Multisource/WBS to launch nationwide TD-LTE-A network

South African technology firm Multisource/Wireless Business Solutions (WBS) – the parent company of ISP iBurst – has revealed a ‘multi-billion-rand investment’ for the deployment of a nationwide time division LTE-Advanced (TD-LTE-A) network in the next few months. The company will use carrier aggregation (CA) in the 1800MHz and 2600MHz bands for the network, which will be enabled to support 5G when the technology is rolled out internationally within the next five years. The new LTE-A will be deployed on several of WBS’s 400 sites, and will be extended to an additional 10,000 sites leased from independent tower companies and other operators. The LTE-A service is set to be marketed under a separate brand, which will be launched next year with ‘innovative products and simplified pricing plans’.