Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) has partnered with Futuristic Communications Limited (HFCL) to roll out its 4G network.
In May 2010 RIL had acquired 95 per cent stake in Infotel from HFCL Group and announced an investment of Rs 48 billion. Infotel is the only company with all-India airwaves for high-speed data services, which it won in an auction for Rs 128.48 billion.
RIL-owned Infotel Broadband will focus on key aspects of the network and monitor the rollout. However, ground-level execution and management for the 4G network will be handled by HFCL. It is going to build a pan-India optic fibre network to carry Infotel?s data traffic.
Infotel Broadband is expected to launch its 4G services later this year or early next year. The work has already begun on rolling out 4G network. The staff is being hired for setting up towers and laying optic fibre. The company is looking at the possibility of setting up around 1,00,000 towers for its 4G venture and also plans to double its capital outlay for the launch.
Currently, Bharti Airtel is the only operator in the country to have launched 4G or broadband wireless services in Kolkata and Bengaluru. Fourth-generation, or 4G, networks offer internet and data services at much faster speeds compared with existing 3G services.
