Going the wireless route
NEOTEL HAS GRADUALLY been rolling out its services over the past two years and with the launch of its enterprise wireless offering earlier this month, the ability of the new kid on the block to compete with Telkom has been taken to the next level.
Marcel Steyn, product manager for the enterprise wireless products at Neotel, says its wireless offering will enable it not only to reach clients not located on the route of the fibre network it’s rolling out but also to offer lower data speeds and faster install times.
Its wireless service is based on two technologies: one called Vectanet, which offers speeds of 4Mbps to 10Mbps, and – more interestingly – WiMax, which will run at speeds of between 128Kbps and 2Mbps. Coverage of both is currently limited, with Vectanet-based services available in SA’s major metro areas but WiMax only available in Johannesburg’s northern suburbs.
Though Neotel chief technology officer Angus Hey wasn’t willing to reveal the cost of the wireless rollout, he says it was part of the R10bn Neotel had committed to spend on its broader network deployment over the next 10 years.
While it’s Neotel’s first deployment of WiMax, it’s not the true broadband use that many consumers had hoped for. It offers committed data rates and service level agreements, enabling larger companies to deliver enterprise level services such as voice and data across the link. However, once the WiMax network has been deployed more widely it’s likely that Neotel will expand its range of services to offer some for small businesses and the high end of the consumer market.
Finweek
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