Bharti launches 3G in Delhi

[Rambob]

Telecom major Bharti airtel on Thursday launched in Delhi and NCR third-generation Services that offer live and on-demand TV channels, video calling and high-speed internet access.

The company has launched its services in Delhi and the National Capital Region spanning Gurgaon, Faridabad and Noida powered by 1,800-plus 3G sites, including Flickr, Twitter, Facebook and other social network accounts, Bharti airtel President (Mobile Services) Atul Bindal told reporters in New Delhi.

"Airtel's 3G services are already in seven cities, Bengaluru ,Chennai, Coimbatore, Mysore, Manipal, Udipi and Jaipur and will be available in all 13 3G-licence circles by March 2011. We are also in talks with other service operators to provide services across India," said Bindal.

Customers can choose from Airtel's easy-to-understand 3G tariff plans, which have been crafted to prevent "bill shock" and help customers monitor their consumption of data with personalised data usage limits and alerts.

"We expect to cover 40-45 cities with our 3G services in one month (by March end) and for the year ahead (next year by March) we expect to have our network coverage by over 1,000 cities. Data Average Revenue per User showing up very nicely because of investment we have already been made in," said Bindal.

Airtel 3G also allow customers enjoy a variety of exciting service offerings including mobile TV, video calls, high-speed internet and video capabilities on social networks.

Airtel 3G Mobile TV at an affordable price of Rs. 40 for 20 minutes per week. The company is offering video call rates at 5 paise per second.

The company has offered different plans like pay as you go offers for all the existing airtel customers who want to experience the 3G internet this plan will be there where they have to pay the prevailing rates as on 2G services.

Flexishield plan has a combination of free data usage and low inbuilt volume based charging rate with a bill cap of Rs. 2,000.

To download 2GB data prepaid and postpaid customers have to pay Rs. 750. Under the Flexishield plan the customer has to pay Rs. 675 for 1.25 GB free data download with 3G speed till total data bill reaches Rs. 2,000, after that no charges on data access with speed of 20kbps.

Airtel has also introduced a first-of-its-kind internet usage calculator that will help customers monitor and analyse their current internet data usage and choose an airtel 3G plan accordingly.