Telecom Lead India: Reliance Industries (RIL) is expected
to work with Himachal Futuristic Communications (HFCL) for the roll out
its 4G network.
RIL acquired pan-India airwaves from HFCL for high-speed
internet and data services in May 2010.
HFCL, which has prior experience in this arena, will be handling ground-level
execution and management while RIL-owned Infotel Broadband will concentrate on
key aspects of the network and monitor the rollout, Economics Times reported.
The report said that the staff being hired for setting up
towers and laying optic fiber for RIL’s 4G venture will be on HFCL’s payrolls.
However, HFCL Chairman Mahendra Nahata denied hiring people on RIL’s behalf and
said that they are recruiting people, but that is for their own work.
“We have been doing some tests and sample
deployments for RIL, but there is no large contract yet,” he added.
The company bought 95 percent stake in Infotel
from HFCL Group and announced an investment of Rs 4,800 crore in May
2010.
Infotel is the only company with all-India airwaves
for high-speed data services, which it won in an auction for Rs 12,848
crore.
Last month, India’s leading cellular operator Bharti
Airtel Launched its 4G services in Kolkata and Bangalore. Also, the
operator is also planning to buy Qualcomm’s 4G licenses for the Delhi launch,
which will help it to strengthen its market position against RIL.
RIL is the only operator in the country that will have an all-India 4G network,
and industry experts expect it to replicate its entry strategy for mobile voice
services in the early 2000s, when it offered subsidised handsets and cheap call
rates that transformed the telecom market.
RIL remains committed toward 4G LTE: Mukesh D Ambani
Recently, Reliance Industries (RIL) Chairman and Managing
Director Mukesh D Ambani said the group remains committed towards providing
world class, high speed wireless data services through the launch of broadband
access business.
In January, Infotel Broadband Services entered into an agreement with TV18 and
Network18 Media and Investments (Network18) for preferential access to all
their content for distribution through the 4G broadband network being set up by
it.
