Conflicting reports regarding mobile network quality during the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup have emerged as SA's communications authority claims operators under-performed in key quality metrics during the event.
The Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) has released a report indicating that Vodacom, MTN and Cell C had all missed quality of service targets, which the authority had been monitoring throughout the World Cup.
The report outlines details of service quality, including dropped calls, signal strength and voice quality, on networks operated by MTN, Vodacom and Cell C on certain match days during the World Cup.
The report found that Vodacom had underperformed in all of its key metrics, and is the only operator to miss the target for dropped calls.
Vodacom has hit back at the report, arguing that it appears to be based on a sample size of 10 out of 64 games and apparently relates only to the coverage experienced driving around the outside of those particular stadiums on game days.
“There's no way to extrapolate from this information how our network performed across the entire country during the World Cup,” argues Vodacom spokesman Richard Boorman.
“It's also worth noting that the we found demand for data services at the stadiums was greater than anticipated, perhaps due to the difficulty being heard above the noise of the vuvuzelas. We, therefore, moved in real-time to make more resources available to data traffic for those people sending pictures and text messages,” he continues.
Nonetheless, the report found repeated underperformance from all three operators. ICASA found cases in which some service providers were limiting the number of subscribers that they accepted concurrently in the network.
The authority also highlights instances when a network was inaccessible, making it impossible for one to make or receive phone calls.
These findings contradict reports released by Vodacom and MTN, after the World Cup, which claim stable and high-quality network coverage throughout the top event.
Big claims
MTN invested almost R500 million into its network capacity and development for the games.
Soccer City alone housed around 22 base stations, with 38 cells or point-of-radio contacts, and was fed by 6km of fibre.
In addition, the stadium had 348 antennae, sending and receiving cellphone calls for the duration of the matches.
“MTN has enhanced network coverage at all 10 of the Fifa-approved stadiums. Not only does this system provide spectators with the best possible coverage in terms of voice and data, but it also ring-fences each stadium so that it does not impact on the rest of the network,” the operator claimed at the time.
Post World Cup, MTN reported its network remained stable and 100% operational throughout the event.
In total, dedicated World Cup investments for Vodacom included the installation of 112 2G and 81 3G base stations.
“We conducted detailed analysis post each match and where needed made adjustments or installed new equipment before the next match took place. The increase in GSM data traffic, for example, was so dramatic that immediate configuration changes had to be made. This approach resulted in a high-quality and stable network during the complete period,” claimed Vodacom's Andries Delport, executive director for network and IT.
However, ICASA's findings contradict these claims and the authority has recommended that all three operators improve coverage in and around the stadiums so consumers can enjoy voice and data services at future events.
MTN and Cell C did not comment at the time of publication.
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