Gadget fans fond of browsing the web on their mobiles will see a big boost in broadband quality as of December 2014.
Telkom – a leading South African telecommunications provider – is set to launch LTE Advanced at the end of 2014. LTE is a popular, rising South African mobile broadband technology, allowing users to enjoy a faster internet connection than 3G, with download speeds of at least 60mb per second. For some time now, many have speculated as to what will come next.
The new project was announced during the annual MyBroadband conference, where Telkom COO Brian Armstrong claimed that, even though the company is also set to launch Fibre To The Home (FTTH) in 23 suburbs in December, LTE Advanced demonstrates the next evolution in their technological advancements.
Armstrong said: “LTE-A is a superior value proposition over current LTE, it is more efficient to operate and it is future proof. So what we are announcing today is that in December we are launching LTE Advanced in 50 suburbs around the country.”
He also claimed that, as they plan to commercially unveil it in December, it won’t go through the same process as the FTTH trial.
“This is not an interest register,” he continued, “it is not a trial or a pilot, this is a commercial launch starting December. It is truly amazing and a key part of our strategy going forward.”
This new advancement will prove a major boost for people who love to use their mobiles for browsing their favourite web sites, watching television shows or films, and for online gaming. All of these pastimes can be hampered by poor internet speeds, and a stronger connection will be welcome news to millions. Recent statistics from the Mobile Marketing Association of South African reveal that there are 32.2 million adult mobile users, of which 48% use mobile data (particularly in urban and upper class areas).
Staff Writer
