Cell C has finally launched its high-speed mobile broadband network in Gauteng after first switching on the service in Port Elizabeth a little over 10 weeks ago.
The company is promising average download speeds in Pretoria and Johannesburg of 4-7Mbit/s and upload speeds of 2-3Mbit/s. However, not the entire region is covered yet, with areas like Roodepoort and Benoni that must still be rolled out.
Cell C CEO Lars Reichelt says some pockets of the province will experience download speeds of up to 10Mbit/s.
At launch, 62% of Gauteng’s population is covered. Reichelt says the company will expand its coverage quickly over the next few months, and should have 89% of the population covered by the end of January.
Cell C has also unveiled its first set of data bundles, with prices ranging from R50 to R400.
A 100MB bundle costs R50; 250MB R100; 500MB R150; and 1GB R250. The largest package — 2GB — will set back users R400.
Reichelt says the operators already has 2 000 transmitters up and running on its third-generation mobile broadband technology.
It has connected 1 600km of fibre through its partners Neotel and Dark Fibre Africa.
“It was one of our key issues leading up to the launch. If you don’t put as much fibre into your network as you can, you will end up having a subpar network,” he says.
Reichelt won’t reveal how many customers it’s signed up to the broadband service in the past 10 weeks, but says he is confident of generating a return for the company’s shareholders.
Middle Eastern group Saudi Oger controls Cell C.
“We expect payback will be good and our board members and shareholders expect that, too, otherwise they would not have said ‘yes’ to the plan,” Reichelt says.
He also declines to say how much market share Cell C is aiming for. “I’d rather not give any predictions right now,” he says. “I have my board sitting here and they will hold me to it.” — Staff reporters, TechCentral
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