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WBS starts LTE-A network rollout

Staff Writer
By Staff Writer, ITWeb
Johannesburg, 23 Nov 2016
WBS chairman Paul Harris says SA needs an ultra high speed, broadband data-only network to match where it's going.
WBS chairman Paul Harris says SA needs an ultra high speed, broadband data-only network to match where it's going.

Multisource-owned Wireless Business Solutions (WBS) says it has commenced the rollout of its new national LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) wireless broadband network.

WBS is building the network using existing sites and facilities leased from independent tower companies and other telecommunications networks. The first facilities leasing agreement has been concluded with Vodacom and will see WBS lease 5 000 high sites onto which it will install its own radio equipment.

As coverage expands existing iBurst customers will be migrated over to the new LTE-A network and new users will be added.

In September WBS announced plans for a multibillion-rand investment, over the next five years, to build a new high-speed 4.5G national data network in South Africa.

It now says the current rollout plan is to have 500 sites active by March next year, 2 000 by the end of 2017 and 5 000 by the end of 2020. In addition to these high sites, WBS is planning to secure a further 5 000 sites from other sources within a similar timeframe.

"Equipment will be acquired from the established equipment vendors, the funding for which has been secured from shareholder resources and traditional bank funding. The equipment vendors will also assist with installation and management of the network as is commonplace in the industry," WBS says in a statement.

WBS's new network will have significant and sufficient capacity to allow other mobile network operators to roam on it.

Vodacom spokesperson Byron Kennedy confirmed with ITWeb that it had reached an agreement whereby it will roam on the network. In a separate agreement, WBS will also lease aspects of Vodacom's sites and facilities. Kennedy says this could potentially be 5 000 Vodacom sites by 2020.

WBS says roaming is standard practice in the industry and the agreement with Vodacom is non-exclusive but will enable WBS to use some of the network capacity being created to generate revenue while building the customer base.

The new LTE-Advanced network will serve as an "economic pick-me-up" for South Africa, according to WBS chairman Paul Harris.

"Fast, affordable broadband services will bring tremendous benefits to South African consumers and business alike. We're a 55-million person, upper middle income country and we need an ultra high speed, broadband data-only network to match where we're going," he says.

"WBS is keen to engage with other telecoms firms and service providers to explore additional, similar agreements of mutual benefit."

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