The third-generation (3G) mobile networks are vying with one another to grab eyeballs everywhere. Private telecom players have already started splashing advertisements and the buzz is set to get bigger in the days to come.
Bangalore and Chennai were among the first south Indian cities to experience the rollout from Airtel last week, and more players and cities are likely to jump on the bandwagon. The state-owned BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited) has been offering 3G network services — both on pre-paid and post-paid plans — for quite a while now; but this has not been as widely advertised.
So is it time to make the shift? Also, does one have what is required for such a change?
For starters, one must have a 3G-compliant handset capable of logging on to the networks via HSPA (high speed packet access) or WCDMA (wideband code division multiple access) protocols. Third-generation mobile networks are capable of delivering speeds up to 7.1 MBps (this is downlinking only; usually the uplinking speeds are lower).
And the first of the 3G tariffs point to a premium service: from one-day validity packs priced at Rs.63 for 65MB to help users get a hang of the service right up to a 30-day validity package that offers 2GB for Rs.750. Flexi-plans for heavy users and the pay-as-you-go plans are also available.
3G compliant handsets
It could be a good time for all those who have been dilly-dallying about whether or not to go in for that smartphone. Already all the leading private operators have listed on their websites — >www.airtel.in , >www.aircel.com and >www.vodafone.in — 3G compliant handsets that can exploit the full potential of the networks.
So what does it mean to have 3G network access via one's mobile phone? How does high data speed, always-on connectivity translate into better usability?
At the outset, 3G networks readily offer better video and audio streaming “on the go”. One can also make video conferencing calls. Besides, one could look forward to infinitely quicker downloads that could turn your mobile phone into a virtual workstation.
But the downside of using these applications is it could drain the phone's battery. Almost all the latest generation smartphones, be it the iPhone or the Android, have a problem when compared to the previous generation phones on the issue of battery use. An always-on connection — with steady data usage — would mean having to recharge your mobile frequently. For a generation that has grown up using mobile phones that require charging once in two days or more, this could be a scenario that one would need to get used to.
One of the more exciting prospects of accessing 3G networks through a mobile phone is the option of creating a “wi-fi hub” on the move. So within one's car, one can create a wi-fi hub to access the Internet via a laptop or a tablet PC. One need not worry about searching for a wi-fi zone anymore.
