Sibal expects 4G launch in 2012
05 Nov 2011
Following the launch of third-generation (3G) telecom services, more advanced 4G services are in the pipeline for Indian consumers in the second half of next year, according to telecom minister Kapil Sibal.
He said there was huge capacity in spectrum to move forward in 4G which would hopefully be launched towards end of next year, Sibal said at an event in New Delhi yesterday.
With 4G technology, the peak data transfer speed obtained on the internet is 100 Mb per second, on a device moving at a high speed of 100 kilometres (high mobility) per hour and 1 Gb per second for low mobility.
What this means is a person can theoretically download at least an hour's length of normal video within a minute while moving at a speed close to 100 kilometres per hour.
The minister, however, expressed concern over the content provided by telecom players being only for the elite classes and cited the example of 3G services which did not address issues of ordinary people.
He said though the fact 3G was getting launched was welcome but 3G today was being used for 2G. He added the market was not deep enough to ensure that ordinary people could access 3G at affordable price.
