Satellite product brings the world to remote Limpopo family

Families living in South Africa’s remote rural areas are now enjoying affordable high-speed Internet access for the first time, thanks to the YahClick satellite service now available from Vox Telecom.

“I used to feel as if I was alone on the planet sometimes,” says customer Gwen Meintjies, who lives on a farm about 60km outside Thabazimbi in Limpopo province. “We have a Telkom line to the farm, but it hardly ever works. My children and grandchildren live all over the world and South Africa, and it was very difficult to keep contact with them.”

Since receiving a YahClick satellite connection in October 2012, says Meintjies, “I speak to my children more than I ever did before. We Skype at least once a day and I get to see my grandchildren on video. I love the fact that my kids can take the laptop around their house and show me everything. You want to be able to picture your children where they live; it makes me feel peaceful. “

Meintjies says her son in the Netherlands now jokes that she has a better Internet connection than he does. “It’s opened a whole new world for me. Before this I was old school and had never touched a computer – I could type on the electric typewriter and that was it. Now I use Skype every day and I adore Facebook; I love being able to share pictures of the farm wildlife, the buck in my garden and the tortoises drinking at the water trough.”

“It’s incredible having this link to the whole world from the middle of nowhere,” says Meintjies. “It’s like I have a fantastic new toy – and my relationships with my children have never been so strong.”