Bangalore To Become First Wireless Broadband City Of India?

[shashank 8]

Here is a news item from October 2006 ( http://www.itwire.com.au/content/view/6257/945/ ) which says "Bangalore is rocking. Two things happened simultaneously on the same day. Both based on WiMAX technology, one of which means the Indian state will be WiMAX enabled within months.". It also quotes from a minister stating that "Bangalore would be completely WiMAX-enabled from January 2007". Since it is from a minister, we should take it with a pinch of salt.

Actually, more interesting has been the article in Hindustan Times of 15th Nov 2006 ( http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_184...00200170001.htm ) with the heading "Kudos Bangalore, the real technology city". This what it says:

Bangalore is going to be the second city in the world to be fully Wi-Max enabled, something even the Silicon Valley can't boast of. According to news magazine Outlook, "In early 2007, when Wi-Max is introduced to Bangalore city - in the final plan it'll cover 696 Km of the city and 470 Km in the surrounding town and municipal regions - it will be only the second city in the world to be fully Wi-Max enabled, after Taipei."

This article has been discussed in Silicon Valley in some blogs and articles (for example, http://www.salon.com/tech/htww/2006/11/29/...imax/index.html with the heading "Keeping pace with the Bengaluru Joneses")

Bangalore surely rocks but are those Wi-Max services for the common man or only for tatas and birlas?

Edited December 29, 2006 by shashank

[abhay 0]

i think it would be for corporates coz BSNL also is launching WIMAX but just for corporates they said in the recent press conference

Edited December 29, 2006 by abhay

[Arun 795]

WiMAX now in Bangalore

19/01/2007 - The Hindu

Bangalore has joined the elite club of cities enjoying high-speed wireless Internet services, popularly called WiMAX.

Aircel Business Solutions (ABS) on Thursday launched the WiMAX service in the city. Base stations (towers) have been set up at Electronics City, Airport Road, St. John's Road, Jayanagar, Rajajinagar and Koramangala, each covering a radius of 5 km to 6 km. More will come up shortly, said Ram Shinde, Business Head, ABS, part of Chennai-based Aircel.

ABS would also create Wi-Fi (wireless internet) hotspots in the city where Internet services would be available through the use of pre-paid cards. Online registration would also be possible, Mr. Shinde said.

Those opting for WiMAX would be able to access the Internet anywhere in the city, he said.

Initially, WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) will be made available to big corporates and small and medium enterprises at a cost of Rs. 20 lakh.

Individuals will have to wait three months for WiMAX because the modem required for the connection is not readily available, and has to be imported. Aircel is mass-producing the modems and will supply them free of cost in three months. Imported modems known as customer premises equipment (CPE) cost $ 400 (Rs. 18,000).

The payment for WiMAX will be on a monthly basis, and there will be the option of using pre-paid cards. It will eventually cover Mangalore, Mysore and Belgaum.

Mr. Shinde said the charges would be on a par with those offered by BSNL. In the near future, 26 more cities including Coimbatore, Hyderabad, Pune, Delhi, Cochin and Ahmedabad will get WiMAX.

WiMAX is more efficient in preventing virus attacks. Connections would be given within 48 hours after applications were submitted, Mr. Shinde said. The connectivity would be upgraded so as to enable access to Internet through mobile phones while on the move even at the speed of 60 kmph.

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Not sure whether they are really going to supply the modems free of cost else its costly for the end user to implement

[spdf 0]

No one will shell out 18K for a modem so they will give away free modems for some months commitment..

what speeds can we expect from a WiMAX? and any idea of rate/month

[shashank 8]

Bangalore surely rocks....................

And regarding the speeds i read that WiMAX will offer speeds up to 25Mbps. So we can expect atleast 2Mbps

[abhay 0]

yeah the modem is ok some1 would actually consider buying it but the rates @ which they provide broadband is the main criteria (and if they would provide unlimited or no)