Bharti Airtel today announced the launch of its fourth generation broadband services in Pune. This is the third city after Kolkata and Bangalore where the 4G services have been launched.
This technology allows users to access high speed broadband services. But the cost is on the higher side. The dongle for accessing 4G services on laptops and PCs is priced at Rs 4,999. In addition, there are monthly usage charges.
K. Srinivas, President-Consumer Business, Bharti Airtel, told Air that the prices will come down as volumes pick up.
Airtel is also planning to launch a mobile phone in the next few weeks that will be compatible to the new 4G network. But the network rollout by operators is being done in clusters and therefore not conducive for full mobility. Once the network gets rolled out to a significant part of the city, mobile handsets will come into play.
Customers can now check the availability of Airtel 4G services in their area online through the familiar Google Maps interface and buy the services online.
Along with a host of payment options, Airtel 4G will also be available on monthly EMIs and cash on delivery. The online purchasing capability will soon be rolled out for customers in Bangalore and Kolkata as well.
Airtel 4G dongle
Airtel Broadband TV service on Airtel 4G dongle allows customers to stream live TV content directly onto their laptop or desktop without the prerequisite of a cable or set-top box connection.
Using Airtel 4G, customers can now enjoy access to close to 76 channels and on-demand videos across various genres including movies, music, entertainment and news. While the price applicable for this pack is Rs 150 and Rs 49 for monthly and weekly subscribers, respectively, Airtel 4G customers can leverage its introductory trial offer and access Airtel Broadband TV free of charge.
Airtel 4G LTE
Airtel 4G LTE will also allow a seamless gaming experience on PCs and laptops. Customers opting for 4G can now leverage Games On-Demand service on Airtel to enjoy video games like FIFA and NFS from a host of publishers including as EA, Ubisoft, Square-Enix, PopCap and Alawar.
Ranging from Rs 5 a day for 30 games, to a full-fledged Rs 199 plan offering over 350 games for a month — as many as seven Games On-Demand plans are now available for customers. Customers can also experience these exciting games on Airtel 4G through a limited period trial offer.
Airtel Movies
Airtel Movies launched earlier in Bangalore now provides the subscriber an updated movie library of 1,250 titles consisting of recent chartbusters, classics, and a lot of critically acclaimed movies across different language and genres (action, comedy, drama, romance, etc). While the monthly subscription pack is Rs.149, the company now has an offer free trial offer for all our 4G customers.
In 2010, Airtel had successfully bid for broadband licence spectrum in Kolkata, Karnataka, Punjab and Maharashtra (excluding Mumbai) circles. Additionally, earlier this year, Bharti Airtel acquired 49 per cent interest in Qualcomm’s broadband licences in Delhi, Mumbai, Haryana and Kerala. The roll-out schedule in other circles is not known.