3G from Tata Docomo is just few days away! 3G business was a pricey one, now it is affordable, thanks to BSNL who drops unlimited 3G data plans to Rs 700 per month!
More excitement are just some months away as most operators plan to roll out their own 3G services in Q1 of 2011.
After becoming affordable 3G will bring some changes in India despite of the fact it is cost-conscious market.BSNL/MTNL will earn big revenues by offering seamless 3G connectivity to private player, none of them has pan India 3G licence.
Wireless Broadband Internet – most anticipated feature of 3G, even those are satisfied with wireline broadband are looking for 3G data services. It will give you mobility. Voice tariff is now stable, and data segment is getting momentum which helps telcos to increase ARPU. Competition in wireless data market will bring down the tariff eventually.
Video calls & video conferencing (e-governance/ tele-medicine) – currently BSNL offering onnet video calls at 30p/min but offnet video calls will not be that cheap. I personally do not feel video calls are a market shaker, but it will certainly help the carriers to increase revenue.
Online mobile gaming has a huge potential. Operators and game makers are waiting for this opportunity. VAS market will evolve as per requirement with the progress of 3G adaption.
HSDPA mobile phone market will be booming, and prices will also drop. Desi mobile phone companies are expected to launch 3G phones at below 5K price tag, but without font camera, HSPA support, powerful battery and processor these phones will be far away from true 3G experience! Google’s android powered phones can beat the Nokia’s dominance in Indian soil.
Data card business – Open market data cards will be choice of most 3G users, so this market is also going to roar in coming days. Hopefully Desi mobile phone companies will enter this market and kick the price drop!
As 3G spectrum is on 1900-2100 Mhz airwave, more BTS will be required. Government also plans for solar powered mobile towers which can open a market of greener mobility.
MVNO (Mobile virtual network operator) which is still not a popular concept in Indian telecom can get success through 3G. Specially Uninor (backed by Telenor), Videocon, Cheers (backed by Etisalat) and old Virgin Mobile (using Tata Docomo network) can enter 3G market via MVNO route.
Mobile Number Portability, as a late entrant will not be a game changer in a multi-SIM environment where market is still based on voice tariffs , but operators will focus more on better services to keep subscribers. 3G Data services and other VAS can be a catalyst for high MNP implementation.
HSPA+ (ultra-fast wireless internet)
Current 3G players of India MTNL & BSNL started with HSPA 3.6Mbps, now are upgrading to 7.2 Mbps HSPA. This speed will be enough to cater people who never see 2Mbps unlimited plan on wireline broadband.
Some operators are choosing HSPA+ directly – Airtel and Reliance announces HSDPA 21Mbps 5.7Mbps HSUPA. While there is rumor Vodafone will deploy next gen HSPA to offer download speed upto 56Mbps in selected cities. Even if you do not get such speeds, and there is high chance you will not, 3G data services from private players will be costly.
HSPA+ has a future roadmap – that is LTE, which is backed by Qualcomm. It is highly expected most of BWA winners will choose LTE, not WiMAX.
GSM will kill CDMA?
Well in one of my last articles, I thought of CDMA could be the choice of Indians, but it is certain India is on the verge of ditching CDMA except for rural connectivity. But CDMA has certain potential for a market like India where spectrum is less, greater coverage with a BTS compared to GSM and operators can offer rock bottom tariffs on voice and data. If Reliance did not choose CDMA in 2005 to start their mobile business, mobile revolution could not be here.
In spite of these favoring factors CDMA is losing the battle. Because the market is evolving and momentum starts moving from voice to data. And private operators (Tata/Virgin, Reliance and MTS) are providing some out-of-mind data plans, they do not sell RUIM cards for using open market EVDO USB data cards (FYI, BSNL sells RUIM seperately).
CDMA players got a blow when 3G auction was conducted only for GSM players. Their only hope comes when recently telecom minister asked defence minister to intervene to ensure that the army to vacate airwaves to enable the government for 3G auctions in 1900-MHz band for CDMA players.
Ankur Jain November 2, 2010 at 5:31 pm
HSDPA cat9, maximum speed up to 10.2 Mbps
HSUPA cat5, maximum speed up to 2 Mbps
In india what 3G Technology use By operater……
Sanjay Bhai Please Tell me.
Amit.g November 2, 2010 at 4:26 pm
@gautam
Bettee go for nokia C5 whic offers upto 10.2mbps speed
Manoj Abhigyan November 2, 2010 at 4:07 pm
The government of India is following the use of proxy SIM cards carrying digital certificates for mobile phones to allow secure communication over SMSes and email. Currently impersonating an email address is allegedly easy by downloading software available on the internet. However, these digital certificates will attempt a degree of authentication on mobile communication.
This is especially important because mobile banking and net banking on the mobile phone is picking up pace. To make India’s future in mobile banking and mobile transactions secure Government of India is recommending the certification of proxy SIM cards with digital certificates, which can be inserted on top of regular SIM cards. These will enable the signatures with emails and SMSes secure sent via mobile phones.
Ankur Jain November 2, 2010 at 3:47 pm
Tata Docomo Launch 3G service in Haryana From 11th November.I confirm From Tata Docomo Office.
Adarshbid November 2, 2010 at 3:05 pm
@TELECOMTALK
I HAD ALSO READ AN 1 ARTICLE IN HINDUSTAN TIMES THAT CDMA OPERATORS HAVE APPROACHED TELECOM MINISTER FOR 4G SPECTRUM BEFORE 3G AUCTION…
Adarshbid November 2, 2010 at 2:40 pm
@TELECOMTALK
BUT PRIVATE CDMA PLAYERS SAYS THAT THEY ARE PROVIDING 3G READY NETWORK…
THERE WERE SOME ADS OF RELIANCE(CDMA), TATA INDICOM SHOWING 3G READY SIGN FEW MONTHS AGO…WHAT THAT MEANS???
Rohan Singh November 2, 2010 at 2:31 pm
@gautam
Samsung B7722 supports upto 3.6MBPS. I think u shud consider a handset that supports atleast 7.2MBPS. Like HTC Wildfire, SE X10, SE X8..etc
gautam November 2, 2010 at 1:43 pm
Currently I’m using k530i sony ericsson having 3g connection from bsnl in ranchi getting better speed then edge but not so good, my handset support to 384kps but never got that much speed for long it stand only for a minute but still i feel good now i wanna upgrade my hand set to Samsung B7722,so please advice me it will be better for me can i get maximum speed of 3.6 mps which company claims on these handset if anyone tried ot these handset then pls tell his/her review on B7722
doc_dip November 2, 2010 at 12:46 pm
death of cdma -data is emminent..govt resuscitation plan will not be enough as the cdma data operators are fooling themselves by ridiculous market insensitive agendas like punched data card,no separate ruim(as u rightly mentioned),higher than normal price tags,,..
the most ridiculous example is reduction of 15 gb to 12 gb unltd then fup by mts at 999/-….
they are dooing/showing this foolish ness becoz still now we dont have 3g in our hand…in the mean time they (cdma data ops) are looting us…
when 3g is user ready everybody will throw rel/tata/mts cdma data card to ganga
Fahad November 2, 2010 at 12:43 pm
@rajeev
iphone 4 don’t support 3g video calling buddy … But you will be able to make a video call using wifi… It means this handset supports video calling over wifi connection only… By the way iphone 4 is one of the worst ever mobile made by apple… 3gs is far better than 4
Praveen Pious November 2, 2010 at 12:42 pm
@Shivam
Interesting analysis
Manoj Abhigyan November 2, 2010 at 12:41 pm
Very well said Shivam.
TREMERIN D'SOUZA November 2, 2010 at 12:14 pm
@ARJUN yes thats true they may have best network but also worst plans.Even their gprs/edge on 2g is not affordable.then their 3g may be a hell
TREMERIN D'SOUZA November 2, 2010 at 12:11 pm
@Santu Sovan Mandal they will introduce data cards capable of higher speeds once 3g is launched.
ARJUN November 2, 2010 at 11:53 am
@TREMERIN D’SOUZA
We Can’t Expect Much From Vodafone Because It’s An Foolish GSM Operators. We Can atleast Expect Some From Other GSM Operators
azam ali khan November 2, 2010 at 11:52 am
I want 3g dual sim mobile with android oprating,so i am waiting
Santu Sovan Mandal November 2, 2010 at 10:51 am
@TREMERIN D’SOUZA
May be. But their 3g ready data card can only provide speed upto 3.6 mbps.
steve November 2, 2010 at 10:45 am
cdma sucks….gsm is the world
Shivam November 2, 2010 at 10:20 am
Most of the phones have a VGA front camera. In fact, I havent yet seen even a single phone having front camera in mega pixels. I’ll switch to N8 or any other device only after seeing the performance of my N86 on 3G network.
TREMERIN D'SOUZA November 2, 2010 at 10:11 am
@Santu Sovan Mandal
VODAFONE can use it’s HSPA+ network to launch data cards that support it’s network speed and in short can compete with BWA operators(reliance-infotel).
KAPIL K. DEV November 2, 2010 at 9:18 am
CDMA will never die in India. Look the OMH handsets releasing by brands like Samsung and LG. Mpower text is a new OMH handset from samsung.
Rohan Singh November 2, 2010 at 8:37 am
@rajeev
Ya. If ur front camera is vga u will get blur pictures. But if u have megapixel front camera u will see the difference. I pesonaly tried and got good results.
Santu Sovan Mandal November 2, 2010 at 8:36 am
I have a question. Even if vodafone launch 56mbps hspa+, what will be it’s advantage over 21mbps hspa+(as said by reliance) because most of the handsets available in the market can support upto max. 3.6mbps & very few upto 15mbps.
Shivam November 2, 2010 at 8:32 am
7.2 mbps speed is abundant for mobiles. These operators’re just trying to lure customers by writing all these things on their websites. For example, Reliance is advertising for 21 mbps HSDPA and 5 mbps HSUPA speed over 3G (Yeah, we already know that we can get that much speed over a 3.5G network but tell us how much speed you’ll provide instead of disseminating unnecessary knowledge). On the other hand, Airtel, India’s leading GSM operator, is advertising for HSPA (HSDPA + HSUPA) but not mentioning their exact implementations. All these are just marketing gimmick, I guess. Even if they implement aforementioned technology, it’ll be implemented in very few selected places and rest of the service area will be served with comparatively lower speeds (Normal 3G speed). Government of India/TRAI should take some steps to regularize such things. Anyways, the launching date of Docomo 3G is at hand, lets see what they’ve got.
santu November 2, 2010 at 8:30 am
Absolutely video calling & data supports varies from set to set. So, one has to pick the right handset up wisely.
Webly November 2, 2010 at 8:23 am
Tariff war in 3G soon…
And i say it on TT: ‘If my operator (!dea) comes out with a, say- Rs. 500 (unlimited)/monthly 3G tariff plan then, i’m ready to dump my bsnl wired broadband connection, which is quite expensive.
ARJUN November 2, 2010 at 7:33 am
I’m waiting for the private operators to start 3G services.
Webly November 2, 2010 at 5:13 am
nice one………..
rajeev November 2, 2010 at 4:25 am
NO you are wrong dear BSNL/MTNL providing very good and true experience of VIDEO CALLING TRY WITH GOOD HANDSET LIKE iphone 4 and see the real megic. DATA SPEED ALSO SUPER FAST IF YOU USE iPHONE 3gs or iPHONE 4.
rajeev November 2, 2010 at 4:23 am
NO you are wrong dear BSNL/MTNL providing very good and true experience of VIDEO CALLING TRY WITH GOOD HANDSET LIKE iphone 4 and see the real megic. DATA SPEED ALSO SUPER FAST IF YOU USE iPHONE 3gs or iPHONE 4.
Agnivo November 2, 2010 at 2:07 am
@Keshav Jha
Ya true… competitive data rates at affordable prices…
Keshav Jha November 2, 2010 at 1:46 am
Vodafone agar 56 mbps ka speed dena chahega to isliye kyonki is daawe pe wo apna tariff doosron se jyada rakh sake. Hame 3.6 mbps ka speed hin chahiye, lekin charges affordable hon.
Keshav Jha November 2, 2010 at 1:40 am
Video calling is a good technology, but current handsets and technology of BSNL/MTNL is not able to provide a true experience. We need better mega pixels of front camera, bigger screens and no blurred videos.
Keshav Jha November 2, 2010 at 1:34 am
Nice article, but I think that CDMA will never die.
Rudradeep Biswas November 2, 2010 at 1:04 am
@TD EVDO it self a 3rd Gen tech, as EDGE of GSM!All HSPA thing discussed here are told as 3.5G !
TD November 2, 2010 at 12:47 am
thanks for the article…. but isnt EVDO is cdma 3g??