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Telecoms on Gautrain 'urgent necessity'

Staff Writer
By Staff Writer, ITWeb
Johannesburg, 05 Dec 2012
Mobile connectivity - particularly in emergency situations - is essential aboard the Gautrain, says Gauteng MEC for roads and transport Ismail Vadi.
Mobile connectivity - particularly in emergency situations - is essential aboard the Gautrain, says Gauteng MEC for roads and transport Ismail Vadi.

Mobile communication on Gauteng's rapid rail system is an urgent necessity, and an amenity that will come to fruition by July 2014.

This is according to Gauteng MEC for roads and transport Ismail Vadi. Vadi says recent negotiations with SA's four mobile operators, Gautrain officials and representatives from the Bombela Concession Company yielded an agreement that full mobile communications - namely voice and services - will be made available to Gautrain commuters by about mid-2014.

Vadi says participant parties - including Vodacom, MTN, Cell C and 8ta - have agreed to a joint technical implementation plan, which will be carried out in three phases. "Phase one will be to ensure that voice (cellphone) communications services are provided at all underground stations by June 2013.

"Phase two will allow for cellphone coverage in the 15km tunnel section of the Gautrain system, which is expected to be completed by December 2013.

"Phase three will have top-quality voice and connectivity throughout the 80km rail system of Gautrain, which all parties will attempt to have completed by July 2014."

The commercial agreement, he adds, must be concluded within the existing framework, "without compromising the operational and commercial interests of each of the parties to the agreement".

"The agreement must serve the public good as mobile connectivity is essential, particularly in emergency situations. We don't want to have a situation where there are no communication services in cases of emergencies within the tunnels and surroundings of the Gautrain reserves."

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