Bharti Airtel to launch 3G by year-end
By IANSMonday, October 25, 2010
NEW DELHI - Telecom giant Bharti Airtel Monday said it will launch by the end of 2010 its third generation (3G) services in all the 13 circles the operator has won in the spectrum.
The telco also said that it is in advanced discussions with other operators to offer 3G services to its customers across the country.
“This will not only ensure seamless roaming, but also offer 3G broadband to its entire customer base in India,” the company said in a statement.
Bharti will be deploying high speed packet access (HSPA) networks provided by Ericsson, Nokia Siemens Network and Huawei.
Airtel successfully bid for 3G spectrum in 13 telecom circles across India. These circles also constitute 68 percent of Airtel’s revenue market share.
This includes key metros such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad, which account for 21 percent of all data traffic in the country and are expected to have the strongest uptake of 3G services.
“The 3G services will mark the beginning of the next phase of India’s telecom growth story and elevate India’s telecom sector at par with most advanced telecom markets in the world,” said Sanjay Kapoor, CEO (India and South Asia) of Bharti Airtel.
“In addition, 3G services will have a strong multiplier effect on economic growth and bring in enhanced efficiencies,” he added.
