RIL plans to offer high-speed data services on tablets early next year
17 Oct 2011
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Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) is planning to offer high-speed data services on attractively priced tablets by early next year and scale it up to a countrywide network by the middle of 2012.
The company, which made a comeback to telecom last year, plans to offer fourth-generation or 4G-enabled data cards that can be plugged into computers and laptops, apart from providing tablets at a game-changing price of Rs3,000 or even lower to hook customers, The Economic Times reported, quoting two executives familiar with the development.
RIL has also initiated talks with media and entertainment companies, such as Walt Disney's Indian venture UTV Software, to acquire content for its wireless broadband offerings.
A deal with Walt Disney, which is close to being finalised, will enable the company to offer games, entertainment and applications for the younger customers, the report said.
It plans to provide data connectivity with speeds of 50-100 MBPS, much faster than 3G services currently on offer, at cheaper prices.
The strategy of enticing customers with low prices is similar to the move in 2003, when it took mobile telephony to the masses with its 'Monsoon Hungama' handsets at 501, helping it win 1 million customers in just 10 days.
The company's spokesman declined comment on specifics of its broadband plans saying it would not comment on speculations.
The company is learnt to be in the final phase of talks with three vendors - Alcatel Lucent, Ericsson and China's Huawei - for its broadband gear after finishing trials with equipment provided by all the three, the newspaper said.
The company, which made a comeback to telecom last year, plans to offer fourth-generation or 4G-enabled data cards that can be plugged into computers and laptops, apart from providing tablets at a game-changing price of Rs3,000 or even lower to hook customers, The Economic Times reported, quoting two executives familiar with the development.RIL has also initiated talks with media and entertainment companies, such as Walt Disney's Indian venture UTV Software, to acquire content for its wireless broadband offerings.
A deal with Walt Disney, which is close to being finalised, will enable the company to offer games, entertainment and applications for the younger customers, the report said.
It plans to provide data connectivity with speeds of 50-100 MBPS, much faster than 3G services currently on offer, at cheaper prices.
The strategy of enticing customers with low prices is similar to the move in 2003, when it took mobile telephony to the masses with its 'Monsoon Hungama' handsets at 501, helping it win 1 million customers in just 10 days.
The company's spokesman declined comment on specifics of its broadband plans saying it would not comment on speculations.
The company is learnt to be in the final phase of talks with three vendors - Alcatel Lucent, Ericsson and China's Huawei - for its broadband gear after finishing trials with equipment provided by all the three, the newspaper said.
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