NEW DELHI: Bharti Airtel, India's top mobile operator, said on Monday it would launch 3G wireless data services before the end of 2010.
Bharti, which won rights in an auction this year to offer 3G services in 13 of India's 22 telecoms zones, said in a statement it was in advanced discussions with other "quality" operators to offer 3G services to its customers across the country.
Last week telecom service provider Vodafone Essar announced that it will launch its third generation (3G) services in the first quarter of 2011 in 10 circles in which the company has won spectrum.
""We will launch the services by the first quarter of the year 2011," said Sanjoy Mukerji, director, business operations, here. The rollout will take place in a phased manner in all the 10 circles in quick succession.
The operator has won spectrum in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh (East) and West Bengal. The company expects to upgrade over 10 per cent of its existing customers to 3G users very shortly, Mukerjee added.
Vodafone is also exploring opportunities to tie up with other operators to provide 3G services in other circles as well, Mukerji added.
About the affordability factor, Mukerji said the prices will definitely be higher then the second generation services but the company will try to compete with all other operators on the issue in the market.