SA: 3G cards gaining on WiFi spots

23 November, 2007 in South Africa, Technology, Telekoms & Providers

source: SouthAfrica.info

22 November 2007

Following on three years of growth, commercial WiFi hotspots now face a dim future in South Africa, at least among corporate workers, with a new study by technology research firm World Wide Worx showing a steady move toward the use of more affordable 3G technologies.

Mobility 2007, World Wide Worx’s latest annual study of mobile technology, released in Johannesburg on Tuesday, shows that the corporate use of WiFi – small networks that allow wireless access to the internet – has fallen back after a steady rise, while the use of 3G – wireless broadband provided by the mobile networks – has rocketed.

“We have been warning for several years that commercial WiFi hotspots, especially in hotels and conference centres, are in danger of pricing themselves out of the market,” said World Wide Worx MD Arthur Goldstuck. “And, now that a monthly subscription to a basic 3G service is cheaper than a few hours on most commercial hotspots, the chickens have come home to roost.”

The study found that the [continue reading]

About these ads