Cell C will be the first South African operator to roll out HSPA+ across its entire network and it will do so in the 900 MHz and 2100 MHz frequency bands.
Cell C CEO, Lars P Reichelt revealed this at a press conference in Johannesburg yesterday. This technology allows the mobile provider to cover areas that have not been economically viable before and speeds up roll-out of high-speed broadband to a larger numbers of consumers.
Reichelt said the company was making good progress on its network rollout and more than 1300 base stations have already been converted to HSPA+ in the 900MHz frequency band.
“We are currently running large scale user tests in six cities and the results are very promising. We are also conducting end-to-end tests and are enhancing and optimizing our 2G network.
He said Cell C will launch its new network, city by city, until nationwide 4Gs coverage was achieved. “An announcement about the launch of our first 4Gs city will be made in the next couple of weeks.
Cell C expects to cover 34% of the South African population by the end of 2010 with its 4Gs network and aims for 67% population coverage by mid 2011.
At the press conference, the company also unveiled a new corporate identity.
The new corporate identity, according to Cell C CEO, Lars P Reichelt, reflects the company’s vision of understanding its customers’ way of life better than anybody else and tailoring solutions around them to enhance lifestyles and improve livelihoods.
The new brand identity also consists of a six-colour bar which represents the colours of the South African flag as a symbol that Cell C cares about South Africa, and South Africa only. Cell C intends to cater to all customers and not just those within specific LSMs.
“We are not just flying the flag on specific occasions – we make it part of our everyday life. It is a reminder that this is the land of incredible possibilities and Cell C wants to be the ‘possibilities provider’ for all South Africans,” said Reichelt.
