WiMAX Network in Chennai, India

India’s telecommunications and electrical infrastructures, two arguably key elements necessary for technological advancements, leave something to be desired. By some estimates, for example, annual investment of $20 billion is needed to bring the country’s electrical grid up to snuff to meet yearly demand increases of about seven percent.

But, the country is pushing ahead into the twenty-first century despite the obstacles. Red Herring reported in its Oct. 30 edition that Aircel Business Solutions has committed as much as $100 million to build a WiMAX network in the southern city of Chennai. (That’s where the company is based, by the way.)

Here’s a map of India (courtesy of CIA World Factbook) with Chennai circled.


If this network is successful and, as planned, it gets rolled out in other areas, WiMAX could eventually make quite an impact on India’s roughly 1.095 billion citizens (2006 estimate according to CIA World Factbook), especially considering that 14 percent of the country’s 600,000 villages lack even a single phone. DSL broadband requires a phone, but WiMAX does not.

“We are convinced about the commercial viability and acceptance of WiMAX across varied user profiles and geographies,” the Red Herring report quoted Aircel Senior Vice President Ram Shinde as saying.

According to Red Herring, there are about 1.6 million broadband subscribers in India, most of whom use cable or DSL.

“The government target is 10 million subscribers by 2010, which could be tough since people have been reluctant to subscribe,” Red Herring says. “WiMAX, though, could tip the scales, with both urban and rural areas getting online.”

Tonse Telecom and Maravadis, Red Herring said, estimates that there will be 13 million Indian WiMAX subscribers by 2012.

Meanwhile, Intel is also interested in building wireless infrastructure in India—specifically, in rural areas. Red Herring reports that the company “is partnering with local carriers such as Airtel and Reliance on pilot projects in several regions. It hopes schools and libraries in rural or remote areas can be cheaply connected to broadband using WiMAX.”

That could be tricky, though, since fully WiMAX-compatible handsets won’t be available in the country until early 2008, Red Herring says. The battle continues.

What do you think—is WiMAX a winner or loser in India?

| 3 Comments

Listed below are links to sites that reference WiMAX Network in Chennai, India:

Around TMCnet:

3 Comments

Hi !! im living in chennai .. from what i've heard this technology is in its trial period. Do you have any idea as to when this will be available to home users.. at present im using BSNL's dsl connection.. which is very slow at about 256 kbps.. Im hoping it works.. Anyway do you know what kind of download speeds are expected from these connections??

I would like to know the wifi system manufacturer in Chennai.

Bye

P. N. Jayaram

| Reply

hi,
im a post graduate student studying in veterinary college and also doing my buisness in chennai i m a laptop user and im really fed up with the other internet connection available i wanted to know more about internet facilities by wimax i mean wifi,in chennai plz let me know as soon as possible

Leave a comment

Recent Comments

  • Dr Anjan kumar: hi, im a post graduate student studying in veterinary college read more
  • P. N. Jayaram: I would like to know the wifi system manufacturer in read more
  • vishak: Hi !! im living in chennai .. from what i've read more

Around TMCnet Blogs

Latest Whitepapers

TMCnet Videos