BSNL takes EVDO lead in India, EVDO wireless net access soon

Pathetic wireless internet connection speeds in India could change. EVDO wireless technology is on way, which can deliver data to your wireless device – be it a mobile, PDA or laptop – at a superfast speed of up to 3 mbps.

What is EVDO?

EVDO is a wireless data delivery service, abbreviated for Evolution Data Optimised. The EVDO technology was developed on the CDMA platform by Qualcomm. Prominent EVDO providers in the US include Sprint, Verizon Wireless and Alltel.

Which ISPs will offer EVDO in India?

In India, BSNL is currently doing a pilot project of EVDO technology in several cities. BSNL is the state-owned telecom company in India.

In India, BSNL had a low-profile launch of EVDO wireless technology in 2007. The wireless data services were launched on the CDMA 2000 IX platform by using an EVDO card. The BSNL EVDO card is besides the data card already being offered by BSNL which gives data connectivity at a paltry speed of 144kbps.

EVDO is a 3G service, which is still in its infancy in India. The 3G spectrum auction process is still on in India. Once the 3G auction is over and the spectrum sold, CDMA operators in India like Tata Indicom and Reliance Communications will be in a position to offer EVDO services in India. However, neither Reliance Communications nor Tata Indicom have announced any plan to offer EVDO wireless data and internet services in India.

BSNL EVDO internet service

BSNL’s EVDO modem is a small matchbox sized USB device which will comfortably fit into the port of any wireless device. The speed is a maximum 2.4 mbps, though the coverage of BSNL’s EVDO service is limited to a few cities. Interestingly, EVDO services are most sought-after in metros like Bombay (Mumbai) and Delhi, where BSNL is not present. MTNL, the state-owned telecom company which operates mobile services in Mumbai and Delhi does not have any EVDO plans so far either.

Last week, the GSM cellular providers in India complained to the telecom regulator TRAI that “one CDMA operator” is readying to launch EVDO services in India, and should be stopped from doing so. EVDO being a 3G technology is not expected to be launched by private telecom players yet, which are using 2G technology. Only BSNL has limited 3G spectrum so far. However, the letter written by Cellular Operators Association of India says that CDMA operators (like Reliance Communications and Tata Indicom), which have ample spectrum can launch EVDO services in India through 2G spectrum and tilt the playing field in their favor.

In a letter to Telecom Minister A Raja and Secretary Siddhartha Behura, COAI Director General T V Ramachandran said that, “If 3G EVDO services are allowed, it would be a gross violation of all principles of level-playing field enshrined in, inter alia, NTP-99. It would also be violative of Articles 14, 19(1)(g) and 21 of the Constitution.”

Notwithstanding the merits or demerits of the arguments of the GSM telecom operators in India, the fact remains that EVDO wireless net access is beneficial for the wireless internet user. There is a strong case for introducing EVDO and 3G services in India at the earliest. The fate of high-speed net access devices like the Amazon Kindle and the Sony ebook Reader depends on the speed at which India can roll out 3G EVDO wireless net access. The group of  telecom operators who have complained against “one CDMA operator” include Airtel, Vodafone, Idea, Spice, BPL, Aircel, Reliance Mobile GSM, datacom, Unitech, S Tel, Bycell and Swan Telecom. The complaint doesn’t mention either Tata Indicom or Reliance Communications by name. While both Tata Indicom and Reliance Communications have large CDMA operations, they also have a minor presence in the GSM segment.

Cities in India where BSNL’s EVDO internet services available

- Ahmedabad
- Alleppy
- Anantapur
- Assam
- Badlapur
- Bangalore
- Bhopal
- Bhubaneswar
- Bokaro
- Calicut
- Coimbatore
- Dhanbad
- Ernakulam
- Erode
- Gujarat
- Hyderabad
- Indore
- Indrapuram
- Jaipur
- Jamshedpur
- Kanchipuram
- Kaushambi
- Kannur
- Karaikal
- Kilvelur
- Kollam
- Kottayam
- Lucknow
- Ludhiana
- Meerut
- Malapuram
- Mumbai
- Nachiyarkoil
- Nasik
- Palaghat
- Pathanamthitta
- Patna
- Puducherry
- Pune – 020 27484055
- Rajkot
- Ranchi
- Salem
- Surat
- Kurnool
- Tirunelveli
- Trichur
- Trivandrum
- Vaishali Region of Ghaziabad
- Vasundhra