Videocon Mobiles, which had won spectrum in six circles in auctions held last year, has announced that it will launch LTE network in the country. However, unlike Airtel and other 4G players, it will be an FDD network, a technology which is already working in the USA and therefore devices that are compatible with it are available in good numbers.
Videocon Mobile Services bagged liberalised spectrum in six circles of Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, UP west, UP east, Bihar and Jharkhand. It will continue to offer 2G services in Punjab circle where its license was not cancelled by the Supreme Court.
Videocon Mobile Services is planning to roll out complete 4G products and services across the newly won circles in 2013. What will help the company is the fact that unlike the TDD deployed by Airtel, FDD networks are already operational in the USA and other parts of the world, and a wide range of handsets are available for that technology. However, once the complete roll-out happens in India with RIL, Qualcomm, Airtel and Aircel, Videocon might get isolated in the domestic market.
Currently, only Airtel is offering 4G services, though using TDD LTE technology, in Bangaluru, Kolkata and Pune.