Compare internet packages over the period you expect to use them. Include installation, equipment, monthly service and any documented exit cost. A low starting price is only one line in the calculation.
Build a dated quotation sheet
Record the address, network, speed package, contract period and quote date. Separate installation, activation, router and delivery charges. Mark items as included, refundable, optional or payable; these labels are not interchangeable. Use the provider’s terms to understand conditional promotions. Afrihost’s fibre terms provide one specific example of promotion and cancellation conditions [1].
Choose the same comparison horizon
Add once-off payable costs to all monthly payments in the chosen period. If a promotional price changes, split the months into separate price bands. Compare backup data separately rather than hiding it inside one supplier’s price. Divide the total by the number of months only after all the relevant amounts have been included.
Test an early move or cancellation
Read the notice period, equipment-return rules and any promotional cost recovery. Request a written exit figure for your expected cancellation date where necessary. Keep that scenario separate from staying for the entire comparison period. Coverage and installation must be confirmed for the actual address; a national advertising claim does not settle address eligibility.
Compare a stay scenario with an early-exit scenario
Keep two totals for each quote. The first covers staying for your chosen comparison period; the second covers leaving on a specified earlier date. Use actual notice and promotion-recovery terms rather than applying an assumed cancellation fee to every provider. Separate refundable deposits from permanent costs. If equipment is supplied, record whether it must be returned and who pays delivery. Do not subtract an estimated resale value for equipment that is not yours to sell. Finish with the total payment and the dates money is needed, since equal annual costs can still require different cash at installation.
A calculation you can check
Fictional twelve-month total: R900 setup + three months at R400 + nine at R550 = R7,050. R7,050 ÷ 12 = R587.50 per month. It excludes cancellation because staying twelve months is the stated assumption.
Questions about this decision
Does the advertised monthly price include installation?
Check the quote and promotion conditions. Show installation as a separate line even when the payable amount is zero.
How do I compare an introductory price?
Multiply each price by the months it actually applies, then add the periods.
Should router costs be included?
Include the equipment you need, its delivery and any return or ownership condition.
Is a month-to-month package free to exit?
Read notice and promotion-recovery terms. Billing frequency alone does not settle the cancellation cost.
How do I handle uncertain installation?
Obtain address-specific confirmation and keep backup connectivity in a separate scenario until activation is confirmed.
Should I compare only speed?
Include cost, address availability and the service conditions needed for your use. Avoid a universal speed recommendation.
What if I move during the period?
Price relocation or cancellation using the applicable written process and do not assume the same network serves the new address.
Does SaveWise list current fibre prices?
This guide supplies a worksheet and fictional example. Use a current provider quote for the actual package.