3G Spectrum Internet Providers

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3G Spectrum Internet Providers in India include big names such as BSNL, MTNL, Tata Docomo, Idea, Aircel, and Vodafone. Quicker connectivity, a range of value added services such as video-on-demand, Internet TV, high-speed data conversion, Tele-medicine, location-based services, and audio-video calls will shortly be an actuality in India.

What is 3G Spectrum?

3G or 3rd Generation, is a group of benchmarks for mobile telecommunication services. They include video calls, wide-area wireless voice telephone, and wireless data, everything in a cellular setting. 3G facilitates concurrent application of data and communication services and increased data rates (equal to 14.0 Mbit/s on the downlink and 5.8 Mbit/s on the uplink with HSPA+). 3rd Generation comes up with a wide variety of applications such as Video Conferencing, Mobile TV, Location Based Services, Video on Demand, and Tele-medicine.

How is 3G different from 2G and 4G?

As 2G represents second-generation wireless telephone technology, 1G networks utilized are analog, 2G networks utilized are digital. Third-generation or 3G technology is implemented to improve cellular phone services.

3G assists to concurrently transmit both voice data (a telephone call) and non-voice data (for example, sending and receiving e-mail, downloading info, and immediate messaging). The best part of 3rd Generation is video telephony. 4G technology is expected to be the prospective benchmark of wireless gadgets.

NTT DoCoMo of Japan and Samsung are in the process of investigating 4G telephony.

3G Spectrum In India

In 2008, India came into the 3rd Generation domain with the opening of 3G enabled Data and Mobile services by Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (BSNL), which is a state-run organization. Subsequently, MTNL introduced 3rd Generation in Mumbai and Delhi, two important cities in India. Countrywide auction of 3G wireless spectrum was declared in April 2010.

As stated by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), nine telecommunication giants - Bharti Airtel, Aircel, Idea Cellular, Etisalat DB Telecom, S Tel, Reliance Telecom, Videocon Telecommunications, Tata Teleservices, and Vodafone Essar took part in the 3G auction in 2010.

Details available on the website of Department of Telecommunications also demonstrate that 11 companies - Idea Cellular, Bharti Airtel, Augere Mauritius Limited, Aircel, Qualcomm, Infotel Broadband, Spice Internet Service Provider, Reliance WiMax, Tikona Digital Networks, Tata Communications Internet Services, and Vodafone Essar were eligible to submit tenders for broadband wireless access facilities.

The first private sector service provider that introduced 3G in India is Tata DoCoMo, on November 5, 2010. Reliance Communications is the second to launch it on December 13, 2010. Bharti Airtel introduced their 3G services in Bangalore on 24 January, 2011. In addition, Aircel introduced 3rd Generation in Kolkata in February 2011. Other 3G spectrum Internet providers such as Idea and Vodafone are anticipated to introduce these operations by the end of the first quarter of 2011.

List of 3G Spectrum Internet Providers in India

Given below is a list of 3G Spectrum Internet Providers in India and their rates:
  • Mumbai: Vodafone, Reliance, Bharti Airtel at ` .3247.07 cr
  • Delhi & NCR: Bharti, Vodafone, Reliance Communications at ` 3316.93 cr
  • Gujarat: Vodafone, Tata Communications, Idea at ` .1076.06 cr
  • Maharashtra & Goa: Idea cellular, Tata Communications, Vodafone at ` .1257.82 cr
  • Karnataka: Aircel, Tata Telecommunication, Bharti at ` .1579.91 cr
  • Andhra Pradesh: Idea, Bharti Airtel, Aircel at ` .1373.14 cr
  • Kolkata: Aircel, Vodafone, Reliance Communications at ` .544.26 cr
  • Tamil Nadu: Vodafone, Bharti, Aircel at ` .1464.94 cr
  • Punjab: Reliance Communications, Idea Cellular, Aircel, Tata Telecommunications at ` 322.01 cr
  • Kerala: Tata Telecommunications, Idea Cellular, Aircel at ` 312.48 cr
  • Madhya Pradesh & Chattishgarh: Reliance Communications, Idea Cellular, Tata Telecommunications at ` 258.4 cr
  • Haryana: Tata Telecommunications, Idea Cellular, Vodafone at ` 222.58 cr
  • U.P. (West): Idea Cellular, Bharti, Tata Telecommunications at ` 514 cr
  • Rajasthan: Bharti, Reliance Communications, Tata Telecommunications at ` 321 cr
  • West Bengal: Reliance Telecom, Bharti, Aircel, Vodafone at ` 123.36 cr
  • U.P (East): Idea Cellular, Aircel, Vodafone at ` 364.6 cr
  • Bihar & Jharkhand : Bharti, S Tel, Aircel, Reliance at ` 203.46 cr
  • Himachal Pradesh: S Tel, Bharti, Reliance, Idea cellular at ` 37.23 cr.
  • Assam: Bharti, Reliance, Aircel at ` 41.48 cr
  • Orissa : Aircel, S Tel, Reliance at ` 96.98 cr
  • Jammu & Kashmir : Aircel, Idea Cellular, Reliance, Bharti at ` 30.30 cr
  • North East: Bharti, Aircel, Reliance at ` 42.30 cr

Various plans offered by 3G Spectrum Internet Providers in India

Reliance Communications is providing unlimited 3G mobile Internet access only at 99/month. Vodafone and Airtel are all set to introduce BlackBerry Curve and iPhone 3G in India. The company has bagged important licenses to provide 3G services in 13 cities, which include Delhi and Mumbai that are the largest markets in India. The MobileNet Plan offers unlimited cellular phone Internet access to both its prepaid and postpaid customers at just ` 99 per month.

The triumph of 3rd Generation in India is dependent on the capacity of Telco and other value chain players to successfully deal with various issues like the usefulness of service for end customers, the overall expense of proprietorship, scheduling & optimization, network competence, development of the content and application developer bionetwork and best possible placement of these services for various user groups.

Tata DOCOMO has launched a very big platform, which is known as www.3glife.com. This platform is committed to training all customers or users regarding life after purchasing 3G. The home page has a universal 3G live stream, which catches everything somebody is talking about 3rd Generation in the domain of Internet. Incorporated throughout Facebook, Twitter, various forums, blogs, and news portals, it offers an instant discussion summary of anything someone is talking about 3rd Generation.

In contrast, Vodafone will introduce services in the opening quarter of 2011, planning to offer users high speed Internet, video call, live mobile TV, and improved gaming facilities. 3G Spectrum offered by Vodafone will be available in 9 areas –Mumbai, Delhi, Maharashtra, Kolkata, Tamil Nadu (including Chennai), Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh (East), Haryana, and West Bengal, for which it made a payment of ` 11617.86 crore.

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) has established itself as a pan India 3G mobile service provider. It is ready to set off one more price war prior to the introduction of next generation 3G Mobile and Data service by privately held companies. The Unlimited 3G Data Plan is available only at ` 700.

After getting the 3G spectrum license for 11 regions including Gujarat, the pan-India mobile service provider Idea Cellular, which is also one of the oldest telecom companies in Gujarat, is upbeat about launching the new services by March 2011. The company has already 6 million consumers in Gujarat and it is relying on Mobile Number Portability (MNP) and new 3rd Generation operations to generate increase in its consumer base. Idea is set to introduce 3rd Generation in Gujarat by March 2011.

What is TRAI's proposal on 3G pricing?

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has proposed for auctioning of electromagnetic wave frequencies for 3rd Generation telecommunication services at a predetermined rate of ` 1,050 crore (` 10.50 billion) to operators looking for providing countrywide streaming video and high-speed Internet services.

The base rate for spectrum in Delhi and Mumbai and Category A telecom circles is ` 80 crore (` 800 million). In Kolkata and Chennai and Category B circles is ` 40 crore (` 400 million) and other regions it is ` 15 crore (` 150 million).

Last Updated on 07/07/2011