Many of the communications network infrastructure in developing countries around the world are undergoing renovations, upgrades and, in many instances, brand-new installations. This effort is being driven by increased smartphone adoption and the monetization opportunities the technology provides. South Africa's Multisource, a global convergence technology company, has announced an update for its plan to deploy Long Term Evolution (LTE (News - Alert)) Advanced, or LTE-A, in the country. The company said it is on schedule for the roll-out of its LTE-A network, after a period without any updates.
Jan Vermeulen, of mybroadband, reported that the CEO of Multisource, Duncan Simpson-Craib, said its “LTE-A network roll-out is on track, and pretty much on schedule.” He goes on to say that the network is performing well and the company still plans to offer retail services along with wholesale opportunities.
Multisource was founded in 1947, and the company has evolved into a global convergence technology company providing fully integrated, end-to-end solutions, products and services. This includes designing, building, operating and integrating next wave networks with its five subsidiaries combining radio, wireless, voice, video and IP technologies for a single integrated communications network.
In September of 2016, Wireless Business Solutions (WBS) announced a major investment in a new high speed LTE-A national data network. With evidence showing a direct correlation between the growth of GDP and fast Internet access, this was a win-win for everyone involved. The network would create more employment, increase the revenue of telecoms, and deliver next generation communication services to consumers.
Chairman of Wireless Business Solutions (WBS), Paul Harris, said at that time, “Nothing that everybody is in can be gained by sitting on the sidelines. WBS was investing in one of the most crucial areas for competitiveness of the economy, and the multiplier effect of broadband is transformative in economic growth and therefore in meeting our challenges of employment, poverty and inequality.”
The deployment of the LTE-A by Multisource is using the existing WBS spectrum assignments in the 1800 and 2600 Mhz bands, which will also enable the roll-out of 5G when the technology becomes available in South Africa.
To date, there are several hundred sites that are operational with super-fast broadband being offered to consumers and businesses. The company said this technology was an alternative to fiber to the home (FTTH) because it will not require the capital expenditure of fiber technology. Once it is deployed, mobile broadband can be accessed on smartphones, tablets and other connected computing devices.