Rufus Andrew, MD of Nokia Siemens SA, says the network provider has identified this trend as an opportunity to improve the flexibility of networks and provide customer experience intelligence.

“Despite SA getting an exponential increase in bandwidth availability, it will soon become saturated following the data explosion and proliferation of mobile devices. The challenge for mobile operators is to pre-empt this trend and make sure that demand does not reach a saturation point, and to offer valued-added services at an affordable rate to consumers,” says Andrew.

He indicates that Nokia Siemens Networks is closely collaborating with local mobile operators to deliver a single-minded focus on mobile broadband, concentrating on innovation and quality.

Karri Kuoppamaki, head of technology for Africa at Nokia Siemens Networks, explains that broadband will become a utility operating in the same way as electricity and water, and will see an eight-fold growth rate in demand within the next five years.

Kuoppamaki says: “The Middle East and Africa is the strongest growing market for 3G. This will pave the way for a mobile broadband explosion in Africa.

“With Liquid Net, Nokia Siemens Networks innovates the network to meet the forthcoming broadband wave. It provides enhanced network capacity efficiency, improves user experience and adds new revenue for mobile operators.”

The technology works by identifying 'hot zones' and increasing capacity where mobile traffic demand exceeds supply.

Kuoppamaki points out that active antennae steer a mobile network's resources to manage capacity for peak and off-peak mobile traffic demand.

For instance, during a major sporting event, the network solution will redirect traffic from off-peak residential areas and allocate it to high-demand areas at a stadium during a specific time.

“Liquid Net is about having the ability to allocate capacity where it's needed using active antennae and to provide a path of least resistance for traffic to flow. This will make it easier for operators to manage networks, and will improve the customer experience.”

He adds: “About 45% of all mobile phone users are heavy users of advanced services. The likelihood for customer churn is highest for heavy users of advanced services in emerging markets, at 44%, compared to 36% on a global level. This means traffic is unpredictable and difficult to manage for the mobile operator, and customer experience is key in order to prevent churn.”