iBurst hits 40 000 subscriber milestone

iBurst South Africa this week passed the 40 000 subscriber mark, cementing South Africa's position as the world's largest market for iBurst wireless broadband. The company had some 12 000 subscribers this time last year.

Originally developed by America's ArrayComm and South Korea's Kyocera, iBurst countries currently include SA, Australia, Ghana, Kenya, Lebanon, Canada, Azerbaijan, Norway and Malaysia.

“Although iBurst is a fixed wireless solution competing against copper wire, the mobile element of the technology means that good coverage is essential to uptake. With the majority of South Africans now living within our coverage area, further healthy growth from iBurst is assured,” says Thami Mtshali, CEO of iBurst.

By the end of May 2007, there will be almost 150 active iBurst base stations, compared to the 75 that were active at the end of May 2006.

Going forward, Mtshali adds that iBurst's launch of entry-level wireless broadband packages well under the R100 per month mark would further boost subscriber numbers as more South Africans were able to step up to the first rung of the broadband ladder.

Launched in April 2005, iBurst is a 60% black-owned South African company with access to WiMAX spectrum issued by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA).