Operator watch: Best 3G pre paid data plans in Gujarat

Tata Docomo, Idea Cellular & Vodafone have 3G networks in Gujarat.

In Gujarat circle, apart from government owned BSNL, there are three private operators with 3Glicenses, namely, Tata Docomo, Idea Cellular and Vodafone. All three of them cover the major cities of the state, but Idea Cellular has the widest 3G network there, covering more than 160 towns and cities, while Vodafone covers close to 40 locations and Tata Docomo covers only 14 cities (as per the data provided by the operators on their websites).

While in terms of coverage Idea Cellular is a clear winner, let's find out who wins in terms of data plans for prepaid subscribers.

Idea

Idea Cellular offers 3G data at 3 paise per 10 KB in case the subscriber doesn't opt for a pack. Idea's packs start at Rs 21 for 75 MB of data valid for 3 days, and excess consumption is charged at 3 paise per 10 KB, which is the case with most other packs too. For 150 MB in 7 days you will need to pay Rs 45. You can also buy 1 GB of data for 7 days for Rs 185. The monthly packs start at Rs 105 with 300 MB data. Rs 205 gets you 600 MB and Rs 245 gets you 1 GB of data. Rs 445 and Rs 745 are the charges for 2 GB and 4 GB, respectively. In the monthly packs the excess data rate is lower at 2 paise per 10 KB. You also get unlimited packs with Idea Cellular for Rs 945 and Rs 1,495 with fair usage of 6 GB and 8 GB, respectively, after which the speed will be reduced to GPRS (2G) levels.

Vodafone

Vodafone charges 2 paise per 10 MB for all excess data or data usage without any pack. The packs start at Rs 49 for 150 MB to be used within 7 days. All the other packs are monthly, starting at Rs 97 for 300 MB. 1 GB costs Rs 249, for Rs 375 you get 1.5 GB, 2 GB is available for Rs 449 and 3 GB costs Rs 649. The monthly packs offered by Vodafone bundle much more data compared to other operators' plans, and Vodafone offers up to 12 GB, which costs Rs 2,499. Other packs are priced at Rs 849 for 5 GB, Rs 1,249 for 8 GB, and Rs 1,499 for 10 GB. Vodafone also offers night packs for surfing the internet, which are very attractively priced. For Rs 248 you can get 2 GB of data for 30 days, although you need to use it between 12 to 7 am. Similarly, Rs 448 will get you 4 GB of data (with the same time restriction). Vodafone has quarterly (90 day) plans as well starting from Rs 1,799 offering 9 GB of data. The costliest plan is priced at Rs 3,999 for 30 GB of data. You also have the option of Rs 3,399 for 24 GB and Rs 2,499 for 12 GB. However, Vodafone doesn't offer unlimited plans at all.

Tata Docomo

Tata Docomo offers the costliest unbundled data charges (charges without a pack or excess usage) at 10 paise per 10 KB. However, in terms of packs the operator is very competitive and offers single day packs for only Rs 5, with 50 MB data bundled. Rs 19 will buy you 300 MB for 3 days and for 7 days you will need to pay Rs 39 for the same amount of data. The operator also has a 21 day pack priced at Rs 255 offering 1 GB data, which makes it very expensive. Monthly packs start at Rs 90 for 600 MB and go up to Rs 450 for 2 GB. There is also a Rs 351 for 1.5 GB pack.

Verdict

Not just in terms of coverage, Idea Cellular is a clear winner even in terms of tariffs. It is the only player to offer unlimited tariffs and its other packs are also very comparable in terms of price, and offer maximum choice as well. However, in case you are a heavy user you might feel a little constrained by the options. Vodafone is the second best and for heavy users it does have bigger plans, but the lack of unlimited plans makes it less attractive to most users. Tata Docomo seems to have lost steam. It was the first to launch a 3G network in Gujarat, but it has not added to its network very aggressively, and even in terms of pricing it is the least attractive with very few options, and that too more expensive ones.

India has 7,36,654 Mobile Towers and Only 96,112 BTS’s are 3G Enabled !

Most of mobile operators in India have reduced the prices of their 3G data tariffs in past few months, but in a bid to stimulate the market 3G services are struggling to gain traction in the world’s second-largest mobile market just due to no blanket coverage or non-availability of 3G signals at street level in all circles across India.

According to the data provided by Minister of State for Communications and IT Milind Deora, India has total 7,36,654 base transceiver stations (BTS -2G GSM and CDMA & 3G Mobile Towers) while out of  that only 96,212 BTSs have been installed to provide 3G mobile and data services in the country till the 30 November 2012.

Presently for 3G mobile and data services, Tamil Nadu circle has maximum of 9,350 BTSs, followed by Delhi and NCR with 8,405 BTSs, Maharashtra and Goa (exluding Mumbai) with 8,377 BTSs. Mumbai had 6,622 BTSs for 3G services as on November 30, 2012. Out of 640 districts of India, 610 districts are being covered by 3G services as on November 2012.

As per present 3G service rolls out norms, mobile operators that have won 3G spectrum in 2010, are required to provide street level coverage in at least 90% of service area in Metros within 5 years of the date (till 2015) they were allocated 3G spectrum.

For other than Metro circles, operators are required to cover 50 per cent of district headquarters (DHQs) which should be 90% of the area bounded by municipal or local body (Panchayat – Jila Parishad) limits till the year of 2015.

It seems that uptake of 3G services is also hampered by the fact that no 3G operator covering the entire country or not providing street leval indoor and outdoor 3G coverage in all circles across India.

Number of Mobile Towers (BTSes) for GSM and CDMA Mobile Services (2G and 3G) as on 30 November 2012.

Massive Disconnection of Inactive SIMs – Negative Growth on GSM Subscriber Base in November 2012

India’s GSM operators lost 9.38 million subscribers in November, taking the total subscriber base to 663.78 million, with none of the service providers adding a single user during the month the fall of 1.34 per cent from the October 2012, was attributed to the disconnection by operators.

For the last couple of months, telecom companies have been steadily losing customers following disconnection of inactive subscribers. The companies were disconnecting users who were inactive for more than 60 days from their networks. The top three operators Airtel, Vodafone India and Idea Cellular – lost nearly 6.74 million users in November, according to the data released Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI).

Airtel lost 2.80 million users, depleting its total to 183.61 million as of November 30, 2012, even though it maintained its leadership position with a 27.66 per cent market share. Vodafone India lost 2.38 million users during the month under review, and posted a total of 150.77 million users, while it maintained its second-rung slot with a 22.71 per cent market share. Idea Cellular, lost 1.56 million users taking its total subscriber base to 114.14 million. The country’s fourth largest operator had a market share of 17.20 per cent.

Aircel lost 1.46 million users, Uninor 4.37 lakh and Videocon 3.8 million users in November. In October, the operators added about 2.40 lakh users, arresting a two-month fall and increasing the total subscriber to 671.91 million.

In October, COAI members added 2.40 lakh subscribers taking the total subscriber base to 671.91 million users.

TRAI to MTS India, Uninor, Videocon and TTSL : Inform Customers About Closure of Mobile Service from January 18

India’s telecom watchdog Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has today issued directive to Uninor, MTS India (SSTL), Videocon and Tata Teleservices who’s licences had quashed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court on February 2, 2012,  to inform their customers that they would be suspending their GSM and CDMA Mobile services from January 18, 2013.

TRAI gave a 10 days deadline to the these mobile service providers to inform their subscribers about the closer of GSM/ CDMA mobile service in the respective circles and also send text messages or provide this information in writing to all their customers in those circles where they failed to retain spectrum and renew their licences.

Uninor, MTS India, Videocon and Tata Teleservices have a total of 26 million customers in verious circles where they failed to get fresh spectrum or renew their mobile service licence in the recently concluded 2G auctions.

CDMA Operators MTS India (Sistema Shyam Teleservices – Pan India) and Tata Teleservices (in 3 circles) did not participate in the Spectrum auction process.

TRAI’s order will be ‘Big-Blow for Pure CDMA Operator MTS India as it faces the prospect of mass exodus of its CDMA customers even as the oerator is awaiting the fate of its curative petition in the Supreme Court against its licence cancellation.

Uninor / Telenor who already issued public notice to its customers in Kolkata and West Bengal circles to port-out from its network before 18th January is also trying to approach the DoT seeking an extension of its Mumbai mobile licence beyond January 18 as it is likely to get for 2G spectrum there in the next auction scheduled before 31st March, 2013.

Tata Teleservices (Tata Docomo CDMA), which chose not to bid again for the CDMA airwaves it held in the loss-making telecom circles of Assam,  North East and Jammu & Kashmir, already inform and started the MNP process for its customers in these circles.

Supreme Court Restores 200 SMS Cap Limit

India’s Supreme Court on December 4th stayed a telecom tribunal order that quashed limiting of the number of SMSes to 200 per day per user. The SMS quota was originally introduced in 2011 by the regulator, TRAI to stop spamming by telemarketing companies.

In a brief hearing, a bench headed by Justice G S Singhvi stayed the Telecom Disputes and Appellate Tribunal’s (TDSAT) order. The Supreme Court passed the order on an appeal filed by TRAI challenging tribunal’s order.

TDSAT had on July 17 termed the ceiling on SMSes as “arbitrary” and against the right of freedom of speech and expression guaranteed under the Constitution and had set aside the sector regulator TRAI’s circular.

Uddhav Thackeray’s son Aditya had submitted that the restriction on SMSes was just a “non-application of mind” by TRAI and the circular fixing ceiling “has not explained why and how the figure of 100 or 200 SMSes per day was arrived at.”

TRAI had permitted sending only 100 SMSes per day per SIM except on blackout days or days specially notified by it. On November 1, 2011, it had increased the limit to 200 SMSes per day per SIM.

Though Supreme Court orders to remove the cap, it is not sure when the directives from DoT and TRAI will be implemented on operators’ front.