What can you do with 3G services In India?

With 3G, the next-gen mobile service launched in Delhi, your handset becomes an all-purpose device. Here’s what all you can do and what it offers.

* Browse Internet and send, receive large emails including graphics. 3G also enables faster movie downloads.

* Make video calls and videoconference (possible on 3G to 3G calls).

* Get streaming TV on phone screen with pause, record features. MTNL’s IPTV network currently offers 4 channels, will expand to 10 channels in 10 days and 40 in 2-3 weeks.

* Remote access footage from CCTV (could also help police and in traffic management).

* Play interactive games on Net sites, access bank accounts and shop online.

* Get high-speed Web navigation, maps.

* 3G services give mobile users high-quality voice transmission and access to high-end data applications on their mobile phones.

2G vs 3G
3G represents the next step in the evolution of mobile telephony, offering markedly greater capacity and efficiency than the current 2G systems.

While 2G is focused on voice, 3G supports high-speed data of at least 144 kbps enabling broadband Internet access on the mobile, and "triple play" features like mobile TV and converged communication services.

Similarly, 3G will allow operators to enhance their capacities for voice traffic as well. Currently, key operators are facing severe 2G spectrum crunch in top 20-30 cities which is hampering their future growth. As the government has indicated that it has limited spectrum left for 2G services.

Also, while 3G is good for data services, it is also three times more efficient than current technologies in packing in subscribers.

Top speed
* 2G -- 10kb/sec

* 3G -- 2mb/sec

Time taken to download a 3-min MP3 song
* 2G -- 31 to 40 minutes

* 3G -- 11 secs to 1.5 min

How much will it cost?
MTNL will release tariff plan after a month. It’s only servicing corporate clients at the moment and will rely on their feedback before commercial launch.

Source: Times of India

3G auction in India on January 09

A one-time fee would be levied on GSM operators holding 2G frequencies beyond 6.2 MHz The Government of India decided on Tuesday to hold the auction of the spectrum for third generation (3G) mobile phone services in January 2009, as scheduled.

The decision was taken at a meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh held with Finance Minister P. Chidambaram and Communications and Information Technology Minister A. Raja in New Delhi.

In the closed-door meeting, it was also decided to increase spectrum user charges for all existing telecom operators, both using CDMA and GSM technologies. A one-time fee would be levied on GSM operators who hold second generation (2G) radio frequencies beyond the 6.2 MHz mark.
Vodafone had recently written to the government seeking a delay in auctions to early 2009, whereas Bharti Airtel wanted the 3G auctions to be held in time.

Earlier the government had told that the auction would be held by December 31, 2008. The revenue from the AGR (Adjusted Gross Revenue) route would go up. The meeting decided to hike the AGR by one per cent for those operators who hold up to 8 MHz frequency. For those with more than 8 MHz, the AGR has been hiked by two per cent.

The meeting also discussed the issue of offloading of stocks by Swan and Unitech.