Lok Sabha Question No. 535 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-04-27
Subject: 4G Technology
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: KOTHA PRABHAKAR REDDY, SANGANNA AMARAPPA KARADI, OM PRAKASH YADAV, SHARAD TRIPATHI, SANTOSH AHLAWAT

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.535 TO BE ANSWERED ON 27 th  APRIL, 2016

## 4G TECHNOLOGY

535. SHRI PRABHAKAR REDDY KOTHA: SHRI SANGANNA AMARAPPA: SHRI OM PRAKASH YADAV: SHRI SHARAD TRIPATHI: SHRIMATI SANTOSH AHLAWAT:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of circles and districts in which the 4G mobile and internet services have been launched, State-wise;
- (b) the share of telecom companies in the launch of 4G service;
- (c) whether  any  hindrances  or  constraints  are  being  faced  in  launching  these services particularly by BSNL and MTNL and if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (d) the action taken by the Government in this regard and the time by which the service is likely to be launched across the country; and
- (e) the reasons for the telecom PSUs lagging in launching the service which could be a profitable move?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)

- (a) & (b) 4G mobile  and  internet  services  are  increasingly  available  in  different parts  of  the  country.  The  details  regarding  availability  of  4G  mobile  and  internet services is as per Annexure-I.
- (c) & (d) Since  4G  services  are  based  on  the  recently  introduced  wireless technology, BSNL has yet to launch these services in 2500 MHz spectrum band as allocated  as  per  their  business  planning.  Further,  MTNL  has  decided  not  to  launch these services at this point of time on account of business viability. Given no shortage of electronic components in launching of the services, the Government has also taken all  possible  policy  measures  to  wider  accessibility  to  4G  services  throughout  the country.
- (e) The  launch  of  the  services  by  the  telecommunications  service  providers including the public sector units depends upon many factors including their respective business plans and financial viability in different licensed Service Areas.

## Annexure I

|   S.No. | Licensed Service Area Name   | Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) offered 4G Service for testing (as reported by TSPs)           | TSPs providing 4G Service Commercially as on 25.04.2015 (as reported by TSPs)   |
|---------|------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|       1 | Andhra Pradesh               | M/s Aircel Ltd, M/s Bharti Airtel Ltd, M/s Idea Cellular Ltd, M/s Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited | M/s Aircel Ltd, M/s Bharti Airtel Ltd, M/s Idea Cellular Ltd,                   |
|       2 | Assam                        | M/s Dishnet Wireless Ltd , M/s Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited                                    | M/s Dishnet Wireless Ltd                                                        |
|       3 | Bihar                        | M/s Dishnet Wireless Ltd, M/s Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited                                     | M/s Dishnet Wireless Ltd                                                        |
|       4 | Delhi                        | M/s Bharti Airtel Ltd, M/s Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited, M/s Vodafone                          | M/s Bharti Airtel Ltd, M/s Vodafone                                             |
|       5 | Gujarat                      | M/s Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited                                                               | None                                                                            |
|       6 | Haryana                      | M/s Bharti Airtel Ltd., M/s Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited, M/s Idea Cellular Ltd                | M/s Bharti Airtel Ltd.,M/s Idea Cellular Ltd                                    |
|       7 | Himachal Pradesh             | M/s Bharti Airtel Ltd., M/s Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited                                       | M/s Bharti Airtel Ltd.,                                                         |
|       8 | Jammu & Kashmir              | M/s Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited, M/s Dishnet Wireless Ltd                                     | M/s Dishnet Wireless Ltd                                                        |
|       9 | Karnataka                    | M/s Bharti Airtel Ltd, M/s Idea Cellular Ltd, M/s Reliance Jio, M/s Vodafone Infocomm Limited   | M/s Bharti Airtel Ltd., M/s Idea Cellular Ltd., M/s Vodafone Infocomm Limited   |
|      10 | Kerala                       | M/s Bharti Airtel Ltd, M/s Vodafone, M/s Idea Cellular Ltd, M/s Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited   | M/s Bharti Airtel Ltd., M/s Vodafone, M/s Idea Cellular Ltd,                    |
|      11 | Kolkata                      | M/s Bharti Airtel, M/s Vodafone , M/s Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited                             | M/s Bharti Airtel Ltd.,M/s Vodafone                                             |

Contd…3/-

|   12. | Madhya Pradesh      | M/s Idea Cellular Ltd,M/s Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited                                                     | M/s Idea Cellular Ltd                                                     |
|-------|---------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|    13 | Maharashtra         | M/s Bharti Airtel Ltd, , M/s Idea Cellular Ltd M/s Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited                            | M/s Bharti Airtel Ltd., , M/s Idea Cellular Ltd                           |
|    14 | Mumbai              | M/s Bharti Airtel Ltd, M/s Vodafone , M/s Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited                                     | M/s Bharti Airtel Ltd.,M/s Vodafone                                       |
|    15 | North East          | M/s Dishnet Wireless Ltd, M/s Bharti Hexacom Ltd, M/s Idea Cellular Ltd , M/s Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited | M/s Dishnet Wireless Ltd., M/s Bharti Hexacom Ltd., M/s Idea Cellular Ltd |
|    16 | Orissa              | M/s Bharti Airtel Ltd, M/s Dishnet Wireless Ltd, M/s Idea Cellular Ltd , M/s Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited  | M/s Bharti Airtel Ltd., M/s Idea Cellular Ltd,M/s Dishnet Wireless Ltd,.  |
|    17 | Punjab              | M/s Bharti Airtel Ltd, M/s Idea Cellular Ltd, M/s Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited                             | M/s Bharti Airtel Ltd., M/s Idea Cellular Ltd.                            |
|    18 | Rajasthan           | M/s Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited                                                                           | None                                                                      |
|    19 | Tamilnadu           | M/s Aircel Ltd, M/s Bharti Airtel Ltd, M/s Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited, M/s Idea Cellular Ltd             | M/S Aircel Ltd, M/s Bharti Airtel Ltd                                     |
|    20 | Uttar Pradesh(East) | M/s Telenor , M/s Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited                                                             | M/s Telenor (in Varanasi only)                                            |
|    21 | Uttar Pradesh(West) | M/s Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited                                                                           | None                                                                      |
|    22 | West Bengal         | M/s Dishnet Wireless Ltd, M/s Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited                                                 | M/s Dishnet Wireless Ltd.                                                 |

*************