South African operator Cell C is reviewing its mobile data strategy amid speculation that it could be poised to announce rollout of 3G technology. “We’re in the process of reviewing our mobile data strategy. I can’t say much right now but we’ll make an announcement about next generation data products by year-end,” CEO Jeffery Hedberg told I-Net Bridge in a phone interview, notes Cellular News. Both Cell C’s South African rivals, Vodacom and MTN, have already launched 3G, but Cell C has preferred to stick with its GPRS/EDGE network, which reportedly offers speeds of up to 244kb/s. “We’re very pleased with our GPRS and EDGE network at the moment,” said Hedberg.

According to Cellular News, a move to 3G would mark a major U-turn by the operator: Hedberg reportedly dismissed 3G services as mere “hype” earlier this year and said that, while the operator’s core network is configured to support 3G, the company would not invest in the air interface as it does not offer a good return on investment. According to Wireless Intelligence data, Cell C had 5.3 million subscribers by end of second-quarter 2008, behind Vodacom (24.9 million) and MTN (15.7 million). Cell C recorded its first-ever annual operating profit earlier this year.