Vodacom boosts LTE speed

BGE said:
Like Vodacom LTE network? :twisted:
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Nice try, but no cigar :)

For sure no stuttering on the LTE network. As with any new / empty network (just ask Cell C and 8ta :)) performance is always great in the beginning. It's then if you can maintain the speeds as the network load up.
 
jannievanzyl said:
Not really,

We ran the trails nearly 2 years ago but kept on waiting for proper spectrum to go live. It's clear this is not going to happen anytime soon so we decided to refarm. Then the crucial timing was the availability of devices. These literally became available only in the last few weeks, so we timed the commercial launch with this.

Turning LTE on is really just a function of (human) resources thus the rollout is much faster than before. Think we're at about 150 as we speak, with the limiting factor fibre availability to the towers.
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Ok, in layman's terms, what exactly does the lack of spectrum mean? How much spectrum do you need to rollout a complete LTE network? Say, comparing LTE's spectrum efficiency to that of HSPA+. Last question, can the network support HSPA+ and LTE simultaneously? Surely the one impacts the other in terms of backhaul from the base station to the core network.
 
jannievanzyl said:
Nice try, but no cigar :)

For sure no stuttering on the LTE network. As with any new / empty network (just ask Cell C and 8ta :)) performance is always great in the beginning. It's then if you can maintain the speeds as the network load up.
Click to expand...

Must say, 8ta seem to be doing well in this regard, my 8ta HSPA+ service often runs very close to it theoretical max. I've got as high as 650kb(ytes)/sec, this via a 7.2mbps modem. Over the last 6 months their network quality has improved substantially. Wonder if this is an indication of poor uptake on their 3G data products?

BTW, a cigar(and whiskey) would have been nice!
 
so err...maybe too much to ask, but can vodacom maybe cover our area with 3G anytime soon. Its not like I live in the sticks.
 
BGE said:
Ok, in layman's terms, what exactly does the lack of spectrum mean? How much spectrum do you need to rollout a complete LTE network? Say, comparing LTE's spectrum efficiency to that of HSPA+. Last question, can the network support HSPA+ and LTE simultaneously? Surely the one impacts the other in terms of backhaul from the base station to the core network.
Click to expand...

The LTE network is essentially a brand new network so it compliments the 3G network quite nicely, as long as there is enough backhaul at least. The fibre-connected towers are OK, but those on copper can be problematic. Thus we'll try and only activate LTE on those with fibre.

If we could get 2.6 or even 800 spectrum, it really is an additional layer and the effective capacity on the tower increases substantially as both networks are avialable to everyone.

But, because we don't have seperate LTE spectrum, we had to use some of the 3G spectrum for LTE. This is way sub-optimal as you cannot take too much away from 3G. So refarming is not a perfect idea but when it's your only option..... :(

Dedicated 2x20Mhz would be perfect (like 8ta's got - actually they have 3x20MHz) but both VC and MTN need to refarm and are using 2x5Mhz or 2x10Mhz of their existing 3G spectrum.
 
Jannie.....I am curious. I have seen this mentioned before somewhere else. Is a tower considered fibre connected only when it has a actual fibre cable physically connected to it...or if it has a microwave link to another tower that uses fibre?

Also...I see you mentioning that Voda refarmed 3G spectrum...but I thought we launched 1800mhz LTE? Has this changed?
 
jannievanzyl said:
The LTE network is essentially a brand new network so it compliments the 3G network quite nicely, as long as there is enough backhaul at least. The fibre-connected towers are OK, but those on copper can be problematic. Thus we'll try and only activate LTE on those with fibre.

If we could get 2.6 or even 800 spectrum, it really is an additional layer and the effective capacity on the tower increases substantially as both networks are avialable to everyone.

But, because we don't have seperate LTE spectrum, we had to use some of the 3G spectrum for LTE. This is way sub-optimal as you cannot take too much away from 3G. So refarming is not a perfect idea but when it's your only option..... :(

Dedicated 2x20Mhz would be perfect (like 8ta's got - actually they have 3x20MHz) but both VC and MTN need to refarm and are using 2x5Mhz or 2x10Mhz of their existing 3G spectrum.
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Any idea what typy of spectrum Neotel has and what they will be doing with it. They have been very quiet.
 
rph72 said:
Any idea what typy of spectrum Neotel has and what they will be doing with it. They have been very quiet.
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Will check (you can download the list from ICASA's website) but WAY too many people with WAY too much spectrum they're not using.

"Use it or lose it!"
 
jannievanzyl said:
Will check (you can download the list from ICASA's website) but WAY too many people with WAY too much spectrum they're not using.

"Use it or lose it!"
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I think some of the players with this valuable spectrum are hoping to rollout a network of their own, but getting investers interested in an already saturated market must be very difficult, probably near impossible since 8ta started. If they could I'm sure they'd have sold that capacity on the highest bidder of the current market players. But heard that ICASA's license forbids on-selling of spectrum. So I agree... use it or lose it!

Question is, do the current licenses have an expiry date, if so, when?
 
jannievanzyl said:
Will check (you can download the list from ICASA's website) but WAY too many people with WAY too much spectrum they're not using.

"Use it or lose it!"
Click to expand...

I agree plus they fact that these guys are utterly hopeless & beyond pathetic. Their spectrum should be taken away.
 
Ockie said:
Jannie.....I am curious. I have seen this mentioned before somewhere else. Is a tower considered fibre connected only when it has a actual fibre cable physically connected to it...or if it has a microwave link to another tower that uses fibre?

Also...I see you mentioning that Voda refarmed 3G spectrum...but I thought we launched 1800mhz LTE? Has this changed?
Click to expand...

Clever man!, my bad. :)

You're right; it's refarmed 2G spectrum, not 3G. Freudian slip and all.

Fibre to the actual tower.
 
BGE said:
I think some of the players with this valuable spectrum are hoping to rollout a network of their own, but getting investers interested in an already saturated market must be very difficult, probably near impossible since 8ta started. If they could I'm sure they'd have sold that capacity on the highest bidder of the current market players. But heard that ICASA's license forbids on-selling of spectrum. So I agree... use it or lose it!

Question is, do the current licenses have an expiry date, if so, when?
Click to expand...

No real expiry and secondary trading of spectrum is not currently allowed. It is being considered though.
 
jannievanzyl said:
Ockie said:
Jannie.....I am curious. I have seen this mentioned before somewhere else. Is a tower considered fibre connected only when it has a actual fibre cable physically connected to it...or if it has a microwave link to another tower that uses fibre?

Also...I see you mentioning that Voda refarmed 3G spectrum...but I thought we launched 1800mhz LTE? Has this changed?
Click to expand...

Clever man!, my bad. :)

You're right; it's refarmed 2G spectrum, not 3G. Freudian slip and all.

Fibre to the actual tower.
Click to expand...

Ah. Thank u kindly for that meneer. Clears it up for me :-)
 
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