pajat

They seem to be just selectively adding few more towns. Three more towns from TN: Arupukottai , Attur, Denkanikotai., taking total TN count to 126. I think MTS/Tata cannot match RCOM for EVDO capacity in RoTN: as RCOM has 5MHz CDMA spectrum (Chennai+RoTN), while Tata has 5MHz in merely Chennai(2.5 in RoTN), and MTS has just 2.5MHz (Chennai+RoTN). I think they are waiting for other 3g operators to cover 100 towns, before they start expanding EVDO coverage further, as per this interview "...3g will first come to the top 100 cities. RCOM will compete in the first 100 cities on 3G, but difference is that by then we will have our data card services in 500 cities and CDMA-based 1x data services in about 20,000 towns. .. " @

I have converted my card to prepaid, and I can recharge easily online. However, I am allowed to buy only fixed-price HSD recharge vouchers. They don't allow me to top-up the data-card arbitrarily and use it at the rate of Rs 1/MB.

How can I activate this pack in Chennai? Is it possible to do it over an SMS??

Oh. I did not know that. But even then I think they need at least few more towers to provide 2100 MHz 3g coverage matching the 1800MHz coverage areas. If with their 1800 MHz 2g coverage is bad at about 5% of chennai, then with 2100 MHz (using similar towers) probably some 15-20% of 3g coverage will be bad. To mitigate that they probably will install few more towers.

I agree that in a city like Chennai, the density and size of the cells have to be taken into consideration, still I think there is a good chance for Vodafone to install few more towers around the city to give better 3g experience/coverage, which, if it happens, I "hope" might improve 2g at my place. If Vodafone does not even install few more towers around the city, I think definitely lot of complaints will be there on 3g experience. Also, they will probably replace their old 2G BTS in the tower covering my house to a new 2G+3G BTS, which "might" perform better, and provide better 2G coverage for me.

My hope is that, while providing 3G coverage in Chennai, Vodafone might rework on their towers/networks, moving things a little around, resulting in better 2g coverage too at my place. This is just a hope. I also want to give MNP a few months, before it stabilizes without problems. As 3G is in 2100 MHz frequency, and Vodafone 2G is in 900 MHz frequency, they will need to use at least three times more number of towers to give a reasonable 3G coverage in Chennai. Any tower with 3G BTS will probably also handle Vodafone's 2G signals...There lies my "hope" for better 2G coverage from Vodafone when their 3G is running.... RGSM networks, Tata Docomo, and most of Aircel networks (except old Aircel network in Chennai,TN, etc.,) were already 3G-ready, in the sense that they already had almost enough towers with BTS's able to provide both 2G/3G with minimal effort. That the reason for them being fast in increasing 3g coverage, than the old-operators like Airtel/Vodafone.

"Every now and then the network will disappear and I will wave the mobile in the air to get signal"... This is the same as I am doing for about 2 years at my home in heart of Chennai.. They simply don't care about our complaints, just like you say. To hell with zoo-zoos... RGSM signals along with Aircel signals are alone available for me.. not even the mighty Airtel... I will check if the vodafone signal improves after they introduce 3g in Chennai, otherwise I will probably shift my number to Aircel, as Aircel has 3g in Chennai....

The link "http://www.mobilenxt.com/" in the list is suspicious......

FEVIN-RAJ, Two More from me: http://www.flipkart.com/mobiles http://www.infibeam.com/Mobiles/

*111# is not working in my Vodafone number. But it is working in my friend's Vodafone TN number. So I gave a complaint by dialing 198. The funny part is they are saying they have no service like that. When I insisted that this service is available he connected to me to supervisor, who also said they don't provide any facility like this and *111# is not provided by them. Oh God May be the superior Vodafone has started to copy from RCOM :J Anyhow, I think Vodafone merely spends a lot of money building their brand-name rather than improving their network.

Well said about RCOM secrecy!

I am having the same problem in RCDMA in chennai. But it works in RGSM. I think they will soon fix the problems.

Great it works well in RGSM Chennai

Dear Friends, I am interested in buying an entry level CDMA OMH-handset. My budget is upto3000. I have been a GSM user so far, planning to test CDMA after hearing about its superior voice quality. After first, I would just want to test with a basic handset without EVDO. (I am already satisfactorily using a Reliance netconnect evdo card for about 18 months.) After sometime searching on the internet about CDMA handsets, it seems "Samsung mpower Muzik 219" is a good choice. Please give me any feedback you might have on the same. I essentially want a good/reliable OMH handset so that I can test Reliance, Indicom & MTS, and go for the one providing best signal at my places of interest. . Thanks, Pajat.

chandanbs, do you still get this benefit? what happen to you last bill?

Just received the Samsung Guru B559 from Flipkart. It looks great. While ordering I was worried about the keypad, but its comfortable to use. I have to buy an OMH Sim now.

Thanks for the useful reply! I am at present using a single ID linking one postpaid-netconnect & two prepaid-RGSMs. I have no problem in paying/recharging all of them. You might have to re-look the "myservices" webpage again.

In the following Economic times article, MTS claims that they are adding “60,000 to 70,000 data customers every month” “Sistema Shyam open to merger call in India” http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/telecom/sistema-shyam-open-to-merger-call-in-india/articleshow/7368900.cms “We are adding 60,000 to 70,000 data customers every month, and I see trends of improving Arpu in the coming months,”

India adds 2.5 Lakh CDMA data card subscribers every month By Nilabh Jha, The Mobile Indian, New Delhi, November 03, 2010 “In terms of net additions per month, both Reliance and Tata are in close competition. Both are adding one lakh customers a month with an additional 50,000 being added by MTS and the public sector operators.” ========================================================================================================= http://www.themobileindian.com/news/368_India-adds-2.5-Lakh-CDMA-data-card-subscribers-every-month The country has more than 3 million EVDO data card users. RCom is the biggest player in the space with more than half the market share. Despite success, CDMA operators are secretive about subscriber figures. In a country where broadband targets have continuously been missed, CDMA operators have crossed the three million subscriber mark with their EVDO data cards, which provides high speed internet access. According to research done by Telecom Yatra, CDMA operators are adding around 2.5 lakh data card subscribers per month. Also, the absence of 3G data cards has proved to be a big factor in success story of CDMA data cards. Amongst the CDMA operators, Reliance is the biggest player in the data card business with about 55 per cent market share, and Tata Indicom is the second with close to 35 per cent share. On the other hand, MTS - the new operator in the space is a distant third with 2.5 lakh subscribers. Public sector operators BSNL and MTNL, who also have CDMA networks, are only marginal players. BSNL has upped the ante and hopes to capture a bigger market share in this lucrative market. In terms of net additions per month, both Reliance and Tata are in close competition. Both are adding one lakh customers a month with an additional 50,000 being added by MTS and the public sector operators. In the vendor space, Chinese equipment manufacturers have captured almost the entire dongle market in India. ZTE has 43 per cent market share while Huawei has close to 55 per cent. Together they have been able to push more than 5 million dongles to operators. The dongles business is very lucrative for CDMA operators - while their average revenue per user (ARPU) hovers at around Rs 111; ARPU for data cards is more than Rs 700. Given the importance of the business each operator has already chalked out plans for expanding their EVDO network. RCom plans to expand its Netconnect (Its wireless internet brand) service to 600 towns and cities from the current 69 cities. MTS is also planning to take its MBLaze service to more than 100 cities. Right now it is available in 84 cities; while Tata Photon plus is available in 76 cities. Operators are also thinking of upgrading to next generation EVDO Rev B platform which will enable them to offer speeds up to 14.3 Mbps. However, none of them have committed a time period for this upgrade. So far, CDMA operators have had no competition from GSM operators in data connectivity from. But with the launch of 3G in the offing they will soon have to face the onslaught of HSPA data cards. Though HSPA data cards will offer similar speeds, being a GSM product can help their brand. Kunal Bajaj, director, Analysis Mason, had a different perspective, "I don't think CDMA camp will face any threat from GSM camp in this space. It will in fact help in expanding the market. Moreover, 3G operators will also have to carry voice in this limited bandwidth available to them, so they will not be very keen on pure play dongle business, I think they will use 3G to provide better value added services". Despite being successful, CDMA operators other than MTS refused to share the number of dongles sold by them. The probable reason for this could be the criticism from GSM operators that CDMA operators are getting unfair advantage as they are able to offer 3G services (EVDO is a 3G standard) without paying for it, While GSM operators have to pay a huge spectrum fee.

Karthik, I probably wont be using "expandable memory, bluetooth and a vga cam" in this phone. Just voice call facility is fine to test CDMA waters!

You review of B559 @ () helped me to choose B559

Just ordered a Samsung Guru B559 for Rs. 1999 at flipkart.com

Yes Kesav, Reliance netconnect is the undisputed leader in TN with coverage of 123 towns/cities. I have myself used the service in Chennai(including airport), Madurai, & Tuticorin. While on trains, I have used their EVDO service at Villupuram, Rajapalayam, Virudhunagar & Kovilpatti. I was able to access 1x network with reasonable satisfaction while traveling in remote rural places on trains.

Dear Members, Please provide me any other suggestions, including feedback on the samsung mobiles B519/F219.

Ok Ravi. Thanks for the clarification. I was confused earlier, because the words in your message "samsung guru muzik" corresponds to the first model, however, the handset in yous profile is specified as "Samsung Muzik 219", which looked closer to the later model due to the number "219".