Has India missed 3G bus while preparing for 4G?

Not too long ago Union minister for communications and IT Dayanidhi Maran said: “India aims to leapfrog to fourth-generation (4G) wireless technology, skipping 3G technology as it has not been found cost-effective.”

This was around the time when the famous debate between Ratan Tata and Sunil Mittal hit the headlines about whether the government ought to put a price on 3G radio spectrum! The DoT still hasn’t managed to come out with the answers or pricing of 3G mobile broadband services.

So, was the Union telecom minister right? Has India really missed the 3G bus? The Trai certainly doesn’t think so. Given the strong case it has built for a 3G mobile broadband services rollout. But truth is, there’s been scarcely any headway on the ground.

Blame it on the thorny issues of scarce 3G spectrum — both availability and pricing — which remain unresolved. Accordingly, though all self-respecting telcos from Bharti to Tata Tele to Reliance Communication to Hutch Essar are keen to get cracking on the 3G front, policy glitches have held up its much fancied arrival in India.

So it’s time to look ahead, beyond 3G. Perhaps, it wasn’t pure coincidence that Motorola CTO Padmasree Warrior had suggested back in June 2006 that in a scenario where the world had moved to 3G, it would make more sense for India to leapfrog to 4G and wireless broadband technologies. “These are around 1.5 times more cost effective than the current Indian standard,” she had said.

Analysts tend to agree, especially with 3G proving a non-starter. They believe 3G will turn out to be a technology in the interim while India prepares for 4G — the killer app. But that said, it ought to be stressed that 4G worldwide remains in its infancy; definitely so in India.

But there’s some serious action on the 4G realm that India’s telecom policy makers are doubtless tracking. For instance, Japan’s NTT DoCoMo’s been reportedly conducting field trials of a 4G communications system prototype at 100 Mbps while moving, and 1 Gbbps while stationary.

NTT DoCoMo recently reached 5 Gbps while moving at 10 kmph and is planning to release its first commercial network as early as 2010. Sprint plans to launch 4G services in trial markets by the end of 2007 with plans to deploy a network that reaches as many as 100 million people in 2008.

For lay readers, 3G is the equivalent to broadband internet on your cell phone. It’s an easy way to get entertainment, including movies, news and information at speeds of up to seven times the dial-up lines, without the need for tricky technology or complex computers.

Techies believe 3G is the ability to transfer both voice signals and non-voice data, including downloading information from the internet, email, and instant messaging, as well as video telephony — the ability to watch movies on your cell phone/wireless equipment.

Fourth Generation networks or 4G is supposed to be the next big thing in digital wireless communications. It is being designed as a full IP-based integrated system made up of a number of diverse sub-systems and network of networks.

Typically, 4G will offer applications like wireless broadband access, MMS, video chat, mobile TV, high definition TV content and digital video broadcasting. Voice and date anytime and anywhere will be child’s play under 4G.

4G technology will offer downloads and upload speeds of 100 mbps while one is on the move and 1Gbps when indoor, anywhere in the world. It’s supposed to be a high-quality service that promises zero hiccups while you are connected. Time will tell how smooth it actually is.

If that wasn’t enough, 4G wireless technologies will also offer increased security for all kinds of services anytime, anywhere, at affordable cost. This happens through the convergence of disparate wired networks and devices.

Technologists suggests 4G will also allow 3D virtual reality and interactive video/ hologram images. Globally, technologists and businessmen are still debating the pros and the cons of commercial as well as the technological aspects of 4G.