The Hindu : Business : Bharti ready for 3G launch

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 18, 2007
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Business

Bharti ready for 3G launch

N. Anand

The big issue before the Government is how to allot the spectrum

It will empower everyone in rural areas
Will launch the services in Sri Lanka soon

CHENNAI: Bharti is in advanced stages to launch 3G services, the advanced wireless technology in the context of mobile phone standards, to propel the broadband growth.

Talking to The Hindu here on Tuesday, Bharti Enterprises founder, Chairman and CEO, Sunil Bharti Mittal, said “It is definitely affordable by those in rural areas. The launch of new handsets would empower everyone in the rural areas to use broadband on the go. Hopefully, it is a strap-on service to 2G. There wouldn’t be mad rush for bidding.

The Government should see it as a tool for economic development rather than for making money. The services cost should be kept low and cheap.”

Mr. Mittal said the company was ready to launch the services, when the Indian Government was ready for it. Bharti had already tested its networks.

The big issue before the Government was how to allot spectrum and how much of it had to be given to each service provider.

“We are the only Indian company to offer 3G network services in Seychelles and Jersey,” Mr. Mittal said, adding that the company would be launching the services in Sri Lanka soon. “We have the experience and what needs to be done is to bring equipment and kick-start the services. It can provide video clips, video streaming, voice and data. However, there is no big demand for it in India. But it will pick-up once the product is launched.”

Stating that the proposed 3G services would be different from that of the western world, Mr. Mittal said, “Government should not look at it as sexy urban services. On the other hand, it is the only way to provide broadband services to the rural areas. GSM is a narrow band and we can’t provide high-speed broadband through GSM. 3G is like DSL speed on broadband.”

On Bharti Infratel, he said the idea was to make it as one of the leading tower companies of India. Recently, the Bharti group had approved the transfer of 40,000 towers for mobile communications and related passive infrastructure to Bharti Infratel to enhance its operational efficiencies. “Instead of everyone putting up towers, let us make use of the common physical infrastructure.”

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