Festive Season Network Freeze Periods
Over the festive season, fibre and LTE/5G network operators pause most work on their networks. Your internet keeps working and faults are still attended to, but new installations, Moving Homes and Product changes may be delayed. Each network sets its own dates, so check the table for your network operator.
Every festive season, the companies that run the networks behind your connection (network operators) pause most work to keep things stable over the holidays. Here's what that means for your Product, and the freeze dates for each network.
What Is a Network Freeze?
A freeze is a set period when a network operator stops non-essential work on its network. Your internet keeps working as normal, but anything that needs the network operator to make a change, such as a new installation or a speed change, may be paused until the freeze ends.
Fibre Freeze Dates 2026/2027
| Network operator | Freeze period | What you need to know |
|---|---|---|
| Evotel | 18 December 2026 to 5 January 2027 | Reduced staff on call for essential work, with limited support. |
| Frogfoot | TBA | Dates not yet confirmed. |
| MetroFibre | 14 December 2026 to 10 January 2027 | No network changes during the freeze. New installations pause from 23 to 27 December 2026 and resume on 28 December 2026. Full operations resume on 11 January 2027 at 08:00. |
| MTN Fibre | TBA | Dates not yet confirmed. |
| Octotel | TBA | Dates not yet confirmed. |
| Openserve (incl. Web Connect) | TBA | Dates not yet confirmed. |
| Thinkspeed | 11 December 2026 to 6 January 2027 | No installations or network changes. Orders placed before the freeze are handed over up to and including 11 December 2026. |
| Vumatel (incl. Vuma Reach) | TBA | Dates not yet confirmed. |
| Zoom Fibre | TBA | Dates not yet confirmed. |
| All other fibre networks | TBA | Most networks pause installations and changes from mid-December to early January. |
LTE and 5G Freeze Dates 2026/2027
| Network operator | Freeze period | What you need to know |
|---|---|---|
| MTN | TBA | Dates not yet confirmed. |
| Telkom | TBA | Dates not yet confirmed. |
TBA means the network operator hasn't confirmed its dates yet. We update this page as soon as they do.
Not sure which network you're on? Log in to your Online Account and open your Product. Your network operator is listed in the Product description.
What Happens to My Internet During the Freeze?
Carries on as normal
- Your internet connection
- Logging faults on your existing connection
May be paused or delayed
- New installations and activations
- Moving Homes to a new address
- Product upgrades and downgrades
- Fault repairs on networks working with reduced staff
- Router deliveries over public holidays
Planning a New Installation or Move?
Place your order as early as possible, well before your network's freeze starts. Orders that can't be completed before the freeze are picked up once the network operator is back to full operations.
Moving over the holidays? Start your Moving Homes request at least a few weeks before your network's freeze date.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my internet stop working during the freeze?
No. A freeze only pauses work on the network. Your existing connection keeps working as normal.
Can I still log a fault during the freeze?
Yes. Faults are still logged and attended to, and the faults team keeps you updated. Some network operators run with reduced staff over this time, so repairs may take a little longer.
I ordered before the freeze. Will it still be installed?
It depends on your network operator and how far along your order is. If your installation can't be completed before the freeze starts, it's scheduled once the freeze ends.
Will my router still be delivered?
Router deliveries may take longer over public holidays. We'll add delivery cut-off dates here as soon as they're available.
My network shows TBA. What should I do?
Plan as if the freeze runs from mid-December to early January, which is when most networks pause. Check back here for confirmed dates.
Why do network operators have a freeze period?
The festive season is a busy time for internet use, and many technical teams are on leave. Pausing changes helps keep networks stable while fewer people are on hand.
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