BSNL LAUNCHING 3G SERVICES - FIRST!

It seems, BSNL is going to be the first opeartor in India who would launch 3G services in India. With 3G spectrum auction scheduled to be completed by year end only, BSNL might be already be ready with 3G network in place as it does not have to participate in the bidding process. It will get automatically 3G spectrum in all circles.

Here is the news :-
CHENNAI: State-run telecom major BSNL on Saturday announced that it would launch 3G services across the country by the end of this year.

"We will be commencing the operations by the end of December starting from North and Eastern parts of the country and then South and West by March, 2009, so that within six months we will be able to roll out the 3G operations," BSNL Chairman and MD Kuldeep Goyal told reporters here.

"Mostly we will try to cover the state capitals in the first phase and then taking it to major cities and other towns," Goyal said.

On the demand for the services, he said, "The demand will pick up once 3G handsets are affordable. Applications suiting the people especially rural areas should be available in local language. Initially, we don't expect the demand to be very high," he said.

"Initially, we are talking to content providers for developing suitable applications, like video conferencing, video telephony, video streaming. A trial was carried out in Pune recently," Goyal said.

Talking about the company's business, he said BSNL was hoping to increase the revenue by more than 10 per cent as compared to last year.

"We are aiming to record 10 per cent growth next year", he said adding that last year the company recorded a turnover of Rs 38,000 crore.

He also hoped that the revenue would reach USD 45 billion by 2010.

Source : Economic Times