Virgin Mobile To Use Cel C's HSPA+ Network

Virgin Mobile South Africa is planning to launch its own mobile broadband service using Cell C’s HSPA+ network, Cell C has confirmed. Since launch, Virgin Mobile South Africa has been piggybacking on Cell C’s network to provide voice and data services. 

Cell C expects to cover 34% of the South African population with its 900MHz HSPA+ network by end-2010 and aims for 67% population coverage by mid-2011.

Virgin Mobile has not yet announced a launch date for its HSPA+ services, but any time frame will be dependent on Cell C’s own commercial launch; it is currently trialling the network in six cities.

Virgin Mobile’s Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer Jonathan Newman promised that consumers can expect ‘the best value for the cellular services that our subscribers use the most’. He added: ‘So expect simple, market challenging broadband offerings designed to meet the real needs of savvy South African consumers’.

Virgin Mobile South Africa is a joint-venture between Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group and Cell C. It launched in 2006.

Cell C HSPA+ Tests Yielding "Positive Results"

Cell C, South Africa’s third largest cellco by subscribers has announced that tests for its new HSPA+ network are currently underway in six cities, and the results are ‘very promising’. More than 1,300 base stations, located in six major cities, have already been converted to HSPA+ using the 900MHz frequency band, and CEO Kelly Reichelt has promised that Cell C will launch its new network on a city-by-city basis, rectifying any potential problem areas as it goes along. Cell C will eventually upgrade 5,200 bases stations to the new platform. Cell C expects to cover 34% of the South African population with its HSPA+ network by end-2010 and aims for 67% population coverage by mid-2011.

Although MTN has already launched a commercial 21Mbps HSPA+ service, Cell C aims to be the first South African operator to rollout HSPA+ across its entire network. It took Vodacom almost five years to achieve 50% 3G population coverage using the 2100MHz band, whilst Cell C’s strategy to use the 900MHz frequency should make it easier for the cellco to reach rural customers. According to Reichelt a single HSPA+ 900MHz transmitter can cover a three to five times larger area than those using the higher band.

Cel C Tests HSPA+

Cell C is reported to have started testing its HSPA+ network, capable of offering download speeds of up to 21Mbps, according to local press reports. Cell C announced in late 2009 that it will be investing around ZAR5 billion (USD649 million) to upgrade its network infrastructure, something which will allow it to compete more effectively with Vodacom and MTN in the mobile broadband market.