Vodacom sets sights on HSDPA

In the wake of its recent launch of 3G mobile services, South African mobile operator Vodacom says it plans to deploy high speed downlink packet access (HSDPA) technology from April. Effectively a 3.5G platform, HSDPA increases data transmission speeds from 384kbps to anywhere between 2Mbps and 8Mbps. Vodacom will ensure that its 3G network is stable before putting HSDPA in place, but adds that, with some international operators already developing 4G, it is keen to keep pace with rapid developments in the sector.