Samsung Galaxy S3, Note 2 LTE: SA launch window

LTE models of the Samsung Galaxy S3 and Samsung Note 2 will be launched in South Africa during 2012

Jan Vermeulen

October 23, 2012

Vodacom plans to launch the Samsung Galaxy S3 LTE and Samsung Galaxy Note 2 LTE by early November 2012, a spokesperson recently told MyBroadband.

“Further information will be provided closer to the time of launch,” Vodacom said.

Samsung SA announced at its recent Galaxy Note 2 World Tour event in Cape Town that the LTE-capable model of the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 would launch locally before the end of the year.

Vodacom became the first network in South Africa to launch a commercial Long Term Evolution (LTE) service earlier this month (October 2012), albeit with a limited footprint around the Johannesburg area.

South Africa’s other mobile network operators have their own LTE plans, with Cell C and MTN both saying they plan to launch commercial services before the end of 2012.

When approached for comment, however, neither Cell C nor MTN were able to provide details by the time of publication.

“MTN is not in a position to disclose any detail at this stage and will surely announce to the public if there are any developments in this regard. Furthermore, MTN will communicate its commercialisation plans of LTE before the end of the year,” said Mike Fairon, general manager for product innovation and development at MTN SA.

Cell C did not respond by the time of publication.

8ta plans to launch an LTE trial by 1 November 2012 aimed at more of a “fixed wireless” test using spectrum in the 2,300MHz band.