YouTube & Vumatel
YouTube and fibre company Vumatel, part of the Maziv group, have announced a joint pilot program aimed at addressing digital inequality in South African township homes.
The initiative enables affordable, high-speed fibre connectivity bundled with Smart TV streaming.
Launched in previously disadvantaged areas, such as Alexandra Township, Johannesburg, the program will equip 2,000 fibre-connected households with free Google TV streaming dongles, transforming standard televisions into smart, connected entertainment hubs.
Goal
The primary goal of the pilot is to advance digital inclusion by increasing access to high-speed, reliable fibre internet in areas that have historically been excluded from the digital economy.
According to Google, by pairing Vumatel’s affordable fibre infrastructure with YouTube’s content ecosystem and Google TV technology, the collaboration aims to empower families to learn, connect, and entertain from the comfort of their homes — bridging the gap between connectivity and meaningful online participation.
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Connected
Mahesh Bhalerao, Director, YouTube Product Partnerships, EMEA, commented on the technological approach
“Enabling an easy-to-use, accessible Connected TV experience is key to driving digital literacy and content adoption. By bundling Google TV dongles with Vumatel’s reliable and fast fibre, we are creating a seamless pathway for customers to enjoy the full range of our content, from education to entertainment, in a way that is affordable and sustainable for their households.”
As one of the core operating companies within the Maziv Group, Vumatel plays a central role in realising Maziv’s long-term vision: connecting South Africans from all walks of life to world-class digital infrastructure.
Financial barriers
Zunaid Mahomed, Chief Strategy and Growth Officer, Maziv said the fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) model fundamentally disrupted the market by breaking the financial barriers to connectivity for households across South Africa.
“The collaboration with YouTube and Google TV is a powerful extension of that mission — transforming access into empowerment. It completes the circle by enabling people not only to get connected, but to experience the full value of being connected: learning, earning, and engaging through technology.”
Tony Archibong, Managing Director, Global Product Partnerships, YouTube, added that the pilot is an important step in upholding the platform’s mission to give everyone a voice and show them the world by ensuring that high-quality, relevant content from educational resources to entertainment is accessible to all, regardless of socio-economic status or geographic location.”
YouTube has become the number one platform for TV watch time in places like the U.S., surpassing all other streaming services and media conglomerates.
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