Industry players have thrown their weight behind both long-term evolution (LTE) and WiMax as the next generation of connectivity for SA. However, there seems to be no answer as to which offering will best suit the country.
ITWeb's Broadband 2010 conference
More information about the ITWeb Broadband 2010 Conference, which takes place on 5-6 October 2010 at The Forum in Bryanston, is available online here.
Noel Kirkaldy, director of wireless broadband for Motorola Networks and Enterprise, Middle East and Africa, says SA is already seriously looking at implementing LTE, which will boost broadband capacity in the country remarkably.
Describing the advantages of LTE, Kirkaldy says the solution will deliver a highly compelling user experience with ultra-broadband speeds and almost instantaneous responsiveness for mega-multimedia applications. He adds the technology will be a treasured asset to both operators and users.
“For operators, LTE provides a vastly improved business proposition with spectrum flexibility, significant added capacity and a platform for delivering premium applications at low cost, which is particularly important for emerging markets.
“It also takes the user beyond mobile broadband by bringing together the best of wireless and wireline experiences”, says Kirkaldy.
He adds that in SA, operators are ready to roll out LTE as the Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) had already issued licences.
“Now that ICASA has issued licences for the wireless spectrum in SA, the country will be able to support the delivery of both WiMax and LTE,” he says
However, Winston Smith, MD of Alvarion SA, believes WiMax is the best solution for emerging economies.
“While some believe that LTE is going to pip WiMax to the post, we maintain that LTE doesn't have the ecosystem WiMax has, and that for emerging markets, and SA in particular, WiMax is the leading solution,” argues Smith.
According to Smith, WiMax is a low-risk, attractive opportunity, especially in a country like SA, which lacks a fully developed wired infrastructure.
He adds that with a quick deployment time and suitability for fixed, nomadic and mobile deployments, WiMax offers a fast and cost-effective solution for broadband connectivity in Africa.
LTE and WiMax are emerging as major contenders, as operators across the globe jostle to build the next-generation of data networks, to meet the growing demand for fast Internet connections. These technologies share the same wireless standard, known as OFDM (orthogonal frequency division multiplexing).
According to a review by Into Mobile, WiMax currently offers peak wireless data speeds of up to 6Mbps on the downstream and 1Mbps for sending data upstream, while LTE can ferry data at download speeds of 100Mbps and support upload speeds of 50Mbps.
Smith concludes by saying the two solutions will drastically alter the broadband developments in SA.
“With a mere 3% broadband penetration in SA, this offers an opportunity for very rapid growth, especially with the recent deployment of the Seacom undersea cable and its associated reduction in bandwidth costs,” says Smith.
To further explore these developments, ITWeb is hosting a Broadband Conference at the Forum, Bryanston, on 5 and 6 October, where Kirkaldy will be one of the keynote speakers.
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