Telkom’s WiMax plans
So where does Telkom stand? Is Telkom rolling out WiMAX? To what extent will Telkom deploy WiMAX? Will it replace ADSL?
Telkom has deployed WiMAX in most of the major metropolitan areas. The purpose is to act as a fill-in for areas that cannot be covered by ADSL. So a big part of the focus is on periurban areas. The WiMAX footprint also focuses on areas where Telkom experiences serious cable theft problems. Telkom will also be deploying WiMAX in rural areas to replace obsolete technologies. ADSL is Telkom’s primary means of providing broadband and WiMAX is a complementary service which is used as an alternative when ADSL is not available. Telkom will also be offering a voice service over WiMAX.
Is Telkom planning to offer a true mobility WiMAX service?
Telkom has initially deployed WiMAX-d which only caters for a fixed broadband service. Telkom has no intention of using this technology for mobile services. However, Telkom is exploring other technologies (such as WiMAX-e and 3 GSM) that can provide mobility.
WiMAX offers a much greater bandwidth than ADSL; will that not place pressure on Telkom to introduce Super ADSL?
Telkom does not agree with this statement, and would like to point out that maximum theoretical burst data rate of a technology is seldom sold as a commercialised product. For this reason, comparing any maximum theoretical data rate between technologies is not a deciding factor. ADSL, in general, is capable of far superior speeds than wireless. Telkom does have plans to increase ADSL speeds in suitable areas, particularly in areas where it deploys IPTV.
Has Telkom placed orders for WiMAX equipment, and if so, where will the service be rolled out?
Telkom has procured WiMAX equipment which has already been installed for commercial use. Areas where WiMAX footprints have been deployed include multiple high-sites in the metropolitan areas of Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria, Bloemfontein and Johannesburg. Various smaller towns and rural areas across the country are also targeted.
How important is WiMAX in building the Telkom network to be world-class?
The telecommunications environment in South Africa is currently exposed to numerous factors, including a dynamic technology landscape, challenging geography, price wars and an alarming increase in cable theft. These factors make it very challenging to build and maintain a profitable world-class network. WiMAX is considered one of the arrows in Telkom’s quiver.
Does WiMAX have a role to play in Telkom’s expansion plans in other parts of Africa?
Currently, no plans are in place to either include or exclude WiMAX.
Looking ahead – where do you see WiMAX in the market in two years time?
In terms of fixed WiMAX-d, it will grow as a broadband technology supporting access to the internet, offer data services like VPNs and voice services. In terms of mobile WiMAX, it should be the first data-centric mobile technology with voice secondary.
However, before true mobility will be reached, the standards will need to be sorted out. IEEE 802.16e (2005), which promised to be true mobility, has already been downgraded to offer portable services, whereas the newer IEEE 802.16m standard is now the standard earmarked for true mobility. The process to get this newer standard into place could still take a couple of years.
EngineerIT
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