Does Vodacom upgrade towers in small towns?

There's no ADSL available here and cannot get wireless here because ICASA not wanting to grant licenses to any of the surrounding ISP's.

That means I'm stuck with vodacom, so we getting it the end of the month can canceling our telkom line all together.

I get a really good signal, but it's limited to GPRS edge which unfortunately ain't made for gaming at all.
Was wondering what is the requirement, conditions to get a tower upgraded to make at least 3G available here. How many people need be interested etc.

Steynsrus

To upgrade a tower will cost around 1 mill if i recall.

Basically, high usage towers subsadise small towns who only get the basics.

Do your self a favour and get a MTN sim and test the speed.

I stayed in a dorpie for 2 years, voda = suck cause the push all there users over VERY small backhaul links.
MTN have larger pipes and usually have edge aswell, 2-3 faster than gprs if i recall

A few tiny towns in the eastern cape have full hsdpa signal.

Here in Stilbbai we have HSUPA/HSDPA/EDGE/GPRS on Vodacom with two towers covering the town.

MTN now (finally) have HSDPA/GPRS (oddly no EDGE) on one tower in the area.

Vodacom have twice upgraded their towers here in the last four years!

The extra data/voice traffic at holiday times probably sponsors the cost of towers...

Not sure...but I know for a fact that Vredendal in the Western Cape has got Vodacom 3G. That is a very small town compared to others, but then again, its a big holiday distination on December for the Gautengers, so that might have played a role.

stormwalkerza said:

To upgrade a tower will cost around 1 mill if i recall.

Basically, high usage towers subsadise small towns who only get the basics.

Do your self a favour and get a MTN sim and test the speed.

I stayed in a dorpie for 2 years, voda = suck cause the push all there users over VERY small backhaul links.
MTN have larger pipes and usually have edge aswell, 2-3 faster than gprs if i recall

Click to expand...

Doubt it'll cost 1 million to upgrade a tower...
This dorpie is stuck in around 2003-2004, don't need to replace the whole tower, just the card or whatever.

Already bought a Vodacom modem....How would I check for available MTN services?

the tower would not need to be replaced. they'd have to install new panel antennas on the mast, probably Kathrein/ZTE dual/tri band 3G models and depending on LOS to other sites they might link the tower to others with MW's. The Radio Cabinet would probably have to be replaced too and if adding more than one microwave to the tower you'd need a Switch and multiple IDU's and maybe even a new TX cabinet if there is no space in the existing one for the IDU's. You can see how the cost escalates. also depends on the backhaul capacity in your area. there is huge planning involved to even swap out antennas on a tower, surveys need to be conducted, drawings need to be done (which is where i come in), you have to wait council approval sometimes, wait for equipment etc etc. it can take a long time. so be patient.