VITA established a relationship with the Communication Corporation to locate radio repeaters at microwave sites allowing access to dial tone when previously a busy signal was all that was received. VITA used 72 direct lines with extensions going out to a number of trunks instead of only one direct line. The lines were connected to the minister of health's central office and from there were connected to the publically switched telephone network. Because satellite equipment has seen a cost reduction lately, manufacturing ground sites using satellite based systems in rural areas is now a viable business alternative. VSAT, integrated with a wireless local loop, provides a solution to many rural communications problems.
Convenience is important in rural areas.
End users want to go to public call stations to make calls as well as to conduct other business. Providing low cost, completely integrated systems with highly reliable multi-gateways gives the local population a point of access, in to and out of, the established PSTN or long distance area. The system, using minimal intelligence, allows end users to make emergency phone calls that not only reads the number dialed but also determines the best routing for the call based on the location of the caller. Operation of the VSAT system can be cost prohibitive but when a wireless loop system is added it brings down the per subscriber cost more in line with conventional telephony. Mr. Eytan Welicker - Telecom South Africa is the local South African telephone provider.