Cell C has switched on its first two base stations using next-generation 4G/LTE wireless broadband technology, the company has confirmed to TechCentral. The two sites are located in Sandton, north of Johannesburg.
“We are in the process of optimising the sites,” says Cell C spokesman Karin Fourie. “Once completed, we will identify and invite heavy data users on our network to participate in a trial.”
The company says more sites will be taken live “soon” in “targeted metropolitan areas”.
Cell C is using a portion of its allocation in the 2,1GHz spectrum band for the new network. Its two bigger rivals, MTN and Vodacom, have both reallocated a portion of the 1,8GHz band they have traditionally used for voice telephony for 4G broadband.
Cell C said last month that by December it planned to launch LTE services on a trial basis in Cape Town and Durban as well as other top holiday resort destinations. The company hasn’t said when it hopes to offer services commercially.
Vodacom, MTN and Cell C, are all rushing to build 4G/LTE networks, although none has been given access to the additional radio frequency spectrum needed to build networks of national scope.
Operators are keen for access to both the 2,6GHz band and the 800MHz band, both of which are well suited for 4G networks. However, the 800MHz band will only be freed up once South Africa completes its already long-delayed migration from analogue to digital terrestrial television.
Telkom mobile arm 8ta, meanwhile, has access to a large chunk of spectrum in the 2,3GHz band, which it says puts it in a stronger position than its rivals. The 2,3GHz band is favoured by operators in China and India, which together have a population of nearly 3bn people, suggesting there will be no shortage of affordable modems and other end-user devices as well as of network equipment.
So far, Vodacom is the only operator offering commercial 4G/LTE services, although MTN is expected to launch a commercial offering within weeks. MTN has said previously that it wants as many as 500 base stations supported by the new technology before it launches.
Vodacom, clearly keen to be seen to be beating MTN to the post, began providing commercial 4G/LTE services last month from 70 base stations covering only selected parts of Johannesburg. The company has since expanded this footprint and switched on services in Umhlanga, north of Durban. — (c) 2012 NewsCentral Media
