GSM, CDMA mobile operators to share infrastructure
debanjan.m@ibtimes.co.in
Leaving behind their rivalry, the GSM and CDMA based mobile operators have begun sharing infrastructure, a move that would reduce cost and ultimately tariffs for the consumers.
As part of that process, four sites were selected where the infrastructure would be shared - Delhi High Court, Rajokri, Dhansa and Noida (sector 125).
Cellular and CDMA operators like Airtel, Hutch, Idea, MTNL, Reliance, Tata will be sharing the towers at these places.
The operators are sharing the infrastructure under the project mobile operators' shared towers (MOST).
T.V. Ramachandran, director general, Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), said 1800 more cell sites were targeted for sharing by 2007.
Unveiling three locations at which towers are being shared, Minister for IT and Communications, Dayanidhi Maran, said the shared site would enable the operators to roll out their networks into the more populated semi-urban and rural areas besides lowering the cost.
"With India providing the lowest mobile tariffs in the world, we need to look at the possible solutions to improve our cost efficiencies and offer affordable services to consumers. These shared towers are first step towards achieving our aim", Maran said, adding that with this the security issues of the consumers will be addressed easily.
The Minister also asked Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to look into the possibility of a new policy, which would make it mandatory for the operators to share towers.
"The shared infrastructure for mobile will shortly be launched in the rural areas and about 8000-10,000 towers are likely to be set up in such areas", he said.
The mobile subscriber base is estimated to reach 200 million by 2007 and 500 million by 2010, which would require about 1.4 lakh towers by 2007 and 3.5 lakh towers by 2010, Ramachandran said.
- 1 Film premiere of The X Files: I Want to Believe
- 2 UPA Govt. wins trust vote by huge margin, to go ahead with India-US nuclear deal
- 3 Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty launches fitness video
- 4 Miss Universe Dayana Mendoza
- 5 India among top 3 entertainment and media markets: PwC
- 6 Post trust vote victory, India Govt. to move forward with reforms, nuclear deal
- 7 BSE Sensex jumps 838 points as market pins hope on reforms
- 1 Reliance posts 13 percent jump in net profit for Q1 FY09 on high oil prices, volumes
- 2 Tech Mahindra's net profit jumps 52 percent in Q1 FY09, bags $700 million BT deal
- 3 Bharti Airtel's net profit jumps 34 percent in Q1 FY09, total revenues up 44 percent
- 4 Left sees red after trust vote defeat, expels Speaker from party
- 5 India among top 3 entertainment and media markets: PwC
- 6 Ford posts $8.7 billion loss in Q2, pins hope on small cars
- 7 Post trust vote victory, India Govt. to move forward with reforms, nuclear deal
- 1 Reliance posts 13 percent jump in net profit for Q1 FY09 on high oil prices, volumes
- 2 Amazon profit doubles, beats estimates
- 3 Samsung Electronics' 2nd-quarter net profit surges 51 percent
- 4 Tech Mahindra's net profit jumps 52 percent in Q1 FY09, bags $700 million BT deal
- 5 Ford posts $8.7 billion loss in Q2, pins hope on small cars
- 6 Bharti Airtel's net profit jumps 34 percent in Q1 FY09, total revenues up 44 percent
- 7 Apple 3Q profit jumps 31 percent
|
|
