WBS deploys WiMax network

By Damaria Senne, ITWeb senior journalist

Johannesburg, 29 May 2008

Wireless Business Solutions (WBS) has announced that it deployed its commercial WiMax network.

Speaking at the launch event at the Saxon hotel, in Johannesburg this week, WBS group CEO Thami Mtshali said WBS was launching the network on a three-month trial basis before it engages in a full-scale commercial roll-out in August.

The delay in a full-scale launch is due to some technical issues that still need to be ironed out, he said. Interoperability between equipment from Alcatel Lucent and Huawei "is a pain", he said.

WBS's WiMax network is currently made up of 120 base stations and was build by Vodacom.

The network provides coverage in Gauteng, Cape Town and KwaZulu-Natal, but coverage is expected to grow over time, he said.

This deployment makes WBS the third local operator to offer commercial WiMax services. Telkom launched its WiMax service as an ADSL alternative last year and Neotel announced the availability of WiMax solutions for its enterprise customers last week.

WBS's offering

Mtshali said WBS will take its WiMax solutions to market through service provider agreements with iBurst, a wholly-owned subsidiary, and the Vodacom Service Provider Company.

The two broadband providers will initially offer a WiMax Assured Rate (leased line service) and a WiMax broadband service, he said.

The WiMax broadband service will be a best effort service, offering maximum speed options of 512kbps and 1024kbps, with capped monthly quotas of 5GB and 10GB, he said.

The service will offer shaped and unshaped access, he said, adding that WBS is waiting for approval for the proposed tariffs for the offering from the Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA).

The WiMax Assured Rate service offers symmetrical assured rate options of 64kbps, 128kbps and 256kbps, and an asymmetrical Assured Rate service with speeds of 128kbps, 256kbps and 512kbps, he said. No caps will apply on Assured Rate services.

Reality kills hype

ICASA chairman Paris Mashile noted that WBS's commercial WiMax network has now reduced the much hyped technology to reality, further taking SA into the era of real broadband.

"I hope that this will allow you to offer voice free to customers who buy data services," he said.

Mashile also expressed the hope that WiMax will deliver the benefits it was initially hyped for, allowing new entrants into the market to roll out their networks quickly and cost-effectively. This will enable new operators to compete more effectively with incumbents, he noted.