Tunisia beats South Africa to 3G

ZTE Corporation, a Chinese company, has beaten all other African competitors to build the first 3G network on the continent. ZTE, one of the mobile services companies operating in Tunisia, unveiled their 3G (or third generation) network at the end of September. This, only three months after receiving their licence from Tunisian legislators. The network is based on Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) technology, and is the first 3G network that ZTE has built outside of China. The success of ZTE in North Africa has stolen some of the limelight away from South African operators Vodacom and MTN who tested 3G with much fanfare in May and June of this year. Vodacom plans to have 3G ready for consumers by December, while MTN say they’re being more realistic with their projection of the middle of 2005. Vodacom’s CEO, Alan Knott Craig, has been quoted as saying that Africa is better suited to 3G than Europe, because of the low penetration of broadband services across the continent. Analysts expect revenues from 3G in SA to exceed R500-million before 2009.