Tata DoCoMo to launch 3G services in November

Telecommunications company Tata Teleservices Ltd. plans to launch third generation mobile telephony by 5 November, becoming the first private operator in India to announce launch plans for services which are likely to generate higher revenue through the multimedia capabilities it could offer.

"We will launch simultaneously in all nine service areas," a spokesman told the media today.

The Tata group company, which is 26-per cent-owned by Japanese cellular company NTT DoCoMo Inc, in May won bandwidth through a government auction to offer 3G services in nine of India's 22 service circles by paying Rs5,864 crore ($1.32 billion.)

Tata Teleservices is hoping to get a first mover's advantage over other 3G bid wining private operators. Bharti Airtel Ltd, Reliance Communications Ltd and Vodafone Essar Ltd too have announced plans to launch the services either late this year or early 2011.

State-run telecom companies Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd., which didn't have to participate in the auctions and were allocated bandwidth in September 2008, launched services in early 2009 but have so far got a lukewarm response.

Tata Teleservices currently offers second generation mobile phone services in 17 of India's 22 telecom circles with the global systems for mobile communications (GSM) technology under the Tata DoCoMo brand, and mobile services under the code division multiple access (CDMA) technology under the Tata Indicom brand.