Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) is set to roll out its Third Generation or 3G services in Pathanamthitta from January 29, C. Sasidharan, BSNL General Manager, has said.
At a press meet here on Wednesday, he said Anto Antony, MP, would formally launch the 3G services in the district at a function to be held on the Telephone Bhavan premises on Friday afternoon. K. Sivadasan Nair, MLA, will preside over the function.
A. Santhakumari, district panchayat president, S. Lalithambika, District Collector, Zakeer Hussein, municipal chairman, Anitha Beegum, municipal councillor, Vettoor Jyotiprasad, Telecom Advisory Committee member and Saju George, BSNL deputy general manager, will also address the function.
Mr. Sasidharan said a BSNL Mela will also be held at the Telephone Bhavan from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday as part of the 3G launching ceremony.
3G spectrum
According to him, 3G spectrum enhances services such as multimedia, high speed mobile broadband, internet access with the ability to view video footage on the mobile handset. A 3G user can make video calls, watch live TV, access the high speed internet and receive e-mails through 3G compatible handsets, he adds. Mr. Sasidharan said BSNL provides upgrade to the existing BSNL numbers to 3G without losing the existing number.
The user requires a 3G handset and subscription for 3G services to use mobile broadband on the handset. If he wants to connect laptop to 3G network, he has to connect the 3G handset to the computer through data cable, infrared or blue tooth. He may also buy a 3G data card and use the same with his computer to access high speed 3G network.
Mr. Sasidharan said 3G mobile broadband can be accessed through a 3G-supported handset, with out plugging a USB modem or data card into the laptop. For making video calls through 3G spectrum, both the caller and receiver should be 3G mobile customers having a suitable handset, he said.
Mr. Sasidharan said the BSNL 3G facility would be available only in the frequency limits of the Base Transmission Stations in Pathanamthitta town, Kumbazha, Varyapuram, Mallasserry, Omalloor, Konni, Vettippuram, Mylapra, Elakolloor, Makkankunnu, Pathanamthitta Collectorate, Pathanamthitta Telecom Quarters, Kannankara, and Nannuvakkad. The facility will be extended to various other parts of the district in a phased manner, he said.
Broadband Mela
Mr Sasidharan said a Broadband Mela would be held at the BSNL Bhavan in Thiruvalla to sort out problems faced by the customers in the district on February 6.
He said BSNL had also provided the Evolution Data Optimised (EVDO) facility in the limits of its exchanges at Thiruvalla, Pathanamthitta, Kumbanad, Adoor, Ranni, and Kozhencherry.
In Kollam
Staff Reporter writes from Kollam:
Labour Minister P.K. Gurudasan will launch BSNL 3G mobile services in Kollam on January 28. N. Kollam MP Peethambara Kurup will preside over the function.
Kollam Telecom general manager S.M. Kalavathi said Mayor N. Padmalochanan would make the first sale of the 3G SIM card to gold merchant Rajiv Paul at the launching function. Ms. Kalavathi said 32 mobile towers in Kollam Telecom area would be covered by the 3G services. The rest of the towers will be covered in February.
The services available through 3G are fast mobile-internet, live TV, video calls and games, movie and song downloads as well as news updates. As of now, only public sector companies like BSNL and MTNL offer 3G services, she said.
