Industry players have thrown their weight behind both long-term evolution (LTE) and WiMax as the next generation of connectivity for SA. However, there seems to be no answer as to which offering will best suit the country.
Noel Kirkaldy, director of wireless broadband for Motorola Networks and Enterprise, Middle East and Africa, says SA is already seriously looking at implementing LTE, which will boost broadband capacity in the country remarkably.
Describing the advantages of LTE, Kirkaldy says the solution will deliver a highly compelling user experience with ultra-broadband speeds and almost instantaneous responsiveness for mega-multimedia applications. He adds the technology will be a treasured asset to both operators and users.
“For operators, LTE provides a vastly improved business proposition with spectrum flexibility, significant added capacity and a platform for delivering premium applications at low cost, which is particularly important for emerging markets.”
He adds that in SA, operators are ready to roll out LTE as the Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) had already issued licences.
However, Winston Smith, MD of Alvarion SA, believes WiMax is the best solution for emerging economies. “While some believe that LTE is going to pip WiMax to the post, we maintain that LTE doesn't have the ecosystem WiMax has, and that for emerging markets, and SA in particular, WiMax is the leading solution,” argues Smith.
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