QUOTE
Neotel to focus on WiMax and CDMA
Neotel will focus on wireless technologies, including WiMax, to bring services to consumers.
Neotel MD Ajay Pandey said that Neotel will as far as possible make use of its own infrastructure to bring services to customers, ensuring that they have the ‘whole link’ in their control.
With Telkom owning South Africa’s copper infrastructure, Neotel is looking at wireless technologies, including CDMA 2000 and WiMax to bring services to consumers.
Neotel already has adequate WiMax spectrum, but is awaiting 800 MHz spectrum from ICASA before they can progress with their CDMA 2000 rollout.
According to Pandey the route to get 800 MHz spectrum has been decided, and it is now only awaiting ICASA to allocate spectrum to them.
Neotel does however not exclude copper from its network rollout plans. Pandey said that it will build their own copper infrastructure where it is needed, but that they do not intend building a full copper infrastructure around the country.
Pandey said that a realistic WiMax rollout date would be in the second half of 2007, but pointed out that end user equipment will make or break the take-up and use of this technology.
According to Neotel they have, partly through VSNL, great trial results from both CDMA 2000 and WiMax and feel confident that these technologies will be up to the task in competing with Telkom’s copper based services.
Neotel will focus on wireless technologies, including WiMax, to bring services to consumers.
Neotel MD Ajay Pandey said that Neotel will as far as possible make use of its own infrastructure to bring services to customers, ensuring that they have the ‘whole link’ in their control.
With Telkom owning South Africa’s copper infrastructure, Neotel is looking at wireless technologies, including CDMA 2000 and WiMax to bring services to consumers.
Neotel already has adequate WiMax spectrum, but is awaiting 800 MHz spectrum from ICASA before they can progress with their CDMA 2000 rollout.
According to Pandey the route to get 800 MHz spectrum has been decided, and it is now only awaiting ICASA to allocate spectrum to them.
Neotel does however not exclude copper from its network rollout plans. Pandey said that it will build their own copper infrastructure where it is needed, but that they do not intend building a full copper infrastructure around the country.
Pandey said that a realistic WiMax rollout date would be in the second half of 2007, but pointed out that end user equipment will make or break the take-up and use of this technology.
According to Neotel they have, partly through VSNL, great trial results from both CDMA 2000 and WiMax and feel confident that these technologies will be up to the task in competing with Telkom’s copper based services.
Source: http://www.mybroadband.co.za/nephp/?m=show&id=5485
This is very interesting.
It seems that certain parts of South Africa (my guess would be non-major cities and town) will have to settle for wireless connectivity, wheras the metros will have copper or better yet fibre.
I am not entirely concinved that wireless can effectively compete with Telkom’s copper based services.
Sure, if its cheaper I will switch (due to my hate for Telkom & money saving) but from my own personal experience wireless just isnt all its cracked up to be.
Claimed speeds are rarely reached and latency is horrible. Not to mention that half the time you're sitting with no service!
Now Im not saying Telkom's ADSL is not without its problems, but its a hell of a lot better than some of the wireless services I've used.
I just hope that Neotel lays to rest my concerns!!!!!