8ta getting ready for 21Mbps network upgrade
8ta was launched on 14 October 2010, and at the time Telkom CEO Pinky Moholi said that the company was planning to grow their network to 2,000 towers this year.
At the recent Telkom financial results presentation, Moholi announced that 8ta had 1,012 base stations by the end of May 2011, with their network growth continuing.
To date 8ta’s network only supports speeds of up to 7.2Mbps, but this is set to change in the near future.
Telkom Mobile Managing Executive Amith Maharaj said that they will upgrade their network to 21Mbps HSPA+ within the next three months which will increase the capacity of their radio access network.
Maharaj explained that the average throughput on their network is already competitive when compared to their competitors despite the lower network speed, and that their focus is firmly on the customer experience rather than peak network speeds.
Maharaj said that their network does not have any capacity issues which necessitate a radio network upgrade, but this may change with the launch of new data products in the near future.
Maharaj revealed that 8ta is set to introduce new data products soon which he expects will enjoy ‘huge uptake’. This will increase network traffic, and the additional capacity from a 21Mbps network upgrade will hence come in handy.
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