ET Bureau KOLKATA: Idea Cellular will launch 3G services in Kolkata around Diwali even as it prepares to invest roughly Rs 380 crore this fiscal in a combination of 2G and 3G network expansion in West Bengal.
India’s No. 3 mobile carrier, which won 3G airwaves in the 2,100-MHz band through an auction in March, expects the allotment of the spectrum to happen by October. "We will invest roughly Rs 260 crore in ramping up our 2G networks in Kolkata and West Bengal, and another Rs 120 crore purely in greenfield 3G sites in Kolkata this fiscal (year)," P Lakshminarayana, Idea’s chief operating officer (corporate), said on Wednesday.
He said Idea is "in negotiations with all leading network vendors" including Ericsson, Nokia Networks, Huawei and ZTE for procuring new 3G sites, and would finalise contracts well ahead of its 3G services rollout in Kolkata.
Idea plans to invest in some 2,200 3G sites in Kolkata, but is likely to initially target 1,000-odd site additions. Idea’s chief operating officer (east), Anish Roy, said the company "might turn to Huawei for additional 2G network gear" requirements since the Chinese vendor is its existing 2G equipment supplier in West Bengal. Idea plans to add 1,250 2G sites across the West Bengal and Kolkata circles in 2015-16.
India’s No. 3 mobile carrier, which won 3G airwaves in the 2,100-MHz band through an auction in March, expects the allotment of the spectrum to happen by October. "We will invest roughly Rs 260 crore in ramping up our 2G networks in Kolkata and West Bengal, and another Rs 120 crore purely in greenfield 3G sites in Kolkata this fiscal (year)," P Lakshminarayana, Idea’s chief operating officer (corporate), said on Wednesday.
He said Idea is "in negotiations with all leading network vendors" including Ericsson, Nokia Networks, Huawei and ZTE for procuring new 3G sites, and would finalise contracts well ahead of its 3G services rollout in Kolkata.
Idea plans to invest in some 2,200 3G sites in Kolkata, but is likely to initially target 1,000-odd site additions. Idea’s chief operating officer (east), Anish Roy, said the company "might turn to Huawei for additional 2G network gear" requirements since the Chinese vendor is its existing 2G equipment supplier in West Bengal. Idea plans to add 1,250 2G sites across the West Bengal and Kolkata circles in 2015-16.
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