RIL Infotel 4G services not before mid of 2011

Reliance Infotel Limited, which won pan India BWA spectrum in the recently concluded auctions, will launch services only by the middle of next year.

A senior official of the company told Telecom Yatra that, being a green field operator, the company will need that much time to put all the systems in place

He also said that Infotel is talking to all the tower companies to share infrastructure, and added that it will not be feasible for it to roll out towers on its own and that therefore, infrastructure sharing will be the way to go.

On the technology front, he said the company will adopt a technology that is emerging as a global standard, as migrating to the other technology is a very cost intensive preposition.

There are two fourth generation wireless broadband technologies – WiMax and TD-LTE. Of the two, WiMax is said to be in a greater state of readiness for rollout, while TD-LTE's advantage is that it is backward compliant.

Mukesh Ambani controlled Reliance Industries bought 95 per cent stake in Infotel soon after it won pan India 4G spectrum.

Being the only pan India spectrum owner, Infotel's decision regarding the technology is very crucial in deciding the fate of LTE and WiMax technologies in the country, and will have a big impact elsewhere as well.

Aviat Networks Selects Aptilo to Enable BSNL WiMAX Deployments in India

Aptilo Networks, the global leader in integrated solutions for control of billing, user services and access in wireless networks including WiMAX(TM) and Wi-Fi, and Aviat Networks, Inc, a leading wireless expert in advanced IP network migration, announced today that Aviat Networks has selected Aptilo's award-winning WiMAX solutions to enable their installation with Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL), India's National telecom backbone and state-owned telecom operator.

This is the first announced project in a strategic partnership between Aviat Networks and Aptilo. Aviat Networks has selected Aptilo as the preferred WiMAX AAA and service control vendor for its BSNL WiMAX deployments.

Aviat Network's deployment with BSNL is the first commercial, urban mobile WiMAX 16e network in India, starting in the state of Kerala with a population of more than 35 million people in an area of 38,000 square kilometers. This mobile WiMAX rollout by BSNL will represent one of the largest deployments of this technology in the world and is expected to provide wireless broadband connectivity with speeds up to 7 Mbps.

Aviat Networks is using the Aptilo WiMAX AAA+ Server(TM) together with the new Aptilo WiMAX Connector(TM) functionality, a plug-and-play solution that allows operators to deploy WiMAX while utilizing existing broadband OSS/BSS infrastructure that does not natively handle WiMAX.

The Aptilo WiMAX Connector dynamically maps the subscriber services described in the existing OSS/BSS into WiMAX 16e service flows required by the ASN gateway. It also allows BSNL to use their existing subscriber sign-up, provisioning, billing and other processes with the new WiMAX service, minimizing capital/operating expenses on new processes, training staff, and maintaining and operating new OSS/BSS equipment.

"Aptilo's solution helped us preserve BSNL's previous infrastructure investments by seamlessly integrating with our Wireless Services Gateway (WSG) and WiMAX CSN elements, thereby allowing us to roll out a full mobile WiMAX solution quickly and efficiently," said Raj Kumar, Vice President, Asia-Pac Sales and Service, Aviat Networks. "From our experience, Aptilo's innovative solutions help operators build business in today's changing telecommunications landscape."

Fast Time-to-Market, Time-to-Revenue The Aptilo WiMAX Connector provides operators with a simplified installation, for fast time-to-market and time-to-revenue. For BSNL, the WiMAX network in Kerala was the last installed yet the first to launch commercially -- this is due to the flexibility in the Aptilo WiMAX AAA+ Server and the WiMAX Connector's less intrusive integration with 3rd party vendors.

Additionally, BSNL can now use the same solution from Aviat Networks and Aptilo to expand to new WiMAX markets.

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WiMax to be commercially launched in four months in India

WiMax forum has announced that it has been able to convince all the service providers for WiMax trials. The first commercial launch has been scheduled to take place around Diwali. WiMax Forum earlier announced trials are been carried by all spectrum winners except one.

CS Rao, chairman, WiMax Forum, India, said, “We have touched base with all the operators and all the operators understand that WiMax is the only technology that is ready for being deployed, and that our competition is at least one year away from deployment stage. Even operator, which was quoted by media as supporting the rival technology (read Mukesh Ambani-owned Infotel broadband,) is going for a trial of WiMax and we are very optimistic of a win there”.

He said that WiMax answers all the questions from operators, as it is a mature technology, with a mature ecosystem which can deliver equipment right now, and has a clear development path.

There have been reports of Infotel, the only pan India winner of broadband wireless access spectrum is opting for TD LTE, however, after yesterday’s press conference of the Wimax Forum, it seems that the company has not yet made up its mind.

If Infotel opts for WiMax, it will be a big gain for the WiMax lobby, as Infotel is the only pan India player, other winners are expected to follow its footsteps or else risk being trapped in technological islands.

Hinting at the first commercial launch of WiMax in India, Santhanam Gopalkrishnan, head, India operations, Alvarion, said, “Expect a Diwali dhamaka this year”. He said that all the operators are either deploying, or at least testing WiMax without any exception”. Alvarion is a global provider of 4G and WiMax solution..

Sachin Pilot launches WiMax services in Mizoram

Union Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology Sachin Pilot, on Thursday launched EVDO technology based wireless broadband services in Mizoram and also announced the introduction of WiMax based broadband services in the state.

He said that more advanced wireless technologies will be provided in the landslide prone state to prevent disruption of communication.

The minister said that BSNL has provided mobile phones to 91,000 people in the state and another 45,000 will have access within a year. He added that the government will spend Rs 34 crore to improve communication services in the state.

All villages in the state are to be covered with wireless communication by June 2011 and broadband services by the end of 2011, Pilot further said.