Tuesday, January 14, 2003

Well, Reliance Industries of India today launches its CDMA2000 1x telephone service throughout India. This is licenced to be a wireless local loop (WLL) service, to compete with fixed line telephones, and it is priced on that basis. (It will be cheaper than any other phone system in India, whether wired or wireless). However, to offer this Reliance have built a mobile network based on a 3G technology, and one of the most sophisticated networks in the world. There are one or two regulatory issues about how it can be used, but the basic issue is that India now has world class wireless infrastructure, and it isn't priced at a premium over existing services. (It also doesn't have a business model based on pie in the sky applications but instead one based on providing service to a country with inadequate existing infrastructure but a growing middle class). My guess is that takeup rates on this network will be phenomenal.

No comments:

Blog Archive