Videocon to launch 4G services in 2013

Indian telco Videocon will launch 4G services in the second half of this year using the 1800 megahertz (MHz) spectrum it acquired in 2012.

In a report by The Telegraph India Thursday, the operator said while the 1800MHz band is used to provide voice services, the spectrum licenses it purchased were "liberalized" meaning it can offer services on 2G, 3G, or 4G networks. This would allow Videocon to offer services such as high-definition video blogging, video on-demand, and online games services given its faster download speeds, it added.

Arvind Bali, director and CEO of Videocon Mobile Services, said in the report: "Following a successful spectrum allocation, we seek to provide subscribers with enhanced 4G network across the newly won circles in the second half of 2013 which will enable deliverance of best services and great value-for-money products to consumers."

A separate report in Economic Times Wednesday noted that Videocon won spectrum licenses in the telecom circles of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Gujarat, east and west Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand.

Videocon joins other local operators such as Bharti Airtel, Reliance Infotel, Tikona Digital, and Aircel in the race to offer high-speed data services, The Telegraph India noted. Airtel was the first telco in India to launch 4G services in April last year, starting in Kolkata. Tikona Digital, Aircel and Infotel will launch their 4G services in the second half of this year, it said.