Mobile telecommunication services provider Airtel on Thursday announced the launch of what it called, ‘Platinum 3G’ network for customers in Hyderabad, an endeavour aimed at boosting indoor coverage, enhancing clarity and offering higher internet speeds.
Platinum 3G is an initiative powered by a dual band spectrum of 900 Mhz and 2,100 Mhz that does not need any additional subscription to access, but is part of the network enhancement of the telecom providers existing 3G network. “Simply put, it means having another layer of communication that makes way for lesser congestion and better experience,” said Bharti Airtel’s CEO for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Venkatesh Vijayraghavan.
Asked about the service provider’s focus on 3G now, almost a year after it launched 4G services with much fanfare, he said it was not as if they were laying emphasis on a particular communication mode. Airtel 4G services were already available in over 40 towns in AP and Telangana, while 3G is present in 2,500 locations across the two States, he explained.
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“Whether it is 2G, 3G or 4G, they all use the same data highway. Ultimately, it is the handset that a customer uses and the width of the spectrum and its load-taking efficacy, that matters,” he said. The initiative is a part of the company’s Project Leap, a national network transformation drive that was taken up last year, entailing investment of Rs. 60,000 crore over a period of three years.
Industry experts admit that while adoption of 4G was on the rise, with an estimated 20 per cent of industry handsets on 4G, the lack of what is considered an attractively wide choice and range of smartphones was possibly restricting the growth. When asked about it, he went on to refer to the scenario pertaining to 3G and how people slowly started having the 3G experience when it was introduced, with the initial lot of smartphones.
Similarly, Mr. Vijayraghavan pointed out that it would take some time for 4G adoption rate to pick up
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It is aimed at boosting indoor coverage and offering higher internet speeds