The question on the ICT industry`s lips is "will we have 3G for Christmas?" and the answer will come next month, with Vodacom preparing to announce the date it will launch its third generation network.
Earlier this year, ITWeb quoted Vodacom group COO, Pieter Uys, as saying that around R100 million has been set aside for upgrades to its base stations in high-density areas for corporate customers, with the company hoping to provide 3G access to consumers by the end of this year.
The major metropolitan areas of Gauteng, Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State are expected to receive 3G services first, followed by the rest of the country.
The official announcement of the date it will launch its 3G network - widely expected to be in time for the December holidays - will be made at the upcoming First Tuesday Vodacom Mobile Connect event, at which the cellular operator will also run the first public 3G demonstration outside of its Vodaworld offices.
If Vodacom does begin a 3G network roll-out by December, the organisation will have stolen a march on rival MTN, which only expects to begin rolling out 3G services next year, although Karel Pienaar, MTN CTO, has been quoted as saying he will "eat his hat" if pervasive 3G services are rolled out by the end of this year.
The First Tuesday event at which Vodacom will make its announcement will include a series of workshops and panel discussions on topics such as WiFi, broadband, 3G technology, mobile marketing and messaging, each hosted by industry players from both SA and abroad.
The workshops will be followed by the First Annual Mobile Connect Awards, which recognise wireless application service providers that have delivered outstanding applications or services to users.
This will be followed by a keynote address from 3G strategy consultant Tomi Ahonen, formerly of Nokia`s 3G Business Consultancy department.
He will look at the emerging areas of next-generation wireless, including 3G, 2.5G, WLAN and also how wireless services will evolve from 3G to 4G, as well as several related technologies, such as GSM/SMS, WAP and Bluetooth.
The First Tuesday Vodacom Mobile Connect event will take place at the Sandton Convention Centre on 9 November. Registration takes place between 2pm and 3pm, followed by the workshops, awards and the keynote, which is due to start at 7pm.
To register, visit www.firsttuesday.co.za/vodacom/register.html.
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