3G Launch date

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Neo

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In various threads I've noticed MTN indicating the 3G launch date as June.

What will we get by when?:

Launch date?
Coverage?
Costing?
Data Cards that r GPRS/EDGE/3G?
 
Remember that MTN has fully implemented EDGE, so when they launch (I'm sure its somewhere in June), you'll get a datacard that's at least EDGE and at best UMTS compatible (not dropping down to GPRS like with Vodacom)..

{I'm sure pricing will be the same or cheaper than Vodacom as well..
 
AmaDownload said:
Remember that MTN has fully implemented EDGE, so when they launch (I'm sure its somewhere in June), you'll get a datacard that's at least EDGE and at best UMTS compatible (not dropping down to GPRS like with Vodacom)..

{I'm sure pricing will be the same or cheaper than Vodacom as well..
Click to expand...

I'm not to sure this is correct.

MTNBroadband, what % of the network is EDGE enabled?

I stand to be corrected, but my understanding was that only portions of the network has been upgraded to EDGE.

I assume pricing will stay the same?

Do we have a model number for the data card?
 
MTNBroadband, any feedback?

When will we see 3G?
What portion of the network will have 3G? EDGE?
Which data cards will be available?

June is a week away! Does anyone else have any info?
 
You can check for yourself where MTN has EDGE - If you phone says Y'ello Broadband, you are in an EDGE cell...

My phone stays on y'ello broadband "everywhere I go" :-)
 
I live in durban and the EDGE coverage is pathetic.......they will probably fire up two towers in JHB with 3G and then announce "YELLO 3G"
 
MTN 3G Launch Date

From what i heard MTN is launching 3G on the 5 June to VIP clients, SP's, etc... and around the 26 June to the public!
 
Neo said:
In various threads I've noticed MTN indicating the 3G launch date as June.

What will we get by when?:

Launch date?
Coverage?
Costing?
Data Cards that r GPRS/EDGE/3G?
Click to expand...

You are absolutely correct that we have stated in the press that 3G will be launched in June and we are on track with this provided we are satisfied with the quality of the network.

I am afraid that I cannot announce the date or coverage detail ahead of time.

The data tariffs will be the same as the tariffs announced in April are for GPRS/EDGE/3G combined.

The current data card we are distributing is an MTN branded EDGE/GPRS card. My personal belief is that this offers the best overall user experience if one looks together at coverage, speed, power consumption, stability across various PCs, standby/resume capability, performance under varying radio conditions etc.

The only way to currently benefit from the 3G/EDGE/GPRS combination is to connect via a Nokia 6630.
 
Neo said:
I'm not to sure this is correct.

MTNBroadband, what % of the network is EDGE enabled?

I stand to be corrected, but my understanding was that only portions of the network has been upgraded to EDGE.

I assume pricing will stay the same?

Do we have a model number for the data card?
Click to expand...

Over 23% of the network is now EDGE enabled. This is several 100 000 square kilometres more than competing wireless broadband technologies. The sites are following the list I gave under the 'EDGE MAP' thread.

Pricing is the same.
 
caspa said:
I live in durban and the EDGE coverage is pathetic.......they will probably fire up two towers in JHB with 3G and then announce "YELLO 3G"
Click to expand...

EDGE is being rolled out in Durban and you can see from previous posts that the plan was to consolidate the coverage by the end of June. If we can get the backlink connection upgrades we need this is still on track.

Probably the first 3G call in South Africa was to Ericsson in Sweden in 2003.

In April - June 2004 we had sites live in Joburg and Cape Town to show various customers and partners what GPRS, EDGE and 3G were all about. At the time we explained that our conditions for launching 3G were the right handsets and usable quality and coverage.

We have then followed our Y'ello Broadband strategy of first upgrading 100% of our network to GPRS, then rolling out EDGE (commencing last October) to provide useful footprints which included the main cities and provincial capitals. That footprint will continue to grow.

We are still on track for a proper launch and not a token go-live.
 
i take back my negativity.........i should be prasing mtn because they have no ties with telkom.
 
Hi MtnBB et al.

I've noticed my phone showing the 3G connection icon (i have a 6630) from time to time over the last few days. When that happens, i only see one bar of connectivity and i struggle to make/receive phone calls. I assume this is part of MTN's 3G rollout/testing? Why can I not make calls when the 3G indicator is showing? It sometimes comes and goes every few seconds/minutes so it is interrupting the use of my phone.
 
Edge.....i have a 7600 and my phone also started showing that there is a 3G connection in places, i am able to make calls but cant initiate a GPRS connection when i am in a mtn 3G cell
 
That's interesting. I tried manually selecting my network. It now shows two MTN networks available - "MTN" and "3G MTN". No matter which I choose, I seem to get the 3G connection automatically. When the 3G icon goes away, I have a good 4/5 bars of normal signal but when the 3G appears I only have a single bar of signal. This is all from the same place, I'm not moving around at all.

In the last hour or so I've been able to make/receive calls properly on the 3G connection (still only one bar of signal though). Download speeds via 3G are very fast, I have to say. If they can just get the signal up by a few more bars I'll be very happy. :-)
 
I've had the same problem when my phone connects to the 3G Network. I'd find it surprising however that you are getting 3G speeds since as far as I know one needs to be provisioned for 3G before one can benefit from increased speed for instance.

By the way, try initiating a video call to another mate who you know also has an MTN 3G handset, you'll notice that it wont connect and suggest that you try a voice call.
 
Edge said:
Hi MtnBB et al.

I've noticed my phone showing the 3G connection icon (i have a 6630) from time to time over the last few days. When that happens, i only see one bar of connectivity and i struggle to make/receive phone calls. I assume this is part of MTN's 3G rollout/testing? Why can I not make calls when the 3G indicator is showing? It sometimes comes and goes every few seconds/minutes so it is interrupting the use of my phone.
Click to expand...

Hi.

There are obviously numerous 3G sites which are live. There should be no disruptions to your service because you should not be provisioned for 3G. Please private-mail me and include your cellphone number so I can follow up. Please also let me know where you are (suburb).

Thanks
 
caspa said:
Edge.....i have a 7600 and my phone also started showing that there is a 3G connection in places, i am able to make calls but cant initiate a GPRS connection when i am in a mtn 3G cell
Click to expand...

Regards. Please can you also private mail me your details (area and cell number. Where did you get the 7600 from?
 
Prescription said:
I've had the same problem when my phone connects to the 3G Network. I'd find it surprising however that you are getting 3G speeds since as far as I know one needs to be provisioned for 3G before one can benefit from increased speed for instance.

By the way, try initiating a video call to another mate who you know also has an MTN 3G handset, you'll notice that it wont connect and suggest that you try a voice call.
Click to expand...

Please can you also private mail me - type of handsets, area you are in and phone number.
 
We have a number of live 3G sites but *in general* customers are not provisioned for 3G. We do have to vary a number of parameters to finalise the testing and this is switched on and off by area. Certain handsets react differently to the testing and I will therefore take feedback seriously. There are some cases where handsets give problems if they are *not* provisioned and we therefore temporarily switch on the service. So I hope your occassional acceleration in speed is a positive experience!

My understanding is that voice and data is activated during temporary 'switch ons' but not video calls.
 
Mtn BB.....any chance of a early provisioning of my sim :-)
 
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