Not bad... if you tested from a local server results would be much much higher..
So question... giving that there are 100s of Digi cell sites in and around mobay does this mean they gonna have to upgrade each and every single one in order to have maximum LTE coverage similar to the 4G coverage they have now?
if they have to put in new physical hardware then obviously yes. If its a software upgrade then it should be possible to just remotely upgrade the computers at the towers. Only thing is certain is that its going to cost money.
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Yes, They have to physically upgrade each tower with new RAN and antennas. Brandysull can expand on the technical aspect of this task. Its going to take awhile, Flow is currently upgrading thier Towers with LTE. Its physical work, so it will take sometime, depending on how fast they work, and other external factors beyond thier control.
Quite so.... Digicel probably has around 30-40 or so sites in MoBay. FLOW has around the same too. Thing is, however, not every site will be needing LTE upgrades. It really comes down to their spectrum portfolio + site count & how they can leverage those in that specific area. Mobay unlike Kingston has a complex geography, very undulating and extends into the highlands and out to the flat sandy beaches lining the coast. Digicel may opt to upgrade 1/2 of their sites because their spectrum portfolio affords them a large coverage area (because of 700 MHz's excellent propogational properties - similar to an unloaded/uncongested 850 MHz 3G network but BETTER). What is important now is that they have an adequate LTE layer for optimum service delivery while also maintaining sufficient 3G/2G coverage for Circuit Switched Fallback when customers need to make a voice call (as they haven't enabled VoLTE over their network).
On the supposed 20 or so sites they may upgrade, they will be doing rip & replacements as per their new partnership with ZTE as well as new antennas (which are not installed by the network, but by a contractor contracted by the tower company which most times is not Digicel or FLOW). As evidenced with their Bermuda LTE rollout, they did around 44 sites in two or so months... They should easily do Mobay in a month or so... What may take time is testing but that shouldn't be too time consuming.
FLOW is doing around 50 or so sites on the North coast, 20 or so being in MoBay... work is in its second month with installations in place in quite a few sites, most sites should be live by July or early August. While they haven't the most potent spectrum portfolio, what they have is lower backhaul costs (which is why their sites are almost always fibre fed... being a network provider with an IP/MPLS network that is also currently being upgraded in a landmark partnership between Cisco & Ericsson helps alot) which means they'll have more capex for deployment of better radio technologies like 4x2 MIMO (which gives a capacity boost and helps with reception a bit) where Digicel may opt for 2x2 MIMO since 2x2 MIMO is the most Band 17 can do IIRC.
Last edited by Brandysull; Jun 2, 2017 at 04:53 PM.
Something just occurred to me... Could Digicel, in this slump they're having, be doing the old C&W kinda pattern (like back in their early days of 3G) where you only deploy your fastest radio access technology in the major population centre (Kingston) and do a smattering of sites in areas where tourists are (MoBay, reportedly 1 site in Falmouth and 1 in Ochi)? Never in my wildest dream would I think that Digicel would skimp on Jamaica. Bermuda's gone islandwide LTE as well as Cayman, Antigua, Turks and Caicos, Anguilla, BVI, Barbados in addition to all their Pacific islands like Tonga, Vanuatu, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Samoa. Digicel's also rolling out a new store format i.e. 'Experience Stores' in places like Trinidad & Tobago (in San Fernando at the lovely CN3 Centre) and Barbados... I assume that it'll be here soon but as to WHY it isn't here yet? Who knows?
I guess thats what the maintainece fee is for, the are very low on CAPEX,. And the company has a massive debt, with little growth. Their slow progress outside of Kingston, as it relates to LTE. Is evident of low ROI and massive cost to build out the technology. That coupled with the sliding Jamaican dollar, and harsh economic climate.
Digicel not doing a thing until they feel pressured by Flow....
As Nathan said I think Finance is the problem. They are not getting as much from Mobile as the once were and they are taking on Cable and Fixed line internet which is massively expensive and they are not growing in this area as much as they would have liked.
Remember they did not get to raise funds on the Stock Market for projects so they have to be watching funds very closely.
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