The inability by Telkom to supply ADSL lines in time or ever at all has been fingered by many players as the weakest link in the diffusion of broadband services within both metropolitan areas and the hinterland.

This situation has been compounded by the national telecomms agency's obligations towards the 2010 Soccer World Cup. Telkom has announced a freeze on new service from April through to July 2010. This means that, after the international soccer showcase, there will be a frightening backlog and given Telkom's track record, the likelihood of new clients getting ADSL services in 2010 is limited, if not non-existent.

So what are the options available to clients who want to get connected now? The answer lies in the wireless offerings that are punted by various services providers. Among the wireless options that are popular with the public are 3G/ HSDPA and iBurst.

However, there is one solution that is also available on the local market that would-be internet users can use with incredible results. Welcomes to the WiMax, an acronym that stands for, Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access.

What is WiMax?

WiMAX combines the familiarity of Wi-Fi with the mobility of cellular that will deliver personal mobile broadband that moves with you. Itwill let you get connected to the Internet, miles from the nearest Wi-Fi hotspot. Soon, Mobile WiMAX will blanket large areas—metropolitan, suburban, or rural—delivering mobile broadband Internet access at speeds similar to existing broadband.

Uses of WiMax

The bandwidth and range of WiMAX make it suitable for the following potential applications:

Connecting Wi-FI to the Internet.

• Providing a wireless alternative to cable and DSL broadband access.
• Providing data, telecommunications and IPTV services (trile play).
• Providing a source of Internet connectivity as part of a business continuity plan. That is, if a business has both a fixed and a wireless Internet connection, especially from unrelated providers, it is less likely to be affected by the same service outage.
• Providing portable connectivity.

For more information on WiMax contact us on 011 781 8014.