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Even as 3G services are taking roots in the country, a latent technological layer is being built to enable the introduction of the next wave of telecom services – wireless broadband or broadband wireless access that promises to change the way we access Internet.
When they introduce the fourth generation services (4G), operators and handset makers would have to be ready with services and devices ready to allow seamless transfer of digital information across all networks. 3G operators in India have already begun deploying LTE (Longer Term Evolution) ready infrastructure.
In talks with firms
By the year end, subscribers in India would begin to see dongles with Qualcomm's chipsets that would allow them access the new generation service offerings. The company is in talks with telecom operators, handset manufacturers – both multinational and Indian companies – to equip their future products with the chips.
“Our multimode chipset MDM9x00 will be commercial by mid-2011. Commercial devices based on our chipsets that includes dongles, smartphones and tablets are expected to be commercial in the second half of 2011,” he said.
Both RIL and Qualcomm have demonstrated LTE mobility in India, while Aircel announced that it has been conducting technology trials with a number of vendors such as Huawei Technologies, ZTE Corp, Nokia Siemens Networks and Ericsson. It created a competency centre in Hyderabad for the effective rollout of technology.
BWA Spectrum
Meanwhile, Qualcomm has hinted at exiting from the joint venture it floated as it bid for BWA spectrum licence for four States. The company, which invested $1 billion, to secure the spectrum for Delhi, Mumbai, Haryana and Kerala circles. While Global Holding Corporation (GHC) and Tulip Telecom held 13 per cent each, Qualcomm held the remaining 74 per cent.
“But our intention is not to compete with operators that are our customers. It was our intent to secure operator neutral initial partners. We set a few goals for the venture to develop the ecosystem for LTE TDD, and accelerate commercialisation efforts to enable deployment of LTE in concert with 3G,” Dr Lakshminath Reddy Dondeti, Director (Engineering – Technical Standards) of Qualcomm, said.
“Our goal is to attract one or more experienced 3G HSPA and EV-DO operators into the venture for construction of an LTE network in compliance with the Indian Government's rollout requirement for the BWA spectrum, and then to exit the venture,” he said.
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