BSNL Chennai Telephones recorded a first of sorts for South India yesterday with the commercial launch of 3G mobile services. Touted to be the next generation in mobile technology, 3G services will enable you to access Internet on the move with a speed of upto 3.6 Mbps and allow you to do video calling, watch mobile TV and other media rich applications.
In a press conference, Mr A. Subramanian, Chief General Manager, Chennai Telephones told “In about two months, we expect to add another 250 Node B stations to the existing network of about 300 units to provide seamless 3G connectivity across Chennai and adjoining districts”.
Various Demos like Streaming a Youtube without buffering, watching live television on the device effortlessly and a remote video monitoring feature, where video footage from a camera plugged to a broadband facility in South Korea streamed effortlessly on a 3G-supported mobile handset, were done at the event which showcased the true potential of 3G technology.
In this scheme, all the local voice calls and video calls are going to cost 30 paise/min and all the STD video calls will be 50 paise/min. Data usage charges are currently planned at 1 ps/10 kb but there is a possibility that the rates may decrease in due time. With its first year introductory offer of tariffs comparatively much lower than 2G call charges, Chennai Telephones hopes to gain 1.5 lakh users over the next couple of months.
BSNL officials added that the mobile TV application offered under a tie-up with a content provider currently showcases 24 channels and would be increased with user demand. Chennai Telephones have also tweaked its 3G infrastructure to enable 2G users who migrate to a 3G connection to retain the same existing number with no migration charges. But, there are no plans to bundle 3G handsets in the introductory offer. The 3G data cards which offer high speed Mobile Internet access for computer users on the move were also launched in this event.