JOHANNESBURG, South Africa-ArrayComm Inc. said it has scored its second iBurst broadband wireless system deployment, this one in South Africa. Wireless Business Solutions, a provider of mobile data solutions, plans to deploy the U.S.-based company’s iBurst technology throughout South Africa.
WBS expects to cover more than 80 percent of the 45 million population of South Africa within three years through a phased deployment of iBurst base stations being manufactured by Kyocera Corp. WBS will begin service in the first quarter of 2005 in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town and Durban, South Africa’s four largest population centers. Expansion to other urban areas will follow, ArrayComm said.
The service, which is also offered in Australia, will provide seamless delivery of 1 megabit per second data rates. Personal Broadband Australia launched iBurst service in Sydney, Australia, in March. PBA will introduce service to Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra and the Gold Coast in September with service in additional capitals to follow, ArrayComm said.
“We are delighted with the performance of the iBurst system,” said Sasan Parvin, chief technical officer of WBS. “There are many systems out there that claim to offer viable models for mobile broadband services, but we found that the iBurst system is the only carrier-grade wireless technology that can truly compete with the economics of cable or DSL. We are anxious to bring the iBurst mobile broadband experience to our rainbow nation of South Africa.”
