Fibre vs LTE Backup: What You Actually Need

Your business runs on the internet. When it drops — and in South Africa, it will — your phones go dead, your team can't work, and your clients can't reach you. The question isn't whether you need backup internet. It's what kind.

Why Fibre Alone Isn't Enough

Fibre is the best connectivity option for most SA businesses — fast, reliable, affordable. But it's not invincible. Cable theft, construction cuts, maintenance windows, and loadshedding (fibre ONTs need power) all take fibre down regularly. If you're on a single fibre connection with no backup, every outage is a business continuity event.

LTE/5G as Backup — How It Works

A dual-WAN router sits between your office and the internet. It has two connections: primary fibre and backup LTE/5G. When fibre drops, the router detects it and switches to LTE automatically — typically in under a second. Your phones, computers, and cameras keep working without anyone touching anything.

When fibre comes back, the router switches back. The whole process is invisible to your team. No manual intervention, no downtime, no "someone unplug the router and plug it back in."

Fibre vs LTE — Side by Side

What About UPS?

Dual-WAN solves the "fibre is cut" problem. But during loadshedding, your fibre ONT and router also lose power. You need a UPS (uninterruptible power supply) to keep them running. A 1500VA UPS covering your router and ONT gives you 2-3 hours of connectivity. For longer outages, the LTE backup kicks in — but only if the router has power to switch.

The Real Cost of Downtime

A 2-hour fibre outage during business hours costs most SA businesses between R5,000 and R50,000 in lost productivity, missed calls, and delayed transactions. A dual-WAN setup with LTE backup costs R200-800/month. The maths is simple — the insurance is worth far more than the premium.