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Tag: wireless-broadband-world-africa-2009

  • Wireless Broadband World Africa 2009: Neotel Showcases CDMA 2000


    Neotel showcased and demonstrated various telecommunication products for the African market at Wireless Broadband World Africa 2009, the continent’s flagship Wireless broadband event held recently.

    The key technology showcased at this event was the CDMA2000 1x-EvDO and is the most widely deployed of the global 3G standards today.

    According to Chief technology Officer at Neotel, Dr. Angus Hay, the new technology has been well received by the market and offer faster internet
    connection better than other technologies on the market in South Africa.

    "This technology is faster than the ADSL it’s reliable and offers total solutions to connectivity," he said.

    The CDMA 2000 1 offers a smooth migration path from basic voice to high-speed internet through EV-DO, offering peak data speeds of 2.4 megabits
    per second (average data speeds 400-600 kilobits per second).

    CDMA2000 1x-EvDO provides a satisfactory customer experience for all standard internet usage, including sending/receiving emails, browsing the internet,
    and downloading content as well as applications.

    According to Dr Hay, Neotel plans to continue delivering leading-edge technology to suit the editorneeds of its customers, and its choice of the CDMA2000 1x-EvDO technology reflects this principle.

    Evolutions of CDMA2000 1x-EvDO technology are already in the pipe-line, with EV-DO Rev A offering peak 3.1 megabits per second, EV-DO Rev B in the near future which will deliver peak speeds in the region of 15 megabits per second and EV-DO Rev C in the longer term, which will deliver peak speeds of over 70 megabits per second.

    Dr. Hay also emphasized that the laying of fibre cable which is set to cover a distance of 5 000km, connecting major centres across South Africa is proceeding earnestly will be complete by 2010.

    The optic fibre network will provide Neotel, Vodacom and MTN with almost infinite bandwidth capacity to carry more information – voice and data – at
    higher speeds over greater distances using far less power than copper cables.

    The deployment of high-speed, quality voice and data transmission is of importance for the industry to remain competitive.

    Neotel is South Africa’s first converged Telecommunications network operator that aims to reduce the cost of doing business by enhancing the operational
    efficiencies of companies through the optimal use of advanced communications technologies.

  • WirelessWireless Broadband World Africa 2009: Access Providers Demand Self-Regulation in South Africa


    The Wireless Access Providers Association (WAPA) is strongly urging self-regulation within the industry as a way of increasing accountability amongst operators.

    WAPA is an association that is dedicated to governing the responsible use of wireless technology in South Africa.

    Addressing delegates at the recent Wireless Broadband World Africa 2009, Johann Botha, Chairman of WAPA said: "Hopefully, in 12 to 18 months’ time, we will have developed a set of rules to help the industry self-regulate itself."

    Botha urged more transparency in the use of frequency spectrum in South Africa.

    In an interview with smartphone.biz-news in Cape Town, Botha said: "Spectrum is a national resource and it is in the interest of all citizens that spectrum be used as efficiently as possible.

    "Spectrum has gone ‘from coal to gold’ in the last few years. With 300 new ECNS licensees, many of whom will be providing fixed wireless access services, national spectrum resources will be under added pressure.

    "Positive dialogue, cooperation and a new approach to spectrum management is needed."

    Regulatory issues became a topical matter during the deliberations at the Wireless Broadband gathering.

    Most of the participants lamented the unfavourable regulatory environment that hampers the use of technologies.

    These technologies offer tremendous opportunities. Governments can work with the private sector to accelerate rollout of broadband networks, and to extend access to low-income consumers.

    So far, the mobile platform has been identified as the single most powerful way to reach and deliver public and private services to hundreds of millions of people in remote and rural areas across the developing world.

    Botha said that broadband provides the basis for local information technology (IT) services industries, which create youth employment, increase productivity and exports, and promote social inclusion.

    Early this month WAPA had to send out an advisory to its membership, advising them to stop using 5600 – 5650 MHz spectrum because of interference with C-band weather radar systems.

    This came about after an investigation by the Open Spectrum Alliance (OSA) into spectrum which may be feasible to demonstrate an industry self-regulation model through lite-licensing spectrum for terrestrial point-to-point wireless links in the 5.9 – 6.1 GHz range.