Orangeman Burns - Sriram Sridharan's Blog

Introduction

After what has been a long wait, it looks like 3G networks will go live en masse Q1 this year. I remember writing excitedly on my blog; sometime in February 2009, when then Communications and IT Minister A.M. Raja made the first 3G call, at BSNL’s Anna Salai Telephone Exchange. I believed that it was the beginning of a huge change. Well, looking back, it was a huge change after all; it just took a while. BSNL and MTNL launched their 3G services early last year and private players like Reliance and Tata DoCoMo commercially started offering 3G during Q4 of 2010. Other players like Vodafone, Airtel and Aircel are expected to start their 3G services in Q1 2011. But what does all this mean to you?

Back in the time

Let me give you an impromptu history class, before we head into the pros and cons of 3G. For your reference, when I say 3G, I mean the GSM kind of 3G or something that’s popularly known as UMTS.

The 1G standard used analog modulation for the signals, much like the AM/FM radios. Even though it meant lugging around huge phones, it was the birth of true mobile communications for the masses.

The 2G standard, which most of us are aware of, was the first digital standard for mobile phones. This used digital signalling for voice modulation. It was however voice only. In the 2.5G iteration, GPRS was introduced. This enabled a user to get a data connection to the internet. It was however slow, with the theoretical speeds of about 120kbps and with an actual rated speed of about 20-50kbps. It also introduced MMS. It was touted to be an SMS like service but with audio visual-content. 2.75G introduced EDGE which promised a data connection of up to 240kbps but delivered anywhere between 60-120kbps. Remember that these speeds are dependent of the user’s location, his/her movement etc.

The 3G standard is the next big evolution after 2.75G. After multiple iterations of the 2G standards, 3G may not seem like a huge leap as compared to 1G->2G but, trust me, it is. 3G brings even faster data access speeds- from a minimum of 384kbps with UMTS to 21Mbps of the HSPA+ evolution. It also brings more security with End User Equipment authentication and a more evolved encryption scheme.

Again, what does this mean to you?

The 3G Experience

I have access to AT&T’s 3G network in the US on an Apple iPhone 4. The whole video call phenomenon has not really taken off in the US. In my very humble opinion, having a video call tariff is rubbish since with a 3G’s data speeds, it is often cheaper to use software based video calling[Skype, Facetime, Fring] in conjunction with a data plan. The typical speeds I have experienced vary between 1-6Mbps. I actually have tethered the 3G data to my netbook via MiWi and watched YouTube videos on a road trip. YouTube HD videos are pretty fast as are HD Netflix movies/TV shows. To sum up, your 3G data connection will actually be as fast, if not faster, than most of your residential internet connections.

Cons

So what are the cons?

With the operators being allocated on a region to region basis, your original provider might not have 3G cell towers in your roaming region. In the 2G world, you’d simply use a partner’s cell tower but most operators today have not inked agreements for sharing 3G resources.

You will also need a compatible 3G handset to use the 3G services. You will also be responsible for procuring a device with a front camera if you need to make a voice call. You also need to make sure that it works with India’s 3G frequency band i.e. 2100MHz.

Video calls are now temporarily on hold, as of the time of writing this article, while the Indian Government evaluates and includes a backdoor into the data stream for surveillance and monitoring.

You also need to take into account the pricing shift. Data plans will be significantly be more expensive than the 2G tariffs. Looking at BSNL’s current tariffs, here is an estimated table of costs:

Remember, the above figures are an educated guess, derived from BSNL’s current offerings. Competition might drive the prices own even further. To compare, 2G data [GPRS/EDGE] will run you about Rs.100 a month for 2GB usage.

Conclusion

To wind up this article, 3G is clearly not for everyone. If you plan to use heavy streaming data on your mobile phone and have a 3G compatible phone, 3G is for you. If you just check the scores/news and would rather not plop down the extra cash for a 3G data plan or a 3G enabled phone, EDGE should be fast enough for you.