Ril Awaits Frequency Allocation By Dot

[vb86 0]

Monday, 24 January , 2005, 15:53

New Delhi: Reliance Infocomm Ltd (RIL) is awaiting frequency allocation by the Department of Telecom (DoT) and Wireless Planning and Coordination (WPC) wing to roll out third generation (3G) mobile services that will enable data transfer speed of up to 2.4 megabytes per second.

3G services, by deploying CDMA 2000 1X EvDO technology, are expected to enable higher-end data services.

''EvDO has already been implemented in our campus at Mumbai. We are technically ready for launch, but are waiting for frequency allocation from DoT and WPC,'' Reliance Infocomm Group Head (Wireless Network) Arun Sur told reporters here.

Sur added that Reliance Infocomm would also roll out broadband services soon.

DoT issues the service licence and WPC wing is the authority for issuing the wireless licence.

''We are experimenting with Wi-fi, Wimax as well as 3G technology. But our focus will be on 3G roll out,'' he added.

Sur pointed out that Wi-fi provides coverage over only 200 to 300 metres while Wimax covers a maximum of 3 to 5 km. ''EvDo will be city-wide and that's where Reliance Infocomm is focusing on,'' he added.

In launching EvDO, a CDMA operator has to upgrade its network to offer more capacity and better data speeds to its subscribers, besides high voice clarity, e-commerce and m-commerce.

Reliance Infocomm also plans to double its subscriber base to 20 million by the end of next fiscal on the back of aggressive network rollout and marketing initiatives.

''We should be able to double the current base of 10.3 million wireless subscribers by March 2006,'' Reliance Infocomm COO (Wireless Business) Kamal Nanavaty said.

As per figures released by the Association of Unified Service Providers of India (AUSPI), its subscriber base stood at 10,298,208 as on December 31, 2004.

The company today also announced that it will expand its network to 5,700 towns and four lakh villages by this year-end, covering the entire habitat of the country in one of the largest ever roll out operation.

''This expansion involving 8,500 base towers will also cover 91 per cent of the country's national highway and 85 per cent of the rail routes,'' Nanavaty said.

[navbajwa 0]

when can we expect EVDO from reliance in smaller cities approximately

[biosbhai 0]

I am sure EVDO will be pretty expensive.

u dont get 2.4mbps of bandwidth for free.

[rahuldevnath 0]

Not only the services, but the Handsets too. But i hope like the R-world.........some of the exisitng serviced of Live streaming would remain free. Secondly we would be soon getting Broadband NET Acess on our Mobile Phones, does that mean we would get 1GB Broadband @ 650 p.m??? As Broadband net acess has now been very cheap.