armitage
Expert Member
http://www.multichoice.co.za/Display/Display.asp?ArticleId=177
Friend just gave this link. Don't know what to make of it though.
Coudl b old. Could b new. But intewsting.
» 11 April: Look out for these technologies «
Although widely espoused in Europe, Asia and the United States, broadband only reached South Africa last year Telkom's roll-out has been as controversial as anything usually is when involving a monopoly.
It was months late and critics slammed it for providing overpriced and slow services, and for the amount of downloads being capped. But broadband is here regardless. Asymmetrical digital subscriber lines (ADSL) access is a super-fast, always-on home connection to the Net, and more users are flocking to it.
But South Africa is far behind the rest of the world, and "it does mean that a new digital divide is developing," says Angus Hay, the chief technologist for Transtel, which will be part of the second national operator when it is finally launched.
"Broadband is taking off slowly. There will be more than 100-million broadband users in the next two years," says Hay. Right now Telkom has 2 500 ADSL users and the tine speeds are limited to 51 512Kbps for downloading and 256Kbps for uploading. These are much slower than the technology can allow, but Telkom insists it is the only way to make the service viable.
It also caps the download data at three gigabytes - after which the user is moved to a slow international connection. There is no denying that the service has many happy users, despite costing R680 a month for consumers and R800 for business, plus another R200 to R300 a month for an Internet service provider.
The first commercial ADSL installation was installed at industrial IT specialists iDX Online. The company says ADSL halved its Internet access costs. "ADSL is definitely a financial benefit to someone who is using ISDN and spending more than R2 000 a month," says iDX's Bruce Bean. He says, however, that the start-up costs are high and include a R2 500 router to run ADSL as well as installation fees. Home Entertainment
The broadband dream has not died out completely, despite the AOL Time Warner let-down, and will be back in another guise. The essential idea is sound: providing streamed entertainment though the cable connection to your home. TV is still the king of entertainment and there is a separate, but related, drive to integrate TV and home entertainment with computer functionality.
This has already seen Microsoft release a Home Media Player version of its software and computer giant HP manufactures first-generation box. MultiChoice has pioneered a return path system to its push satellite broadcast system by bundling its decoder with an infrared keyboard and add-on modem that allows you to e-mail from your TV, do online TV-shopping and vote in polls, or send messages.
The recent launch of the Dual View decoder, which allows viewers to watch two channels simultaneously, is proof of TV's enduring attraction. This, together with the ability to view sports results, such as batting or bowling statistics during cricket games, demonstrate the cross-over appeal of entertainment and information on the trusted TV set.
WiFi
Perhaps the most recent development is wireless networking, known as WiFi. The technotogy has been called "explosive" by Microsoft chief Bill Gates and hailed by the industry. Intel has launched a $00-million marketing campaign to back its foray into WiFi - a chip and built-in WiFi card called Centrino.
Any devises that have WiFi antennas can access a WiFi network, which extends coverage upto 100m, depending on walls and users. The key to the technology is so-called 'hotspots', which will let the wirelessly enabled send and receive their e-mail and surf the Web when they are in range. Coffee shops, airport lounges and hotels are the first venues to enhance value for their visitors by providing the service.
Intel has set up a pilot project at Nine's coffee shop off Sandton Square in Johannesburg, while the trend is widespread m the US and Europe. A regulator issue in South Africa prevents the wholesale roll-out of hot spots, something that the industry has been rallying against as the legislation limits Telkom to providing wireless Internet access.
Trials have begun, but it is too early to predict when Tetkom will introduce WiFi, says Steven White, the Telkom executive for product development. In the meantime WiFi networks are Increasingly appearing in corporate offices where the coverage and flexibility they offer offset the usual paranoia about security. Expect to be teaming more acronyms soon.
- David Shapshak, Mail & Guardian
Friend just gave this link. Don't know what to make of it though.
Coudl b old. Could b new. But intewsting.
» 11 April: Look out for these technologies «
Although widely espoused in Europe, Asia and the United States, broadband only reached South Africa last year Telkom's roll-out has been as controversial as anything usually is when involving a monopoly.
It was months late and critics slammed it for providing overpriced and slow services, and for the amount of downloads being capped. But broadband is here regardless. Asymmetrical digital subscriber lines (ADSL) access is a super-fast, always-on home connection to the Net, and more users are flocking to it.
But South Africa is far behind the rest of the world, and "it does mean that a new digital divide is developing," says Angus Hay, the chief technologist for Transtel, which will be part of the second national operator when it is finally launched.
"Broadband is taking off slowly. There will be more than 100-million broadband users in the next two years," says Hay. Right now Telkom has 2 500 ADSL users and the tine speeds are limited to 51 512Kbps for downloading and 256Kbps for uploading. These are much slower than the technology can allow, but Telkom insists it is the only way to make the service viable.
It also caps the download data at three gigabytes - after which the user is moved to a slow international connection. There is no denying that the service has many happy users, despite costing R680 a month for consumers and R800 for business, plus another R200 to R300 a month for an Internet service provider.
The first commercial ADSL installation was installed at industrial IT specialists iDX Online. The company says ADSL halved its Internet access costs. "ADSL is definitely a financial benefit to someone who is using ISDN and spending more than R2 000 a month," says iDX's Bruce Bean. He says, however, that the start-up costs are high and include a R2 500 router to run ADSL as well as installation fees. Home Entertainment
The broadband dream has not died out completely, despite the AOL Time Warner let-down, and will be back in another guise. The essential idea is sound: providing streamed entertainment though the cable connection to your home. TV is still the king of entertainment and there is a separate, but related, drive to integrate TV and home entertainment with computer functionality.
This has already seen Microsoft release a Home Media Player version of its software and computer giant HP manufactures first-generation box. MultiChoice has pioneered a return path system to its push satellite broadcast system by bundling its decoder with an infrared keyboard and add-on modem that allows you to e-mail from your TV, do online TV-shopping and vote in polls, or send messages.
The recent launch of the Dual View decoder, which allows viewers to watch two channels simultaneously, is proof of TV's enduring attraction. This, together with the ability to view sports results, such as batting or bowling statistics during cricket games, demonstrate the cross-over appeal of entertainment and information on the trusted TV set.
WiFi
Perhaps the most recent development is wireless networking, known as WiFi. The technotogy has been called "explosive" by Microsoft chief Bill Gates and hailed by the industry. Intel has launched a $00-million marketing campaign to back its foray into WiFi - a chip and built-in WiFi card called Centrino.
Any devises that have WiFi antennas can access a WiFi network, which extends coverage upto 100m, depending on walls and users. The key to the technology is so-called 'hotspots', which will let the wirelessly enabled send and receive their e-mail and surf the Web when they are in range. Coffee shops, airport lounges and hotels are the first venues to enhance value for their visitors by providing the service.
Intel has set up a pilot project at Nine's coffee shop off Sandton Square in Johannesburg, while the trend is widespread m the US and Europe. A regulator issue in South Africa prevents the wholesale roll-out of hot spots, something that the industry has been rallying against as the legislation limits Telkom to providing wireless Internet access.
Trials have begun, but it is too early to predict when Tetkom will introduce WiFi, says Steven White, the Telkom executive for product development. In the meantime WiFi networks are Increasingly appearing in corporate offices where the coverage and flexibility they offer offset the usual paranoia about security. Expect to be teaming more acronyms soon.
- David Shapshak, Mail & Guardian
