By Lebone Rodah Mosima
Vodacom South Africa says it has successfully tested new antenna technology designed to help it add 4G and 5G network capacity at sites where limited space and existing infrastructure make conventional expansion difficult.
The operator said on Tuesday it had piloted what it described as the world’s first integrated passive-active Massive Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) solution in the Western Cape in partnership with Nokia.
The technology combines several antenna capabilities in a more compact configuration, allowing Vodacom to make greater use of existing network sites without requiring the same level of physical expansion.
“Successful on-site testing demonstrates that the technology can be deployed at sites where limited space or existing infrastructure makes conventional network expansion difficult,” Vodacom said.
The solution supports dual-band Massive MIMO across the 2600 MHz and 3500 MHz spectrum bands, which Vodacom said would enable it to use available spectrum more efficiently and add capacity in areas experiencing high data demand.
The company said it planned to deploy the technology at identified sites across its network where additional capacity was required.
“As demand for mobile data continues to grow, we need to continuously evolve our network to deliver the quality and consistency of experience our customers expect,” said Technology Director Beverly Ngwenya.
“Innovations like this allow us to enhance our network in smarter and more efficient ways, ensuring it is ready to support customers’ changing connectivity needs,” she said.
Vodacom said the technology could be particularly useful in high-demand urban areas, where tower space and other physical constraints can make conventional network expansion more complicated.
“This forms part of Vodacom’s continued investment in building a more resilient, efficient and future-ready network that enables more people to benefit from reliable, high-quality connectivity,” it said.
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