With WiMAX vaunted to be a viable technology to enable wireless last-mile signal distribution for telephony and the Internet - particularly to under-or non-serviced areas - local Redline Communications distributor RapidCloud Technology reports that it has commenced trial implementations with several organisations in Africa.
Canada-based Redline Communications designs and manufactures broadband wireless access solutions; Johannesburg-based distributor RapidCloud Technology was named its Partner of the Year 2004 for its work in taking Redline equipment to market both in SA and into Africa.
According to RapidCloud CEO Arnoud de Nooy, WiMAX technology is entering the market after extensive testing and evaluation by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, and the WiMAX forum. "Redline is a principal member of the WiMAX forum and is one of the first vendors to commercially introduce products based on the 802.16 D (2004) Standard," he says.
De Nooy explains that Redline`s RedMAX WiMAX solutions are designed to operate in a wide range of network designs and deployments, including point-to-point and point-to-multi-point, in urban and rural geographies. The solution includes WiMAX base stations for signal distribution, and subscriber units for signal reception.
"WiMax is likely to have significant success in African markets as it provides a viable alternative to E1 as an access mechanism to in difficult terrain where the deployment of wireline networks is not feasible. The advantages of the technology are obvious - a single base-station costing around $50 000 can act as a distribution point for broadband access at distances up to 25km in line of sight and 2.5km in non-line of sight scenarios, supporting up to 32 E1 equivalent connections. This significantly lowers the cost of broadband access while reducing the complexity of roll-out," he says.
He also notes that the cost of WiMAX solutions will, like other technologies, decrease as market penetration increases.
Furthermore, De Nooy says WiMax is likely to become a viable alternative to DSL and cable for broadband access to the home. It can also be used as a reliable backhaul for WiFi (wireless LAN - 802.11 a/b/g) hotspots, particularly in the remote regions and countries lacking significant wired infrastructures in Africa.
"The trials that we have under way are demonstrating that the promise of WiMAX will become a reality; it is a technology particularly suited to Africa, and which is likely to grow dramatically in the coming months," he concludes.
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