State-held Sentech is constantly rolling out wireless technology in major metropolitan areas despite minimal environmental disturbance to the city skyline, the company said on Thursday.
Sentech Broadband Wireless (BBW) technology is delivered to MyWireless modems via a high-powered radio signal, using high-site transmitters.
Johannesburg’s Brixton Tower is the most prominent and visible example. Additional high-site transmitters on the top of buildings are necessary to boost coverage.
Sentech marketing and sales services general manager Pragasen Nagan said that even though MyWireless is growing at quite a pace, the BBW provider, Sentech, acts responsibly by conducting environmental impact assessment studies to ensure that there is no negative impact on the environment before deploying new transmitters.
“We negotiate responsibly with the owners of buildings in built-up areas and adhere to environmental legislation,” Nagan said.
“We obviously base covering on technical criteria and look for sites where these signals would be reasonably unobstructed. But aesthetics and the wishes of local people are important to us. We engage in a full, consultative process at every prospective site. It may impose a delay, but it is the responsible thing to do.”
The roll-out is a phased approach and thus far, Johannesburg, Pretoria and Durban are the only areas that are MyWireless-covered. Cape Town will go wireless in late March.
MyWireless is one of Sentech’s BBW products that is internet protocol-based, making portable long-range wireless connectivity possible for the first time in South Africa.
The technology is being packaged for three distinct markets: small and medium enterprise, small office home office and residential users.
The initial focus is on the most affordable MyWireless package for consumers. It offers an always-on internet with no call charges and no limits on the e-mails or data a user can send and receive. — I-Net Bridge