Netpage, an IT company, last Thursday briefed journalists about its newly-launched Fourth Generation Network (4G) in The Gambia.
It said being the first company in the country to launch the technology, the new platform will subsequently replace the existing fixed broadband network in the near future.
The new platform is the introduction of the mobile and fixed high speed broadband internet service bearing the Netpage name, Max Evolution.
It is a state-of-the-art information communication technology designed to bring very high speed and cheap internet applying WIMAX technology to a wider segment of the community.
A self installable technology which requires no networking, the technology will be available to all categories of the market ranging from personal homes, to small and medium scale enterprises and even large corporate organizations.
Speaking at a press conference held at the Oasis building in Kololi, Abdelkadri Newlands, Business Development Manager of Netpage, demonstrated to journalists how the 4G works.
According to him, the 4G technology is a reality and it works as quickly as possible.
“It is something that needs lots of investment, and not something that can just be done overnight,” he noted.
He explained that except for the USB device, all the other 4G devices provided by Netpage can connect up to 250 people at a time.
“As many people can share the same device, but will have different accounts,” he told journalists, adding that among the benefits of the 4G technology is that it provides users with a high speed fast internet connection, up to 20Mbits of high speed internet connections, network stability and reliability, multiple user enabled, and independent power support.
Simon Abraham, Chief Executive Officer of Netpage, said his company is the first in The Gambia to bring in the 4G technology.
“It has been a year long process, formulating and trying to get the right things in place to ensure that the people are provided with what is needed. We need to give people what we promise. There is no need to say that I have 4G and the service you are providing is not there,” Mr Abraham told journalists.
According to him, with its 4G, Netpage now has so much capacity that it can absorb the whole country under its network.
“Our technology can carry up to 40 times more than a conventional 3G network. The devices can provide speeds of up to 40 mega bits, which is incredible,” he stated.
Commenting on the billing system, he explained that they have in place a billing platform that is convenient for the people.
He stated that there will be scratch cards and devices available to dealers in town.
“Customers can also choose the speed that they want; they can also change their speed, and the idea of saving oneself from spending too much money will be available to customers,” Abraham further explained.
He also told journalists that Netpage has six different devices, four of which are just plug and use.
“There is also a very nice device which is battery powered that can be used for 9 hours, and can be used anywhere in town. With Netpage, there cannot be any congestion unless the whole country wants to be with Netpage,” he stated.
He revealed that Netpage will launch a 4G tower in every town across the country, every three months after the completion of towers in the Greater Banjul Area.
The idea, he said, is to make sure that if Netpage says users will have 20M bits, they have it. “We promise and deliver, and not promise and fail,” Netpage’s CEO added.
