SA's 3G world class , fixed broadband

Naspers CEO Koos Bekker said that while South Africa’s mobile broadband (3G) services are world class, fixed broadband access remains poor.

Speaking to Talk Radio 702’s Bruce Whitfield, Bekker said that South Africa’s Internet access diverges between mobile phones and PCs.

“Our 3G [mobile broadband] systems are as good as we get anywhere in the world,” said Bekker, adding that fixed broadband [used on a PC] has a problem with a lack of bandwidth.

The bandwidth restraints of fixed broadband access in SA, said Bekker, has a consequence on their pay-TV operations.

Bekker said in an interview with Moneyweb that they are forced to “fake the Internet” using their new DStv Explora decoder to make it possible for users to catch up on news or sporting events when it suits them.

“But we can fake the Internet a bit by putting it on satellite, loading it down into the PVR and then offering it to you as if it were the internet.”

source: www.mybroadband.co

telecommunication electronics - global trends , estimates and forecasts

With a CAGR of 12.8%, global market value for Telecommunication Electronics Application sector is anticipated to be worth US$847.6 billion by 2018. On a global scale, Asia-Pacific accounts for more than 26.3% of the market share. While US accounts for the largest share of the global market value on a country basis, India surpasses the US in terms of growth rate anticipated in the near future. Among the application sectors, Mobile Phones account for the largest share of the entire market, driving a CAGR of 14.5% during the analysis period 2011-2018. Wireless LANs & WANs see as the fastest growing end-user with a forecast with a CAGR of approximately 20.9% by 2018. With the growing trend in network and mobile satellite terminal technologies (dual-mode GSM cellular/satellite, handset and broadband data) the future of telecommunication electronics industry suggests for a positive growth.

Report Focus: The report 'Telecommunication Electronics - Global Trends, Estimates and Forecasts, 2011-2018' reviews the latest telecommunication electronics market trends with a perceptive attempt to disclose the near-future growth prospects. An in-depth analysis on a geographic basis provides strategic business intelligence for electronics sector investments. The study reveals profitable investment strategies for electronics companies, business executives, product marketing managers, new business investors and many more in preferred locations.

source: www.sacbee.com

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2013/12/17/6007657/telecommunication-electronics.html#storylink=cpy

telkom to return legacy spectrum to ICASA

Telkom South Africa has confirmed that will return spectrum to the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), as it migrates its legacy services to next generation technologies. Previously, in April this year the state-owned enterprise Sentech said it would return its 2600MHz and 3500MHz frequencies to the regulator as demand for spectrum escalates. BusinessTech.co.za quotes a Telkom representative as saying: ‘Telkom is continuously assessing the viability of legacy technologies which have reached their estimated useful life. In the case of wireless technologies, decisions in regard to the future use/or disposition of the frequency bands which they utilise is part of this process’.

The telco noted that it is currently licensed to use the 2400MHz band to provide fixed wireless access (FWA) services, chiefly in rural areas, and commented: ‘Whereas Telkom has identified these technologies for migration, such migration is complex due to, amongst others, lack of suitable sub-1GHz spectrum to be used in the rural areas. A portion of the 2400Mz band has been re-farmed for Telkom’s 2300MHz LTE network. Some parts of the 2400MHz band could eventually be returned to ICASA once migration has been completed’. Telkom added that migrating WiMAX from the 3500MHz band was a business decision, ‘and these services will be replaced with 3G/LTE or satellite’. Meanwhile, the telco stressed that it will not return spectrum in 1800MHz band.

source: www.telegeography.com

SA,s 3G world class , fixed broadband poor : Naspers CEO

Naspers CEO Koos Bekker said that while South Africa’s mobile broadband (3G) services are world class, fixed broadband access remains poor.

Speaking to Talk Radio 702’s Bruce Whitfield, Bekker said that South Africa’s Internet access diverges between mobile phones and PCs.

“Our 3G [mobile broadband] systems are as good as we get anywhere in the world,” said Bekker, adding that fixed broadband [used on a PC] has a problem with a lack of bandwidth.

The bandwidth restraints of fixed broadband access in SA, said Bekker, has a consequence on their pay-TV operations.

Bekker said in an interview with Money web that they are forced to “fake the Internet” using their new DStv Explora decoder to make it possible for users to catch up on news or sporting events when it suits them.

“But we can fake the Internet a bit by putting it on satellite, loading it down into the PVR and then offering it to you as if it were the internet.”

source: www.mybroadband.co

Capacity demands in Africa: an opportunities for satellite

Africa is served by several satellites and undersea fiber operators – the availability of capacity for communications over the continent is tremendous. This abundance of capacity leads to the creation of a whole new industry for high-speed connectivity from call centers to growing Internet. But most of the capacity available is limited to the capitals, coastal areas and major cities in the countries. There are cities, undeveloped and rural areas still in the dark not only in terms of utilities and infrastructure but also in terms of telecommunications as well. This market presents challenges as well as opportunities for satellite to play an important role; the potential for growth is enormous.

In Africa, the liberalization of the telecom sector, the arrival of multinational conglomerates from the Middle East, Asia, Europe and the Americas coupled with the competition in this sector are contributing to the growth of the demand and opportunities.Today, Africa is served by several satellites and undersea fiber operators – the availability of capacity for communications over the continent is tremendous. This abundance of capacity leads to the creation of a whole new industry for high-speed connectivity from call centers to growing Internet. But most of the capacity available is limited to the capitals, coastal areas and major cities in the countries. There are cities, undeveloped and rural areas still in the dark not only in terms of utilities and infrastructure but also in terms of telecommunications as well. This market presents challenges as well as opportunities for satellite to play an important role; the potential for growth is enormous.

In Africa, the liberalization of the telecom sector, the arrival of multinational conglomerates from the Middle East, Asia, Europe and the Americas coupled with the competition in this sector are contributing to the growth of the demand and opportunities. There may be more than 600 million mobile phones in Africa today but this is still a relatively small percentage to the total population of Africa, which now surpasses 1 billion. Africa’s booming mobile phone market is forecast to almost quadruple in size from a value of $60 billion in 2013 to $234 billion by 2020, according to researchers. With smartphones getting more and more popular, there is a growing demand for data to connect these bandwidth-intensive applications. Mobile operators are in a situation to expand their networks from 3G to 4G and LTE to support the bandwidth-hungry subscribers, which has resulted in more undersea fiber and satellite capacities. Still, satellite is very common and reliable means of backhauling domestic voice traffic in Africa. M-commerce is another area of growth in the region, which demands more bandwidth, be it fiber or satellite.

source: satellitetoday.com

BT to provide communications network to kinross gold corporation

BT  announced that it has signed a three-year deal with Kinross Gold Corporation, a Canadian-based gold mining company, to provide a communications network connecting sites in the U.S., Canada, Brazil, Chile and Spain.

Since 1993, Kinross has grown through the merger and acquisition of a number of smaller, specialized gold mining interests. This created a challenge in developing and managing a centralized network infrastructure that can grow and house common applications. Kinross chose BT Connect, a suite of network services, to bring together and manage the communications network.

David Cefai, CIO Vice President Information Technology, Kinross Gold Corporation, stated "Centralized management of IT infrastructure and consolidation of applications for easier management is key to our strategy. BT presented a solid plan to us that creates robust, flexible, scalable infrastructure that will give us the platform for all our communication applications."

BT Connect services can be delivered in 198 countries and territories, and are constantly improved in terms of coverage, bandwidth and cost effectiveness. Those services are available in locations from towns and cities to the remotest of locations using a range of technologies from Ethernet over fibre to satellite and 3G. Such network capabilities are of particular interest to companies active in industry sectors such as global mining, oil and gas.

Bas Burger, president, U.S. and Canada, BT Global Services said, "Understanding a company's strategy and helping them create a global network that positions them for growth is what BT does best. Our experience working with global customers, especially in the mining, oil and gas industry, enables us to bring the best solutions to Kinross."

BT provides customers active in the global mining, oil and gas sector with a diverse range of services, from IP VPN connectivity to corporate and remote mining sites to bespoke solutions for oil platforms and exploration vessels. BT's solutions address the whole ecosystem of the sector, serving customers upstream and downstream, ranging from companies involved in the exploration, extraction and processing of natural resources to utilities, manufacturers and other large consumers of natural resources.

Angola turns to space to spearhead wireless development

Angola is investing in improved phone and wireless networks on land, sea and in space to attract foreign investment and diversify away from oil, National Director of Telecommunications.

The southwest African nation’s biggest projects include a $300 million Russia-built satellite scheduled for 2017 and a $200 million sub-sea cable across the Atlantic Ocean to Brazil that will start to be laid next year. Angola also wants to add fiber optic cable to increase mobile-phone coverage to 85 percent of the population from 60 percent within two years.

“We encourage international companies to join with local companies and we’re ready for investors to set up operations now,” the Director of Telecommunications said. “This will create not only financial wealth but social wellbeing through increased jobs and by fighting poverty.”

Angola, recovering from a 27-year civil war that ended in 2002, is rebuilding infrastructure to diversify away from the crude oil that accounts for 97 percent of exports and 75 percent of government tax revenue. The government wants to promote opportunities in mining, industry and agriculture while improving the efficiency and competitiveness of its telecommunications industry.

Foreign investment this year in Angolan industries excluding oil was $1.9 billion by the end of September, compared with $2.3 billion for all of last year, Maria Luisa Abrantes, chairwoman of the National Private Investment Agency.

source : www.bloomberg.com