Personal wireless communication-scenario in India

A modest beginning has been made in India to provide mobile telecommunication services. These services have immense growth potential which can be gauged by the fact that the world-wide compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of cellular mobile services over the last decade has been 68.9% and the previous year alone has seen the global addition of 19 million subscribers to the mobile network as against an addition of 38 million subscribers to the fixed networks. It is expected that these services will prove to be popular in India also and would witness a high growth rate. The Indian Government is also aware of emerging mobile communication services through LEO, MEO and GSO satellites and has plans for their timely utilisation for the benefit of the Indian economy. With the gradual reduction of cost, utilisation of fixed wireless solution in the access technology has become attractive. A number of options are being considered. The main guiding factor for the choice of technology has been the careful study of the evolution of technologies and adopting the technology which will remain current for several years to come.