Third mobile operator Cell C will unveil its 4Gs network on Friday, 3 September; however, the company is mum about which city will be first to receive access to the network.
Speaking at a press conference last month, Cell C CEO Lars Reichelt explained that the company's 4Gs ['s' stands for speed and service] would be rolled out city-by-city, in six cities across SA.
The operator has committed to 34% coverage of the South African population by the end of the year and 67% population coverage by mid 2011.
Reichelt noted that the network is neither 4G nor LTE, but is an improvement on 3G. He explained that the concept of 4G has not yet been defined by the global industry, but Cell C's network is based on software - defined radio technology - which could be adapted for LTE or anything else in the future.
He added that the new network would be based on HSPA+ technology and would operate in the 900MHz and 2 100MHz frequency bands.
Reichelt explained that its HSPA+ 900 transmitter allows for coverage in areas that may not have been economically viable before and speeds up rollout of high-speed broadband to larger numbers of consumers.
The decision to go with HSPA+ 900 allows for lower capital and operating expenditure, allowing for more competitive offerings going forward, added Reichelt.
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