Close Menu
TechCentralTechCentral

    Subscribe to the newsletter

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube LinkedIn
    WhatsApp Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn YouTube
    TechCentralTechCentral
    • News
      Batteries to move to the centre of South Africa's energy transition

      Batteries to move to the centre of South Africa’s energy transition

      22 January 2026
      South African telescope solves mystery of 'doomed' giant star

      South African telescope solves mystery of ‘doomed’ giant star

      22 January 2026
      Why South Africa is missing the tech minerals boom

      Why South Africa is missing the tech minerals boom

      22 January 2026
      AI is eating the world's memory - and we're all going to pay the price

      AI is eating the world’s memory – and we’re all going to pay the price

      22 January 2026
      New details emerge about Apple's big Siri overhaul

      New details emerge about Apple’s big Siri overhaul

      22 January 2026
    • World
      Taiwan, US strike strategic AI and chip supply-chain pact - TSMC

      Taiwan, US strike strategic AI and chip supply-chain pact

      20 January 2026
      Wikipedia moves to monetise AI giants' reliance on its content

      Wikipedia moves to monetise AI giants’ reliance on its content

      15 January 2026
      Visa moves to plug stablecoins into the global payments system

      Visa moves to plug stablecoins into the global payments system

      15 January 2026
      Oracle sued as bondholders allege AI debt plans were hidden - Larry Ellison

      Oracle sued as bondholders allege AI debt plans were hidden

      15 January 2026
      Activists call for X, Grok to removed from app stores - Elon Musk

      Activists call for X, Grok to removed from app stores

      14 January 2026
    • In-depth
      The top-performing South African tech shares of 2025

      The top-performing South African tech shares of 2025

      12 January 2026
      Digital authoritarianism grows as African states normalise internet blackouts

      Digital authoritarianism grows as African states normalise internet blackouts

      19 December 2025
      TechCentral's South African Newsmakers of 2025

      TechCentral’s South African Newsmakers of 2025

      18 December 2025
      Black Friday goes digital in South Africa as online spending surges to record high

      Black Friday goes digital in South Africa as online spending surges to record high

      4 December 2025
      DStv dodges channel blackout in last-minute deal with Warner Bros

      Canal+ plays hardball – and DStv viewers feel the pain

      3 December 2025
    • TCS

      TCS+ | Why cybersecurity is becoming a competitive advantage for SA businesses

      20 January 2026
      Watts & Wheels: S1E1 - 'William, Prince of Wheels'

      Watts & Wheels: S1E1 – ‘William, Prince of Wheels’

      8 January 2026
      TCS+ | Africa's digital transformation - unlocking AI through cloud and culture - Cliff de Wit Accelera Digital Group

      TCS+ | Cloud without culture won’t deliver AI: Accelera’s Cliff de Wit

      12 December 2025
      TCS+ | How Cloud on Demand helps partners thrive in the AWS ecosystem - Odwa Ndyaluvane and Xenia Rhode

      TCS+ | How Cloud On Demand helps partners thrive in the AWS ecosystem

      4 December 2025
      TCS | MTN Group CEO Ralph Mupita on competition, AI and the future of mobile

      TCS | Ralph Mupita on competition, AI and the future of mobile

      28 November 2025
    • Opinion
      AI moves from pilots to production in South African companies - Nazia Pillay SAP

      AI moves from pilots to production in South African companies

      20 January 2026
      ANC's attack on Solly Malatsi shows how BEE dogma trumps economic reality - Duncan McLeod

      ANC’s attack on Solly Malatsi shows how BEE dogma trumps economic reality

      14 December 2025
      Netflix, Warner Bros deal raises fresh headaches for MultiChoice - Duncan McLeod

      Netflix, Warner Bros deal raises fresh headaches for MultiChoice

      5 December 2025
      BIN scans, DDoS and the next cybercrime wave hitting South Africa's banks - Entersekt Gerhard Oosthuizen

      BIN scans, DDoS and the next cybercrime wave hitting South Africa’s banks

      3 December 2025
      ANC's attack on Solly Malatsi shows how BEE dogma trumps economic reality - Duncan McLeod

      Your data, your hardware: the DIY AI revolution is coming

      20 November 2025
    • Company Hubs
      • Africa Data Centres
      • AfriGIS
      • Altron Digital Business
      • Altron Document Solutions
      • Altron Group
      • Arctic Wolf
      • AvertITD
      • Braintree
      • CallMiner
      • CambriLearn
      • CYBER1 Solutions
      • Digicloud Africa
      • Digimune
      • Domains.co.za
      • ESET
      • Euphoria Telecom
      • Incredible Business
      • iONLINE
      • IQbusiness
      • Iris Network Systems
      • LSD Open
      • NEC XON
      • Netstar
      • Network Platforms
      • Next DLP
      • Ovations
      • Paracon
      • Paratus
      • Q-KON
      • SevenC
      • SkyWire
      • Solid8 Technologies
      • Telit Cinterion
      • Tenable
      • Vertiv
      • Videri Digital
      • Vodacom Business
      • Wipro
      • Workday
      • XLink
    • Sections
      • AI and machine learning
      • Banking
      • Broadcasting and Media
      • Cloud services
      • Contact centres and CX
      • Cryptocurrencies
      • Education and skills
      • Electronics and hardware
      • Energy and sustainability
      • Enterprise software
      • Financial services
      • Information security
      • Internet and connectivity
      • Internet of Things
      • Investment
      • IT services
      • Lifestyle
      • Motoring
      • Public sector
      • Retail and e-commerce
      • Satellite communications
      • Science
      • SMEs and start-ups
      • Social media
      • Talent and leadership
      • Telecoms
    • Events
    • Advertise
    TechCentralTechCentral
    Home » Sections » Internet and connectivity » Reliable connections – the secret to thriving small businesses

    Reliable connections – the secret to thriving small businesses

    Promoted | If you’re running an SME these days, you’re basically living and dying by your Wi-Fi, writes XLink CIO Yakoob Ahmed.
    By XLink Communications22 August 2025
    Twitter LinkedIn Facebook WhatsApp Email Telegram Copy Link
    News Alerts
    WhatsApp

    Reliable connections - the secret to thriving small businesses - Yakoob Ahmed XLinkIf you’re running a small business these days, you’re basically living and dying by your Wi-Fi.

    Everything’s digital: payments, checkout, even your grandma’s cake shop is syncing inventory with some cloud service. And when the internet bombs out? Boom. Everything grinds to a halt. Customers get cranky, sales vanish and you end up staring at the “no connection” dinosaur like it’s personally mocking you.

    People always forget how much downtime actually hurts. It’s not just a minor annoyance; it is life-altering. One little outage and suddenly your reputation takes a hit, your team is twiddling their thumbs and customers are giving you the side-eye. And if you don’t have an IT wizard on hand? Good luck. You’ll be stuck scrambling, losing hours just trying to get back online and fix the mess.

    One bad outage can wreck reputations you’ve spent ages building. No pressure, right?

    Let’s be real

    Small businesses just want internet that works. No drama, no mystery outages, no “have you tried turning it off and on again?”. They need stuff that runs smoothly so they can get on with running a business and not babysitting a flaky connection. Unfortunately, what they usually get is merely bottom-shelf, consumer-grade service. One-way internet, no backup plan, barely any way to spot issues. And when something inevitably blows up? Support is slower than a Monday morning. The result? A massive chasm between what these folks actually need and what the big providers toss their way.

    Having “internet” isn’t impressive. What actually matters is making sure your systems won’t just kneel over in the middle of the day. Small businesses need gear they can trust, stuff that’ll warn them if something’s going sideways and smart ways to keep things running even when life throws a curveball. Fancy terms like “dual-path failover” and “real-time monitoring” aren’t just for the Fortune 500 crowd anymore. If you’re a small shop, you basically need these to survive, serve your customers and keep the lights on when chaos hits.

    SME connectivity

    In the last decade, small businesses have gone digital in a big way. Whether it’s running an online store, using a tablet to ring up sales, or handling their books in the cloud, it all depends on rock-solid, secure connections.

    And let’s not kid ourselves, this is just the start. The next wave? Smarter systems that don’t just connect but actually help out – by spotting hiccups, tracking how stuff’s being used and playing nice with other tech to make everything run smoother. It’s not sci-fi, it’s just where things are headed. And small businesses? They deserve a shot at this future, too.

    Mission: NovaX

    XLink rolled out NovaX because, let’s face it, small and mid-sized businesses don’t have time for tech headaches. NovaX is basically plug it in, and you’re good to go. No more pulling your hair out over spotty connections or downtime that eats into your sanity. Strong, stable connectivity without the drama? Yes, finally!

    What’s in it for you?

    • Downtime? Practically extinct. You get two separate connection paths, so if one chokes, the other’s got your back.
    • Fails over instantly. No midnight fire drills, just business as usual, 24/7.
    • Real-time monitoring. If something’s about to go sideways, you’ll know before it hits the fan.
    • Setup’s a breeze. You don’t need to be a tech wizard. Slap it in almost anywhere and you’re set.

    This isn’t just another “we keep you online” pitch. This is the backbone your business leans on when you need things to just work.

    Empowering digital growth for everyone

    Let’s be honest, this isn’t just an SME thing. Banks, shops, tech companies, all those guys rely on staying connected or their whole operation grinds to a halt. NovaX lets banks and fintechs move payments without sweating it. Shops? They can process card swipes all day, no hiccups. Insurers and service folks? Always online. NovaX is like the Wi-Fi glue that keeps everyone’s stuff talking to each other.

    Pushing for real change

    SMEs aren’t just background noise in the economy, they’re the engine. They hire people, keep neighbourhoods alive and drive the country forward. At XLink, we’re convinced every business, big and small, needs tech they can actually trust.

    NovaX isn’t just another gadget. It’s how you stay online, stay sharp and leave your competitors eating dust.

    Because, honestly, if you’re not online these days, you’re not even in the game.

    Learn more about NovaX.

    • The author, Yakoob Ahmed, is CIO at XLink
    • Read more articles by XLink on TechCentral
    • This promoted content was paid for by the party concerned

    Don’t miss:

    XLink launches NovaX



    NovaX
    WhatsApp YouTube Follow on Google News Add as preferred source on Google
    Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram Email Copy Link
    Previous ArticleCell C a step closer to possible JSE listing
    Next Article Sophos, Phishield join forces to tackle rising ransomware costs

    Related Posts

    XLink launches NovaX

    XLink launches NovaX

    11 August 2025
    Company News
    Domains.co.za launches South Africa's first homegrown Link in Bio tool

    Domains.co.za launches South Africa’s first homegrown Link in Bio tool

    22 January 2026
    Trends that are shaping the use of AI to improve CX - Telviva

    Trends shaping the use of AI to improve CX

    22 January 2026
    The tech transformation of sports betting

    The tech transformation of sports betting

    21 January 2026
    Opinion
    AI moves from pilots to production in South African companies - Nazia Pillay SAP

    AI moves from pilots to production in South African companies

    20 January 2026
    ANC's attack on Solly Malatsi shows how BEE dogma trumps economic reality - Duncan McLeod

    ANC’s attack on Solly Malatsi shows how BEE dogma trumps economic reality

    14 December 2025
    Netflix, Warner Bros deal raises fresh headaches for MultiChoice - Duncan McLeod

    Netflix, Warner Bros deal raises fresh headaches for MultiChoice

    5 December 2025

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    Latest Posts
    Batteries to move to the centre of South Africa's energy transition

    Batteries to move to the centre of South Africa’s energy transition

    22 January 2026
    South African telescope solves mystery of 'doomed' giant star

    South African telescope solves mystery of ‘doomed’ giant star

    22 January 2026
    Why South Africa is missing the tech minerals boom

    Why South Africa is missing the tech minerals boom

    22 January 2026
    AI is eating the world's memory - and we're all going to pay the price

    AI is eating the world’s memory – and we’re all going to pay the price

    22 January 2026
    © 2009 - 2026 NewsCentral Media
    • Cookie policy (ZA)
    • TechCentral – privacy and Popia

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    Manage consent

    TechCentral uses cookies to enhance its offerings. Consenting to these technologies allows us to serve you better. Not consenting or withdrawing consent may adversely affect certain features and functions of the website.

    Functional Always active
    The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
    Preferences
    The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
    Statistics
    The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
    Marketing
    The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
    • Manage options
    • Manage services
    • Manage {vendor_count} vendors
    • Read more about these purposes
    View preferences
    • {title}
    • {title}
    • {title}