Reliance Communications, the Anil Ambani promoted company, has started moving its CDMA users to the 4G LTE network of Reliance Jio, according to user testimony.
According to information obtained from users (and not from the company), the users are being moved to Jio’s Band 3 LTE network.
Separately, RCom is also trying to set up its own 4G network on Band 5 (850 MHz) which will have better propagation characteristics. This will be built using spectrum from both RCom and Jio.
On the other hand, Jio already has readymade 4G networks on Bands 3 and 40 (2300 MHz).
MORE SPECTRUM COMING
It is believed that Reliance Communications will announce a deal with Aircel in the next one week, under which it will get new 1800 MHz spectrum across the country. This spectrum will be converted to 4G spectrum.
Once that is done, it is only a matter of a ‘flick of a switch’ to add this spectrum to the existing 1800 MHz (band 3) network being operated by Jio under India’s sharing regulations.
This will immediately double the carrying capacity of Jio’s 1800 MHz network.
In other words, subscribers of MTS, RCom and Aircel can look forward to using both band 5 (850 MHz) and band 3 (1800 MHz) 4G services in the next four to six months, while Jio subscribers will be able to use all three bands.
It is also likely that both the 850 MHz and 1800 MHz networks — which will be used by both Rcom and Jio — will be renamed, possibly to ‘Reliance 4G’.
As of now, however, there is very little official information about the status of RCom’s 4G upgrade process and in how many circles it has already begun.
Reports indicate that users in UP and Delhi at least have started getting access to a new 4G network by the name of ‘Reliance 4G’, while in many other circles they are still on GSM.
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