India Delaying 3G Rollout, Says Report

BANGALORE, India — India’s Dept. of Telecommunications (DoT) has asked the privately-owned wireless proposed data services based on EVDO (evolution data optimized) technology to delay rollout until the government comes out with its policy for third-generation (3G) services.

A report in The Hindu Business Line from New Delhi on Thursday (May 25) quoted Tatas’ CEO Daryl Green, as stating the company was ready to offer 3G services butt did not have the permission to even conduct pilot tests.

"We have been told verbally to put off our lunch of EVDO services till later this year," Green said. "If we get the permission we can start services tomorrow. We can offer 3G services using the existing spectrum but the DoT feels 800 MHz is a 2G radio frequency and therefore we should wait till the 3G spectrum is released."

EVDO is a next-generation technology being offered by CDMA operators to offer high-speed wireless broadband access.

The spectrum policy for 3G services is now slated to be announced by the year’s end.