Although wireless communications promise fantastic potential, all the hype around it right now might be premature.
In fact, many local Internet Service Providers (ISPs) who have been selling wireless services to their customers on the sly -- and whose wireless services have been shut down by the ever-dictating Telkom -- might now be ruing the day they tried to offer this technology to their clients, many of whom have seen big investments in radio-based equipment evaporate into thin air.
According to Gary Sweidan, technical director of ISP and network integrator, Data Pro, while wireless has great potential. Reports emerging from the US -- which is far ahead of most countries in terms of implementation -- seem to indicate that the pubescent technology is not as fantastic as its protagonists would have the market believe.
"A few local ISPs saw wireless communications as a leading-edge technology, as a real business enabler, and as a way to differentiate themselves from other ISPs in what is becoming a viciously-competitive, cut-throat market."
"Right now, however, even though a company can run wireless solutions in SA at 100Mbps, it has to be governed by Telkom. But some ISPs ignored this fact and decided, anyway, to offer wireless services to their clients. ISP clients invested heavily in radio-based equipment to facilitate wireless communications and, while this was perhaps a great idea at the time, when Telkom told these ISPs to shut down their illegal wireless services, many companies suddenly found themselves with expensive equipment that they could no longer use. It was a complete waste of money for them."
"In the final analysis," said Sweidan, "this was a disservice to companies -- and not a service. The ISPs concerned seriously erred in their judgements."
Data Pro had earlier decided not to enter the fray and is, instead, gearing up to offer DSL facilities to its client base. (DSL is effectively like ISDN -- but it is faster and better). Commenting further, Sweidan said it also appears that all the fuss made about wireless communications might be a bit premature, if reports emanating from the US are anything to go by.
It seems wireless technology is being frowned upon in the US and consumers are regarding it as "waves of frustration". Sprint, one of the leading wireless communications providers, recently had to reassure the marketplace that its wireless services were reliable. However, despite the company`s reassurances, reports reveal that the service was sporadically down for a total of eight hours each day. "This is the problem with wireless," said Sweidan, "even in the US -- where they are far more advanced -- delivery is often unreliable. In addition, he said, "to be effective, wireless communications needs line of site. That might be fine in the USA where vast tracts of land are level; but in SA we are confronted with an irregular terrain and areas around many of our major cities are hilly and often mountainous."
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