Reliance CDMA Network Upgrade To 4G LTE

[basheerbr 18]

Reliance Communications mobile stores will start getting 4G SIMs starting some time next week for offering it to existing CDMA subscribers, said a source based in Kerala.

However, till Jio’s full launch, neither new CDMA connections nor new 4G connections will be sold by RCom. Only upgrades to existing CDMA users will be provided.

As we reported earlier, Reliance Communications — promoted by Anil Ambani — has put up a sign on its website saying 4G upgrade is coming soon. It has also started sending text messages to its CDMA subscribers that their service is going to be upgraded to 4G soon and they can call on 1299 to get more details about how to get a new 4G SIM.

According to our source in Kerala, Reliance Mobile stores across the state have already placed orders for new 4G SIMs and stock is expected to come “after the 25th.”

Once stock comes, anyone who has a Reliance CDMA connection can walk in, pay Rs 100 and get the USIM replaced by a new 4G capable SIM.

The person said that as of now, higher officials are saying that existing plans of CDMA customers will remain in place and will not be changed.

“It will simply be a change of network technology. Tariff plans will not be changed,” said the person. However, he added that since 4G is a more efficient and data-focused technology, cheaper data plans could be introduced after Jio’s commercial launch.

NO NEW CONNECTIONS TILL JIO LAUNCH

The source said RCom’s initial launch of 4G will be in the ‘soft mode’, just like in case of Reliance Jio.

As a result, at least in the beginning, focus will be on upgrading existing customers to 4G and not on selling new 4G connections.

This is likely the result of some agreement with Reliance Jio. If RCom were to start selling new 4G connections even before Jio starts full commercial launch, it could affect Jio’s prospects when it does launch.

As a result, RCom is likely to have agreed not to sell new connections, but only offer upgrade SIMs to existing CDMA customers.

50% DISCOUNT FOR 4G DONGLES

The person also said Reliance Communications will also be offering a 50% discount on dongle prices for those who want to exchange their old Reliance Communications data dongle (data card).

The old dongles will not work on the new RCom-Jio shared 4G network as it uses a totally different technology known as LTE.

These new 4G data dongles are likely to have a price of 2,000-3,000 without discount, the person said.

An exchange discount of 50% would mean that the current EVDO or CDMA dongle will be valued at Rs 1,000-1,500 by the company under the offer. The initial cost of an RCom EVDO dongle is around Rs 800-1,500, depending on whether it is a Revision A device or a Rev B device.

CDMA SALES STOPPED

To ensure that people do not try to ‘misuse’ the upgrade offer to get hold of new connections, Reliance Communications has stopped activating new CDMA connections.

This does not mean that it is necessarily abandoning CDMA services, as it also has MTS’ spectrum for continuing CDMA services. However, it does mean that till Jio launches its 4G service on a full and commercial level, RCom will not be selling new CDMA connections, or 4G connections to new customers.

The person also said that senior RCom officials have guided December as the time when restrictions on new connections will be lifted, indicating that Jio too will transition from ‘soft launch’ to ‘hard launch’ by that time.

WHY THE UPGRADE OFFER?

The primary reason why RCom is being allowed to upgrade its CDMA subscribers to RCom-Jio’s joint 4G network is the need for Jio to test the 800 MHz spectrum.

Since 800 MHz is coming from RCom’s CDMA service, when Jio starts testing it, RCom’s CDMA subscribers will face a lot of service issues, especially in the 14 telecom zones where MTS is not operating.

To compensate for this disturbance, Jio is reported to have agreed to let RCom’s CDMA subscribers move to its 4G network even before it starts full commercial operations.

RCOM’S CDMA (4G) DATA TARIFF

image: http://rtn.asia/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/RCOM-prepaid-4g-tariff-300x239.png

Since existing offers are likely to be continued, RCom’s website gives a clue about how much a 4G user will have to pay for data after the upgrade.

According to RCom’s website, there are broadly three postpaid plans for dongle users — 5 GB, 10 GB and 40 GB. The 5 GB postpaid plan is priced at Rs 599 plus tax, which should work out to about Rs 675 per month, or Rs 135 per GB.

The 10 GB pack is priced at Rs 799, which should cost about Rs 900 after tax, implying Rs 90 per GB.

The 40 GB pack costs Rs 999, or about Rs 1120 after tax, bring the per-GB cost to Rs 28, making it the cheapest high-speed data plan in the country.

The above are tariff for RCom’s postpaid service.

In addition, RCom also offers prepaid data tariff. However, here, there are three types of tariffs.

The first tariff chart is for mobile handset use. Here, for Rs 250, you get 4 GB of EVDO (high-speed data). However, there are no plans that offer more than 4 GB of data.

The second rate-card is for old EVDO data cards (also known as HSD service or EVDO Rev A), while the third tariff card is for Rev B devices.

If you own a Rev B device, then you cannot use a Rev A recharge and vice versa.

Though there was a lot of difference between the two tariff charts, RCom has, of late, brought both of them into sync to a large extent.

According to Rev A rates, you get 2 GB for Rs 255 per month and 5 GB for Rs 499 including tax. For Rs 999, you get 10 (12 GB in some states) of day-time data and another 10 or 12 GB of night-time usage.

Rev B rates are also similar, except in circles like AP, Chennai, Maharashtra and Mumbai where you get only 15 GB for 999 recharges.

Both Rev A and Rev B plans also contain long validity jumbo packs. In both, you can get 18 GB valid for three months at Rs 1500 and 36 GB valid for six months at Rs 2,999.

Meanwhile, a Youtube video has revealed Reliance Jio’s soft launch plans and tariffs.

[ni0987 179]

This simply means, they are not going to stop CDMA services for now and RCDMA users need not to panic.

Edited April 18, 2016 by ni0987

[praveenwarrier 49]

There was a meeting held in Kerala circle today regarding 4G LTE upgrade. Kerala will be among the last few states to undergo up gradation. Source-a RCom employee

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[dev_4_all 11]

Both cdma and gsm will continue till the time all the users are converted and the network is stable

Lets see what is stored for us in the coming next week

My biggest worry is to able to use my sprint note 4 for rcom 4g

I hope they deploy the same trick which sprint in usa deployed when upgrading to lte

[pinn_vasu 16]

Both cdma and gsm will continue till the time all the users are converted and the network is stable

Lets see what is stored for us in the coming next week

My biggest worry is to able to use my sprint note 4 for rcom 4g

I hope they deploy the same trick which sprint in usa deployed when upgrading to lte

What was strategy used dev?

Sent from my HTC One dual sim using Tapatalk

[Jasmin Shah 16]

Will gionee m5 will work with 4g

What are the chances of continuing with CDMA for some time

Currently network issues seems to be more

[dev_4_all 11]

I hv got sprint note 4 which is hvg settings as cdma/lte as the preffered network which means the fall back or switch over is cdma when lte is not available

I feel this is pretty much possible to have a fall back on cdma and reliance can cotinue with its cdma. Which is great when it comes to indoor penetration

Dont know how well the jio or rcom 4g will perform in the indoor penetration quality

[JOHNSON 2]

Hi all and Praveen Sir,

I'm having Chennai CDMA advanced zero rental plan but I live in Siliguri (West Bengal). From Chennai circle, I didn't get any messages but in Siliguri Reliance office, they say by 23rd April CDMA will be closed.

Will I continue with my Zero rental plan? Because Siliguri Reliance say they have new plans for the porting numbers.

Is there any way to get old CDMA plan if I migrate to Rgsm in Siliguri.

Kindly anyone reply.

Johnson.

Sent from my TIT-AL00 using Tapatalk

All you need to do is upgrade your current cdma sim to new 4G sim in Chennai circle. Your zero plan will continue as it is on the new sim till the remaining period. Zero plans have free roaming so u can use it in Siliguri without any issue. Dont go for INP/MNP process.

Thanks for your valuable suggestions Mr. Praveen.

Johnson.

Sent from my TIT-AL00 using Tapatalk

[Saiesh 12]

I hv got sprint note 4 which is hvg settings as cdma/lte as the preffered network which means the fall back or switch over is cdma when lte is not available

I feel this is pretty much possible to have a fall back on cdma and reliance can cotinue with its cdma. Which is great when it comes to indoor penetration

Dont know how well the jio or rcom 4g will perform in the indoor penetration quality

I guess indoor penetration will be the same once jio starts 4g on band 5

Sent from my Redmi Note 3 using Tapatalk

[disney 13]

Hi all and Praveen Sir,

I'm having Chennai CDMA advanced zero rental plan but I live in Siliguri (West Bengal). From Chennai circle, I didn't get any messages but in Siliguri Reliance office, they say by 23rd April CDMA will be closed.

Will I continue with my Zero rental plan? Because Siliguri Reliance say they have new plans for the porting numbers.

Is there any way to get old CDMA plan if I migrate to Rgsm in Siliguri.

Kindly anyone reply.

Johnson.

Sent from my TIT-AL00 using Tapatalk

All you need to do is upgrade your current cdma sim to new 4G sim in Chennai circle. Your zero plan will continue as it is on the new sim till the remaining period. Zero plans have free roaming so u can use it in Siliguri without any issue. Dont go for INP/MNP process.

Thanks for your valuable suggestions Mr. Praveen.

Johnson.

Sent from my TIT-AL00 using Tapatalk

@ johnson

Sir what happens to our honor holly 2 plus

Will it support the new 4g sim in band 5

[Sam007 5]

@disney:

Yes it will work as per reliance cc

[commonman 228]

As per specs honor holly 2 plus does not support Band 5

[narenbambhaniya 0]

As per specs honor holly 2 plus does not support Band 5

I have honor holly 2 plus and i can see the signal of JIO 4G in it.

[JOHNSON 2]

Hi all and Praveen Sir,

I'm having Chennai CDMA advanced zero rental plan but I live in Siliguri (West Bengal). From Chennai circle, I didn't get any messages but in Siliguri Reliance office, they say by 23rd April CDMA will be closed.

Will I continue with my Zero rental plan? Because Siliguri Reliance say they have new plans for the porting numbers.

Is there any way to get old CDMA plan if I migrate to Rgsm in Siliguri.

Kindly anyone reply.

Johnson.

Sent from my TIT-AL00 using Tapatalk

All you need to do is upgrade your current cdma sim to new 4G sim in Chennai circle. Your zero plan will continue as it is on the new sim till the remaining period. Zero plans have free roaming so u can use it in Siliguri without any issue. Dont go for INP/MNP process.

Thanks for your valuable suggestions Mr. Praveen.

Johnson.

Sent from my TIT-AL00 using Tapatalk

@ johnson

Sir what happens to our honor holly 2 plus

Will it support the new 4g sim in band 5

@Disney, Sorry, I don't have much knowledge about bandwidth... I hope somebody will clarify...

Sent from my TIT-AL00 using Tapatalk

[disney 13]

As per specs honor holly 2 plus does not support Band 5

I have honor holly 2 plus and i can see the signal of JIO 4G in it.

Sir you are using gsm also thats y u are able to seatch available networks

But mine is typical condition

I got only 1 sim I.e Rcdma

I want to specifically know whether this honor holly 2plus support rcdma 4g

[BihariSarpanch 20]

I have to go out of Delhi for a month to Bihar in 2-3 days. My CDMA postpaid is of Delhi, will I be able to get a Jio Sim in Bihar for existing number?

[inception 75]

Just received a text on my r-cdma prepaid:

Switch over to MTS network and enjoy seamless coverage accompanying the best customer friendly service. Kindly visit your nearest MTS store today. Hurry!!

[commonman 228]

Just received a text on my r-cdma prepaid:

Switch over to MTS network and enjoy seamless coverage accompanying the best customer friendly service. Kindly visit your nearest MTS store today. Hurry!!

in case you decide to visit, please update as to whether MNP would be required.

[caringlover 32]

I have to go out of Delhi for a month to Bihar in 2-3 days. My CDMA postpaid is of Delhi, will I be able to get a Jio Sim in Bihar for existing number?

I doubt you will be offered jio sim in Bihar as your number belongs to Delhi, you will be moved to delhi database only so Delhi number can not be provisioned in Bihar. This is my personal view, I may be wrong as well so do check once you are in Bihar & update forum as well.

Regards

Sent from my NX505J using Tapatalk

[KanagaDeepan 1,084]

Just received a text on my r-cdma prepaid:

Switch over to MTS network and enjoy seamless coverage accompanying the best customer friendly service. Kindly visit your nearest MTS store today. Hurry!!

Too many confusions.. First they said, Switch to RGsm, then said upgrade to 4G (without switching) and now Switch to MTS...

[praveenwarrier 49]

For different circles diff options

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[dev_4_all 11]

and above this there is no official information floating on website or in newspaper

[SUDYEcaZ 67]

Reliance COMM---4 circle 6.25 Mhz remaing All circles 5Mhz spectrum

Reliance Jio -------10 circles 5Mhz Spectrum

MTS-----------------7 circle 3.75 Mhz, 1 Circle 5 Mhz

I dont see a point where in Reliance needs to close CDMA operations where the combined 3 entity have more than 8.75 Mhz of spectrum.(around 17 Circles)

3.75 Mhz is sufficient to support EVDO A + Voice.

For RCOM, dongle users are high ARPU as compared to GSM. Not sure if they want to take a risk of loosing this guys

On top of above 800 Mhz holding

RCOM also have 3g in 13 circles and Jio having 1800 Mhz in 18 circles.

For all practical purpose 1-2 Mbps speed is sufficient on mobiles. No operator in the world can afford unlimited data on high speed for wireless network (10Mbps +)

Upgrade to 4g, Port to RGSM or Port to MTS may be just to gauge feedback/response from the customers or to avoid service disruption for voice users(as RCOM/JIO/MTS will need to align to LTE frequencies and test out LTE network)

[commonman 228]

^^

I also think the same. I think they are just trying to shift as many low ARPU customers as possible so that they can keep a minimum spectrum for CDMA and provide service to the high ARPU customers.

[praveenwarrier 49]

Hope these assumptions are true.

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