Sentech is planning come back

ADSL South Africa (Broadband South Africa), 10 December 2006

Sentech  is planning a come back after issues pertaining to speed and poor customer service derailed most of its early successes.

Winston Smith, Sentech’s Broadband product manager, made their intentions to bring Sentech back from the dead clear at the MyADSL conference last month. Throwing out a lifebuoy to Sentech’s MyWireless service will form an essential part of the effort to get some life back into Sentech. Smith also promised improvements to Sentech’s service by the beginning of 2007 that will bring speeds up to more competitive levels.“Those improvements would include raising the speeds of the network to 1 024Kbps from its current maximum of 512Kbps and introducing new packages that would allow it to appeal to people currently using dial-up Internet access” (Sentech looking for a revival, 2006).

Will Sentech be able to pull it off?

Both Dobek Pater (Analyst at Africa Analysis) and Rudolph Muller (MyADSL Founder) remain skeptical about Sentech’s chances. They both feel that Sentech has fallen to far back in the race to make a solid come back at this stage.

Is there any hope left for Sentech?

Yes but only if Government keeps its promise to Sentech to provide the funding that’s needed for a national broadband network which will cover around 70% of South Africa. If Sentech gets the funding, could potentially use WiMax technology and utilize separate branding, the coast might clear long enough for Sentech to make a solid come back. Chances remain slim however.

ADSL South Africa (Broadband South Africa) welcomes Sentech’s intentions but doubt if Smith and his team will be able to pull it off. In all fairness to them we must however state that history will be the ultimate judge of that. Loyal users of Sentech’s MyWireless service might at least go the New Year in with greater broadband speeds and greater expectations.