Local telecoms service provider Internet Solutions has announced a partnership with American Tower Corporation (ATC) SA, which will see improved wireless connectivity and ultimately enable long-term evolution (LTE).

Internet Solutions said it had signed a five-year contract with ATC SA, under which the company will use ATC’s towers to expand its delivery of wireless solutions and position it to offer LTE, or 4G broadband services, when they are enabled in SA.

“The deal obviates the need for Internet Solutions to build its own towers to enable its business growth and gives it the means to leapfrog its clients, which include most of SA’s large corporations, to next-generation broadband capabilities.”

Internet Solutions says that in the short term, the agreement enables the company to extend its IS Wi-Band offering beyond large metros to key markets throughout SA.

Internet Solutions applied for bandwidth in the 28GHz spectrum, which was granted by the Independent Communications Authority of SA, to provide its clients with licensed wireless point to multipoint connectivity facilities and a cost effective bridge to LTE.

The company says the offering bypasses the current industry impasse around the liberalisation of LTE-capable wireless frequencies in the 2.6GHz and 3.5GHz spectrum to give organisations easily deployed, fast, secure wireless connectivity.

“The only limitation we had to IS Wi-Band was the number of towers we had access to, most of which were in the major metropolitan areas,” says Internet Solutions carrier services executive Raj Wanniappa.

“We’ve now removed that limitation by gaining access to ATC SA’s nationwide network of towers. We can give any organisation close to an ATC SA tower immediate access to wireless capability.”