The Hindu : WLL phone connections in city from Monday

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Apr 03, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala-Thiruvananthapuram

WLL phone connections in city from Monday

By C. Maya

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM APRIL 2. The urban Wireless in Local Loop (WLL) mobile phone connections introduced by the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), touted to be the best bet for those requiring mobility only within the Corporation area, would become functional in the city on April 7.

Code-named `Tarang', the WLL phone connections using the Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) technology, offers limited mobility to subscribers within the city. WLL is a substitute for wired connections (land phone) and the CDMA technology can offer both WLL-fixed connections and mobile connections.

Of the 10,000 WLL lines planned in the city, 7,500 will be mobile connections and 2,500, fixed connections. BSNL will start distributing the handsets for WLL mobile connections from Monday onwards.

So far, 46 subscribers have made bookings for WLL mobile connection. Sleek CDMA handsets worth Rs. 10,000, weighing approximately 100 gm, standard battery and charger are being given to subscribers on payment of a refundable security deposit of Rs. 5,000.

According to sources, BSNL is not going in for aggressive marketing of WLL connections now, as the number of handsets available with it is limited. However, handsets for the first 1,000 WLL subscribers are ready for distribution now.

A registration charge of Rs. 500 has to be paid for WLL connection. But this fee is being waived for the first 1,000 subscribers. Subscribers who have their own CDMA handsets can get a WLL connection without paying the security deposit.

A WLL mobile connection would be a cheaper option for a subscriber whose movements are only within the city limits. Apart from a low rental charge of Rs. 200 per month, all incoming calls will be free and outgoing calls will be billed at the same rate as that of a BSNL land connection, Rs. 1-20 per unit. However, there will be no free calls. Fault-free connection is another big advantage.

BSNL has set up five towers or Base Trans-receive Stations (BTS) equipped with CDMA technology in the city at Poojappura, Kaithamukku, Central Telegraph Office (Statue), Kaimanam and Pongumoodu. At present, some areas in the city - Plamoodu, Kannammoola and some parts of Kesavadasapuram - do not get WLL coverage.

However, with a tower at Vattiyoorkavu ready to be commissioned and two more base stations proposed at Medical College and Paruthippara, WLL coverage could be extended to almost all of the city and even some suburban areas, the Deputy General Manager (Urban), BSNL, S. Jyothisankar, said.

WLL fixed connections will be offered in areas where cable pairs are not available. While the coverage of WLL mobile is about 2.5 to 4 km from the base station, the fixed connection will have a range of about 25 to 40 km. The fixed connection is also 10 dB more powerful than the mobile connection as it is fitted with a `patch panel antenna'. However, BSNL is not planning to launch WLL fixed connection now.

BSNL officials brush aside apprehensions that people may be tempted to surrender their land phones to acquire the cheaper WLL mobile connection. "The indoor coverage of `Tarang' is limited and geographical peculiarities can affect the range. The speech quality is definitely better on a CDMA handset, but it may not be as good as a fixed phone,'' a BSNL official said.

Meanwhile, BSNL has about 1,500 subscribers of rural WLL (fixed), with base stations at Varkala, Attingal, Nedumangad, Neyyattinkara and Vizhinjam. At present, an urban WLL mobile subscriber cannot switch over to rural WLL exchange once he enters the suburbs. But gradually, WLL mobile would be extended to cover the entire district, BSNL officials said.

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