Rural Eastern Cape to get wireless broadband
4 April 2007
Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
A project to roll out WiMAX broadband services in the Amathole district of the Eastern Cape will offer local residents and businesses access to high-speed Internet access and free voice over IP (VoIP) telephone calls within the network by the middle of this year.
The deal will see Tellumat install WiMAX basestations on behalf of under-serviced area licence holder Amatole Telecommunication Services in regional centres including East London, Bhisho, King Williams Town, Alice and Fort Beaufort in the first phase of the roll out. The network will be expanded in further phases to cover other targeted areas in the Amathole district.
"WiMAX is specifically designed to cover wide geographical areas serving large numbers of users at an affordable price," says Tellumat's Geoff Carey. "Worldwide it is considered one of the best solutions for 'last mile' broadband connectivity. WiMAX technology can offer access speeds approaching 70 Mbps per basestation sector. The broadband service will be offered with connect speeds ranging between 64 kbps and 2 Mbps, effectively providing a wireless alternative to other broadband service offerings.
Amatole operations director, Bevan Booy, says the company, which has so far offered cellphone services through roaming agreements with the major cell networks, will offer both voice and data services including VoIP through its wireless broadband network.
The deal is pending release of funding from the Universal Service Agency, but Booy says Amatole intends to launch services in June this year.
For more information contact Geoff Carey, Tellumat, +27 (0)11 695 7881, gcarey@tellumat.com or Bevan Booy, Amatole Telecommunication Services, +27 (0)43 722 8417, bevan.booy@amatoletelecoms.co.za
Further reading:
Mobile satellite connectivity available in SA
Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
Space42 has commercially launched its next generation mobile satellite service, Thuraya 4 NGS, available in South Africa as of February 2026.
Read more...
Next-gen Wi Fi 6E connectivity for embedded systems
iCorp Technologies
Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
Espressif Systems has expanded its connectivity portfolio with the introduction of the ESP32-E22, the company’s first Wi-Fi 6E connectivity co-processor.
Read more...
Quectel redefines connectivity with RG660Qx 5G Series
iCorp Technologies
Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
Purpose-built to meet the demands of next-generation IoT and wireless broadband, these modules leverage the cutting-edge Qualcomm X85 and X82 5G Modem-RF systems to deliver enterprise-grade performance.
Read more...
Contactless IO-Link couplers
IOT Electronics
Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
The IO-Link couplers from Phoenix Contact are industrial contactless couplers designed to transmit power and IO-Link data across a small air gap without physical connectors.
Read more...
Quectel’s RG255C-NA and RM255C-GL accelerate 5G RedCap adoption
iCorp Technologies
Editor's Choice Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
Quectel’s RG255C-NA and RM255C-GL modules represent a strategic move into this fast-growing segment, delivering Sub-6 GHz 5G connectivity optimised for mid-tier IoT applications.
Read more...
SDRs – Which RF architecture should you choose?
RFiber Solutions
Editor's Choice Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
There are several common methods of implementing SDR architectures. This paper discusses which is best when meeting a specific need.
Read more...
Multi-band GNSS patch antenna
RF Design
Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
The Taoglas AHP2356A is a compact, high-performance active GNSS patch antenna designed for next-generation positioning systems requiring precision, reliability, and multi-constellation support.
Read more...
Cellular routers for explosive areas
Phoenix Contact
Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
Updated versions of the Cellulink outdoor cellular router product range from Phoenix Contact are now available; they have been specially developed for use in Zone 2 potentially explosive areas.
Read more...
Power the next wave of IoT innovation
Links Field Networks
Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
Links Field Networks’ portfolio includes connectivity platforms, edge devices, and network management tools designed to support secure, resilient IoT deployments across a range of use cases.
Read more...
Move to smart agriculture
Otto Wireless Solutions
Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
Designed for precision agriculture, the RAKwireless SensorHub is a modular, industrial-grade IoT platform that collects real-time environmental and soil data across farming operations.
Read more...