types of traffic becoming slow and unstable. We need to manage the non‑realtime services of our higher bandwidth users so that everyone (including them) can have a great realtime broadband experience.
At Peak Times, Non‑Realtime services will be shaped on a sliding scale, with higher bandwidth users subject to more shaping more than low bandwidth users. Realtime services will continue at full speeds.
Non‑Realtime traffic will generally not be shaped at all, and you will get the fastest speed your line and the network allows.
*Please Note: The graph above is not a fully accurate depiction of network utilisation and only meant to provide an averaged indication. Afrihost cannot guarantee shaping or absence of shaping at a specific time - as this is entirely dependent on collective user behaviour (demand for bandwidth) at any given time of the day.
Our products are shaped on a sliding scale, starting with Home Uncapped users.
Home Uncapped packages are subject to throttling should a user reach the monthly threshold - but only if our network is under strain.
Monthly Thresholds:
1 Mbps | 2 Mbps | 4-5 Mbps |
20GB | 40GB | 80GB |
8 Mbps | 10 Mbps | 20-25 Mbps |
100GB | 120GB | 200GB |
40-50 Mbps | 100 Mbps | 1000 Mbps |
250GB | 300GB | 1000GB |
Premium Uncapped packages are not subject to throttling or monthly thresholds like Home Uncapped packages, and will always enjoy full-speed Realtime Services under normal circumstances.
Premium Uncapped packages can, however, be subject to the shaping of Downloads and P2P Traffic when there is a high demand on the network.
Our intention is not to shape Priority Uncapped packages, however shaping can be applied during times of extreme network congestion. When applied, only non‑realtime, non-interactive services will be affected by shaping, to ensure the best possible broadband experience.
Priority Uncapped users have access to the Priority Optimisation feature in ClientZone, which restricts P2P Traffic specifically to ensure mission-critical services perform at the highest possible levels.
Our intention is not to shape Capped Data packages, however shaping can be applied during times of network congestion. When applied, only non‑realtime, non-interactive services will be affected by shaping, to offer the best possible broadband experience.
Capped users can opt for Unshaped Capped Data, which give clients Guaranteed Unshaped Data at all times.
As a Capped client you are unshaped no matter what services you use - regardless of the time of day and your usage total. This means that we will not slow down your connection speed (by shaping or throttling) no matter what you download or connect to. (Actual speed is dependent on line speed, distance from the exchange, quality of the cabling in your area and current capacity of your Telkom exchange).
When there is no strain on the network and the it is performing under normal conditions, there will be no shaping applied whatsoever.
The network is under low strain and Level 1 Shaping will be implemented. Home and Premium Uncapped P2P protocols will be shaped. Large downloads (such as software updates) will be shaped on Home and Premium Uncapped products.
The network is under medium strain and Level 2 Shaping will be implemented. Level 2 Shaping includes all previous Shaping rules.
FTP and Cloud Services (for example Google Drive and Dropbox) on all Home and Premium Uncapped products will be shaped. Peer-to-Peer Services on Priority Uncapped products will also be shaped.
The Network is experiencing unusually Heavy Strain and Level 3 Shaping will be implemented. Level 3 Shaping includes all previous Shaping rules.
FTP and Cloud Services (for example Google Drive and Dropbox) on Business Uncapped products will be shaped. Peer-to-Peer Services on Capped products will also be shaped.