ADSL-like Internet connectivity through 3G cellular networks may be a reality within the year, but most South Africans are unaware that faster than dialup access is already available in most of the country, says Duxbury Networking.
This is supported by a recent study by BMI-TechKnowledge that found that awareness and adoption of technologies like GPRS and other cellular technologies are still in an "early adopter" phase.
Introducing a range of GSM modems in Johannesburg yesterday, Duxbury MD Graham Duxbury pointed out that connecting to the Internet using enhanced GPRS (EDGE) can deliver data transmission speeds of up to 270Kbps, outstripping dialup access at 56Kbps and ISDN at 128Kbps.
"Even GPRS at 115Kbps is better than dialup and is fast enough to satisfy most mobile users` needs without the price premium of current 3G data cards," says Duxbury.
The PC card modem at the top end of the range at a similar price to existing 3G cards supports GPRS, EDGE, 3G and 3.5G. However, Duxbury believes only power users will opt for the ADSL-like connectivity that networks are expected to introduce within the year using high-speed downlink packet access.
Unlike 3G, wireless broadband and WiFi hotspot connectivity, GSM modems provide Internet connectivity wherever there is cellular coverage, which is about 97.8% according to coverage maps issued by Vodacom and MTN.
Accessing the Internet directly also eliminates the need to pay separate fees to an Internet service provider. Users pay only for the data at between R0.5 and R2 per MB, depending on network operator and data bundle purchased.
Duxbury Networking is one of a handful of technology vendors that have begun to explore the market for Internet access using cellular technology. Industry players predict that number is likely to increase as the market moves out of the early adopter phase towards greater maturity.
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