Telecom Lead India: Aircel is gearing up to launch 4G
services between October and December. The launch is expected to revive the
otherwise gloomy telecom market.
Aircel, which is looking for a strategic partnership with
companies such as MTS India, will invest $500 million to launch TD-LTE services
in Chennai.
Aircel has BWA spectrum in 8 circles.
TD-LTE subscribers to reach 5 million by 2013 in Indian telecom
market
Aircel, according to a report in Business Standard, is
expected to start rolling out 4G services from Chennai and other cities of
Tamil Nadu.
Bharti Airtel leads 4G space
Airtel, India’s number one operator, currently leads 4G
market with operations in Kolkata and Bangalore.
Aircel will compete with Airtel.
The Mukesh Ambani-promoted Reliance Industries’ telecom
venture is expected to launch LTE services in Mumbai and Delhi in the next 12
months.
At present, Bharti has BWA license in four – Kolkata, Karnataka, Punjab and
Maharashtra. The company recently launched commercial 4G networks in Kolkata
and Bangalore cities.
Our focus is on creating a big data business. We’ll
award contracts for 4G equipment soon and launch between October and December.
We are putting in $500 million. We’ll be an integrated provider of 4G
services,” said Sandip Das, CEO of Malaysian telco Maxis.
Das says Aircel will provide mobile 4G services through
dongles and devices. It will also offer broadband Internet, broadcasting, video
on demand, education and health care services, among others.
Airtel is aggressive in 4G market. It will buy 49 percent
stake in Qualcomm’s 4G LTE venture in India for $165 million. Airtel will
buy 26 percent stake held by two Indian partners in the Qualcomm venture and
the remaining by subscribing to fresh equity. The chip major Qualcomm had
spent nearly $1 billion to buy 4G radio airwaves in 2010. The mobile operator
will take full control of the BWA entities by 2014.
editor@telecomlead.com
