Neotel is currently running trials in the Midrand, Johannesburg area on several broadband technologies to improve their broadband offerings.
“We are trialing various technologies including LTE, both fiber and wireless, as part of the continual improvement of broadband services to our customers,” Neotel said yesterday.
“LTE is regarded globally as the successor technology to all current 3G technologies, including CDMA [which Neotel is currently using for their NeoFlex and NeoConnect services].”
Neotel is the latest to start with LTE trails as Vodacom, MTN, Cell C and 8ta also look to the future. However, Neotel possesses valuable 800MHz spectrum which is suitable for LTE deployments.
Vodacom was the first company to trial LTE in South Africa, showing speeds exceeding 100Mbps at their Midrand campus.
MTN currently has the largest LTE trial network, with 100 live LTE sites using re-farmed 1800MHz spectrum. MTN have previously said only the lack of spectrum is withholding their commercial launch.
8ta is also actively trialing LTE. “As the specified upgrade path for a 3GPP network is LTE, it is prudent to consider this as an option in terms of 8.ta’s own evolutionary path,” Amith Maharaj, Telkom Mobile Senior Managing Executive, said.
Nico Gous
