Seen attached to this house in a new St.Cathrine housing development is a Gotel fixed wireless telephone antenna. It is affixed to the poles that supply electricity to the 2000 homes in this scheme. This new wireless network will offer customers voice and data products and high speed Internet access. - Contributed GOTEL COMMUNICATIONS Limited, one of the most recent entrants to the local telecommunications industry, is undergoing final preparations in advance of the launch of its local fixed line services which its marketing manager, Nichola Thompson, told Wednesday Business would take place before the end of the year.
Gotel has begun testing services on a limited scale.
"We have installed telephones in a number of homes for the purposes of testing. So far, the tests have been very successful and we expect a smooth roll out at launch," said attorney Patrick Bailey, a director of the company.
Already, Gotel has erected several transmission towers, strategically placed across the island, to complete the initial stage of its network development which will provide the ability to deliver service islandwide. "With the technology we are utilising, Gotel will be able to offer telephone service to virtually every location on the island, including hilly or otherwise challenging terrain," Mr. Bailey added.
The completely wireless network will utilise radio frequency links to connect subscribers and will allow Gotel to offer customers voice and data products, high speed Internet access, leased lines for data services, in addition to other communications services.
Gotel has employed Fixed Wireless Local Loop (FWLL) technology from PrimeWave Communications of Houston, Texas as their system of choice. PrimeWave Communi-cations is a wholly-owned subsidiary of L-3 Communications, a supplier of aerospace communication and commercial systems. It supplies communications products and systems to the United States Government and major corporations including the International Space Station, Boeing and Lockheed Martin among other companies.
The company anticipates that it will directly employ 320 persons with an additional 2,200 persons operating as contractors and partners. The company intends to source many of these individuals from the Information Technology training facilities established by the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Technology.
Earlier this year, Gotel signed a US$50 million deal (J$2.5 billion) with PrimeWave but would not disclose how much it will initially invest in infrastructure and operational costs.
