Archives by Tag '4g-india'
What is the State of 3G Data 2 Years after Launch in India ?
As we bid adieu to 2012, it’s almost 2 years that 3g started rolling out in India. Despite significant price correction of nearly 70%, 3G Data rates yet hover above at an average 2.5 times of 2G GPRS Data packages. This indicates that there is room for further price cuts in 3G services. The key differentiating factor between 2G and 3G is speed implying consumer’s data usage is not depended on 3G technology. While high bandwidth data usage is inconvenient on 2G, 2.5x rates differentials between 2G and 3G are too high to capture data users on 3G and monetise high asset creation in 3G.
Globally 3G penetration has been led by low price arbitration between 2G and 3G. Until data prices are aligned for both technologies, operators will find it difficult to expand 3G services at a mass level. Indian Telecom operators on the contrary are signalling increase in 2G rates to align it with 3G rates. We believe the low data penetration rates will force companies to keep data rates low for a long period to enhance subscriber base.
Coverage of 3G in India vs 2G
As evident from the Chart above, with nearly 2 years from commencement of 3G operations, telecom operators have about 16%-17% of network coverage vs 2G network, which implies that there is vast unutilized network Read the rest of this entry »
SmartPhones / Handset eco-system Development for TD-LTE / 4G
It is not just Telecom Operators who are investing in developing the LTE Networks but Network Gear Manufacturers and SmartPhone Vendors as well. One major hurdle currently for the TD-LTE ecosystem is availability of SmartPhones / Handsets. At the end of July 2012, there were more than 417 LTE devices (including smartphones, data cards, MiFi, etc ) commercially available on the market, but just 15% of those devices supported TD-LTE functions. OEMs have put higher priority on FDD-LTE handset development due to limited availability of the TD-LTE commercial network around the world.
However, developments in the last few months are encouraging. China Mobile when deployed will be the largest LTE Network in the world, announced its minimum requirements for TD-LTE handset chipsets and disclosed that there are ten chipset vendors participating in the development of TD-LTE chipsets now. Among those ten vendors, Huawei’s Balong 710 and Qualcomm’s MSM8960 have already satisfied China Mobile’s minimum chipset requirements, including the support of five standards (TD-LTE, FDD-LTE, GSM, TD-SCDMA and WCDMA) and 10 frequency Read the rest of this entry »
Airtel 4G LTE Signals Live in Chandigarh, Panchkula, Mohali + Location of 4G Towers – Coverage
Airtel, India’s first 4G LTE Wireless Broadband Service provider has expanded its services into the Tri-Cities of Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali which fall under the Punjab Circle. Airtel had won the BWA 4G LTE Spectrum in an auction for Punjab Circle in 2010. Airtel 4G launch in Delhi and Mumbai is also imminent as it acquired 51% stake in Qualcomm’s Indian subsidiary which had 4G BWA License in these two circles.
We have been told from an extremely reliable source that 4G LTE Services are deployed and are under advanced stages of testing before the official roll-out. The source has also provided to us 15 Tower Locations that are 4G LTE enabled by Airtel Network in the Tri-city area and are as follows,
Partial Airtel 4G LTE Tower Locations in Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali Read the rest of this entry »
Pure Play LTE BWA Player – Reliance at a Dis-Advantage of 2.3GHz Spectrum – Needs More
Telecom Analysts data suggests that 2.3 GHz band are poor and somewhere in the range of 300m. This raises questions over the quality of coverage for LTE players, particularly those having spectrum only in the 2.3 GHz band and across India. The poor coverage characteristics of the spectrum suggest that pure play 4G player may need to add more spectrum in due course, particularly for coverage.
Reliance Infotel’s 4G BWA LTE rollout faces ecosystem challenges as well. India has traditionally been a late adopter of technology, as it has less purchasing power than other countries. With voice taking seven years to achieve mass penetration and 3G failing to achieve critical mass 5 Quarters after launch, we believe the market is not Economicallyy ready for 4G LTE Broadband in India.
700MHz [Lower Band Spectrum] and 2.3GHz for Wireless Broadband – Poor coverage of 2.3Ghz frequency band suggests that operators need to combine this spectrum with some low MHz spectrum to create a sustainable data business. We believe over time FD-LTE, which is deployed in the 700 MHz frequency band, will be deployed for coverage and and capacity via the 2.3 GHz band.
What are the Options for Pure LTE 4G BWA Players like Reliance / Tikona ? Read the rest of this entry »
700 MHz – 4G / LTE Spectrum Auction Unlikely to Fetch as Much as 3G
The Indian Telecommunications Minister stated that three of the four issues holding back the 4G 700 MHz auctions have been resolved. The minster thinks that this band may raise more revenues than the 3G auction.
However, we differ from this opinion because getting a 4G license is not a necessity for incumbent Telecom Operators (operators risked losing their 2G revenues if they did not get 3G license leading to an overbidding in 3G auctions). Also post 3G auctions operators are highly geared thus reducing their ability to bid aggressively. We also remain unsure if the targeted auction will occur this year as the spectrum is yet to be vacated.
The 700 MHz ecosystem (particularly on handset front) yet to fully develop, the potential for this technology to be a “mass market” technology in an emerging market like India is relatively low and would likely serve the niche high-end market. Hence, operators are unlikely to aggressively bid.
With spectrum being delinked from license and spectrum expected to come for renewal every 10 years (or 20 years), the interest from operators to aggressively bid will be very low.
The Possibility of a new operator bidding for 4G is low. Since the margins of a data-only operator are low and competing with established operators when tariffs are relatively low makes this business proposition less viable.
Better Business Case for FD-LTE Than TD-LTE:
- 700 MHz spectrum is more efficient spectrum than 2.3 GHz (existing TD-LTE band) and thus would require lower capex / opex to cover a similar footprint.
Bharti Airtel 4G – TD-LTE in Mahrashtra on Nokia Siemens + Mobile Data Trafffic to Explode
While Reliance Infotel Broadband keeps talking about 4G / LTE Wireless Broadband Access, Bharti Airtel today announced that it has finalized the deal with Nokia Siemens Networks for Managing its 4G Mobile Broadband LTE Network in the state of Maharashtra where Airtel has BWA Spectrum for LTE Services.
Sanjay Kapoor of Airtel said,
In the next five years, data will be the main thrust in India, riding on the waves of 3G or 4G technologies. As per industry estimates, mobile data traffic in the country will increase nearly 100-fold by 2015 and consumers will stream nearly 600 hours of video content – every second, thus paving way for the ensuing data revolution! LTE provides ultra high speed data access, in conjunction with 3G, this will lead the data revolution and drive fundamental changes in individual lifestyles, businesses and the society at large. We look forward to the advent of 4G technology which will be launched in India at the same time, as the rest of the world.
Sanjya Kapoor’s Prediction is more optimistic than Read the rest of this entry »
Will Reliance Communications Migrate from EVDO to FDD LTE for Wireless Internet ?
For operators like Reliance Communications that have CDMA spectrum, the advent of 4G will not pose a serious threat as the natural path for technological development is from CDMA to EVDO and subsequently to FDD LTE. [Read the difference between TD LTE Broadband Vs FDD LTE Broadband]
While TD LTE is currently the technology deployed in China, in rest of the world, the movement to FDD LTE would be more rapid. For operators like RCOM with existing infrastructure, the cost of deployment of LTE will be significantly lower than any new entrant planning to launch LTE services. One constraint, however, is the availability of bandwidth; existing BWA players have spectrum of 20 MHz and will be better placed to Read the rest of this entry »
How 3G / 4G LTE Can be Interecpeted by Law Enforcement Agencies ?
It is of utmost importance that any Government Prevent crime and terror. At the same time to satisfy legal procedures they should by gather admissible evidence and prosecute suspects. In the context of this, let us see how High Speed Networks provide the opportunity for Law Enforcement agencies to intercept messages and data.
Often Law Enfrocement Agencies such as the CBI and IB are interested in complete Access to the communication of the monitored target. By Complete Communication we mean Voice + Data + Video. They also want to Receive the intercepted information in a Variety of formats Real Time Voice & Video . Data Content must be in Readable format. Session Related Information in .txt / .xml / .xls format and all this should be done with utmost care and FULL confidentiality.
Interception can be Done in two ways – Active or Passive. Read the rest of this entry »
