User downlink speeds will double, to 4Mbps, by 4Q 2009

KYOTO, Japan – April 10, 2008 – Kyocera Corporation (President: Makoto Kawamura)(NYCE:KYO) today announced an enhanced technology for the iBurst® 3.9G Mobile Broadband Wireless Access (MBWA) system that will begin appearing in iBurst base stations and terminals from Kyocera by the 4th Quarter of 2009.

iBurst, a High-Capacity Spatial-Division Multiple Access (HC-SDMA) technology, is a leading solution for mobile broadband wireless communication. With Kyocera’s enhanced technology, the user’s maximum data rate will double, to four megabits per second (4Mbps) in the downlink. Further, iBurst base stations will provide downlinks of up to 32Mbps on a 5MHz band, or 64Mbps at 10MHz, and will support a new frequency of 700MHz.

“We believe the iBurst system represents the world’s most efficient technology for increasing mobile telecommunications throughput on limited bandwidth,” said Mr. Masashi Yano, General Manager, Corporate Communication System Equipment Division, Kyocera Corporation. “With this enhancement, the iBurst system’s spectral efficiency rises to 9.8 bit/sec/Hz per sector in the downlink.”

Employing Spatial Division Multiple Access (SDMA) technology, existing iBurst equipment allows three spatial channels to be used simultaneously to communicate on the same frequency channel and time slot. Using this method, existing iBurst equipment provides user downlinks of up to 2Mbps; base station downlinks of up to 24Mbps; frequencies of 1.8, 1.9 and 2.3GHz; and mobility at speeds exceeding 100km/h (62 mph).*

Kyocera’s new iBurst equipment will deliver higher efficiency and performance through an enhanced SDMAtechnology that supports four spatial channels on the same frequency channel and time slot.


Taken from: http://global.kyocera.com/prdct/telecom/office/iburst/index.html

...but when will it be commercially launched in South Africa - as iBurst SA does not currently have access to backhaul bandwidth capacity (or unwilling to pay for it) to provide users within CBD's with 1 Mbps access.

It will probably never come to SA. Remember that the lot in charge of iBurst are still strugging to grapple with the 1st generation equipment, giving these new toys to them is asking for trouble.

I'd be happy with just a stable 1Mbs connection. With long pings of course.

I've had pings to the local warcraft server go between 80 to 649 in the space of 2min and on some days it'll stay at 49 for hours on end.

Sigh.

hahahaha we'll might be able to see this in Q5 of 2099!

If it ever does get released here. WTF would want to purchase it?

By that time the cell service providers will be offering 7.2Mbps connections (if not more), Telkom will probably be offering 10Mbps and who knows what speeds Neotel will be offering.

Complete waste of time it will be to bring the newer technology here as iBurst will already be dead in the water.

RVFmal, on top of what you said thats assuming the iburst sa network could even handle 4mbps when for the past few years they've hardly been able to supply a stable 1mbps to many customers.

This is true.

The reality is that iBurst in this country is living on borrowed time and I would venture to say that they would be lucky to survive the next 5 years if the competition live up to their promises.

To be honest, I would not be upset if they did manage to bury themselves in the hole that they have dug for themselves. I most certainly would not be shedding a tear. Good riddance to bad service is what I would be saying.

Well it seems the 2 Mbps service is on its way, but no thanks to the gatekeepers at iBurst. I thought this company is an ISP - there is something seriously wrong with their public relations strategy. What happened to the freedom of access to information?

From: Antony Mckechnie
Sent: 10 June 2008 01:04 PM
To: michael
Subject: 2Mbps Modem


Dear Michael

I received your request for a datasheet on the 2Mbps modem from Kyocera.

Unfortunately we cannot send you any information at this stage, as we have not yet launched this modem nor the related service.

Once the product has been launched we will be able to release the corresponding product documents.

Regards

Antony McKechnie
Head: Product Development
Hi Michael

We are busy implementing the product but cannot give a definate date as yet.

Regards

Antony McKechnie
Head: Product Development

iBurst
broadband. simplified


________________________________________
From: Michael van Dijk
Sent: 10 June 2008 13:08
To: Antony Mckechnie
Subject: RE: 2Mbps Modem
Importance: High

Hi Anthony

Thank you for the timely response, it is appreciated.

Could you perhaps disclose when the 2 Mbps service and accompanying modem will be launched locally?

Any additional information will be welcomed.

Kind regards



________________________________________
From: Antony Mckechnie
Sent: 10 June 2008 01:22 PM
To: Michael van Dijk
Subject: RE: 2Mbps Modem

Hi Michael

We are busy implementing the product but cannot give a definate date as yet.

Regards

Antony McKechnie
Head: Product Development

Don't hold your breath

It is a typical evasive response from them.

As MrH said, don't hold your breath, especially with this company.

Something else you can look forward to should the 2Mbps service be released:

1. Increase in price
2. A migration fee should you want to move from your current package
3. An additional cost for the modem (unlike VC)
4. The same shoddy service
5. The same, if not more issues, due to grappling with the newer technology

All in all, not really worth it if you ask me.

Been trying to access www.iburst.co.za from IS ADSL, and it's dreadfully slow.

they should sort out their problems before trying to increase the network speed - for all we know, upgrading to the newer, higher speed standard might cause a critical meltdown on the iburst network...

Yip, everything is slow, even the network is unstable today... I am seeing horrendous pings all over the place.... and damnit... packet loss again...

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Click to expand...

hasn't the promise of 2mbps been in the pipeline for the last 2 or 3 years?