Telkom prepares fixed-wireless trial

Telkom South Africa has confirmed plans to deploy a W-CDMA high speed fixed wireless network aimed at small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) customers. The firm says it is hoping to win back clients which are defecting to cellular providers. Though the network will initially provide voice and data services as a fixed line alternative, a mobile option will be introduced at some point in the future, allowing Telkom to compete head-to-head with the established cellular operators. Telkom currently has a 50% interest in cellular operator Vodacom though it is thought likely that the company will offload the stake and look to enter the mobile market under its own steam. 38 W-CDMA base stations have been deployed for a trial network in Gauteng, local newspaper Business Day reports, with equipment supplied by Huawei of China. 200 base stations are expected to be in operation in the Gauteng, Cape Town and Durban metropolitan areas by March 2009.