MTN having problems with 3G

MBABANE - Swazi MTN says Swaziland’s much hyped third generation (3G) network is still sluggish because there is an acute shortage of bandwidth.

Internet bandwidth is a measure of the connection between the Internet and a computer.

Mpumelelo Makhubu, Corporate Affairs Manager, said his company had applied for more bandwidth from the Swaziland Posts and Telecommunications Corporation (SPTC).

He said the available bandwidth was so small that it compromised the experience of 3G network for MTN customers. The minute bandwidth is caused by the fact that SPTC’s international gateway is generally small.

"We are yet to receive a response on the application we made," he said.

Sifiso Nyembe, SPTC Corporate Communications Manager, had not responded to a questionnaire sent to his office on Friday.

Meanwhile, MTN’s Makhubu said the speed of the 3G network was dependent on bandwidth availability.

"This is one of the reasons the company made a request to self-provide, so that we could have our own capacity," he said.

He said Swazi MTN wanted to self-provide to take advantage of the company’s broadband underground sea internet cable connecting Africa with Europe.

The cable is in South Africa.

SPTC, on the other hand, connects to the controversial SEACOM cable in Mozambique. SPTC paid about E19 million to SEACOM but the Swazi government has ordered the parastatal to scrap the deal.

MTN is forced to use SPTC bandwidth by legislation regulating the country’s telecommunications industry.

Makhubu also said another factor that could cause the slow connection was that installation of the 3G network was incomplete.

He said engineers were working hard, upgrading the network from the status of 2G (second generation) to 3G.

He also revealed that Swazi MTN’s much 3G network was not yet fully functional. The network is concentrated in certain areas and some are not connected. Concentration of the 3G network is mainly in cities and points along major roads.

The abbreviation ‘3G’ refers to the third generation of mobile telephony (that is, cellular) technology. The third generation, as the name suggests, follows two earlier generations.

These are the first generation (1G) which began in the early 80’s with commercial deployment of Advanced Mobile Phone Service cellular networks.

The second generation (2G) emerged in the 1990s when mobile operators deployed two competing digital voice standards.

Swazi MTN’s third generation network improves on the second generation one.

The non-availability of third generation network in some areas in Swaziland does not mean that customers cannot enjoy making calls on the MTN network.

They are always covered through the old second generation network.

This is according to an information brochure published by Swazi MTN introducing the new Swazi MTN mobile broadband.

According to MTN, the 3G network coverage footprint is focused on higher density and strategic areas.

"People in these areas are able to make and receive video calls using a video call-enabled 3G cellphone," said Bafana Mtshali, MTN’s Value Added Services (VAS) Specialist.

He was explaining capabilities of the 3G network to reporters recently.

What also worried customers is that Swazi MTN’s third generation (3G) network does not come with the popular MTN Zone facility.

MTN zone is a benefit for customers where they enjoy calls discounts in their calls.

This is one downside of the network.

According to a 3G network marketing brochure, 3G does not come with the popular MTN Zone benefits, from which customers enjoy reduced tariffs when making calls.

This means that if customers are connected to the 3G network, they will not enjoy the privilege of discounts when they make calls.

Such a facility is only available on the older 2G network, which MTN is migrating from.

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