The Hindu Business Line : Nortel in talks with Indian telcos for 4G

Sydney, July 3 Even as the entire Indian telecom industry is waiting for the final policy for launching third generation mobile services, Canada-based technology firm Nortel is in talks with operators to leap from directly from the existing cellular services to deploy fourth generation technology.

Nortel, which had earlier sold off its third generation business unit, is gearing up make available its first trials of its Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology in India by the end of the year.

LTE is a fourth generation technology which will enable consumers to access high speed wireless Internet at three times the current 3G standards enabling services such as streaming video, social networking and mobile TV. LTE is also more efficient in terms of spectrum usage and is supported by other equipment vendors including Ericsson and Nokia Siemens. However unlike Ericsson and Nokia Siemens, Nortel is betting on a direct entry into 4G.

‘3G has no future’

Mr Anthony McLachlan, Vice-President, Carrier Networks Asia, told Business Line on the sidelines of Nortel Asia Summit, “leapfrogging from 2G to 4G is reality. I believe that 3G has no future. Competition also knows this, but is not pushing for 4G because they have made investments in to 3G.”

Operators in Japan and USA have started pilots using LTE to offer high speed data and voice services on mobile handsets. Nortel has partnered with Korean major LG to develop 4G-enabled handsets at competitive price. “Nortel is moving forward aggressively on LTE in order to bring to market a solution capable of supporting high demand applications such as video and interactive services that will have an impact on operators’ bottom lines and revolutionise the user experience,” said Mr McLachlan.

In talks with new players

Speaking at the event, sponsored by Nortel, Mr Malur Narayan, Vice-President & GM, Wireless, Asia said that the company was looking to bag contracts in the wireless segment with the new strategy. “We are talking to some of the operators, which have received their licences recently, to deploy 4G. Nortel wants to get a significant market share of the fastest growing mobile market in the world. We are also talking to the new players for setting up their greenfield 2G network for voice services.”

Market watchers said that the entry of LTE technology by the end of the year will benefit companies who may lose out on a 3G licence, which is expected to be auctioned by the Indian government shortly. India has only enough spectrum to accommodate three to four 3G mobile operators even as there are about 10 operators in most Circles.

LTE will also give the operators a chance to actually boost wireless broadband uptake in the country as they are looking to deploy 3G technologies essentially to enhance their voice network capabilities. “3G has not delivered on its promises and continues to be used by the operators globally for voice calls essentially. LTE is best suited for both voice and data services and we are making sure that it does not lose out on its promise,” said Mr Narayan.

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