Bharti Airtel, India's leading telecom service provider, has become the
first company to bring 4G services to India. The Sunil Mittal-led company on Tuesday launched broadband wireless access (BWA) services based on 4G technology in Kolkata.
The high speed service was inaugurated by Union
Communications Minister Kapil Sibal.
A successor to the 3G and 2G families, 4G is expected to be five times quicker than 3G services. It would offer services such as high-definition mobile TV and video conferencing.
Airtel, which had
bagged BWA spectrum in four telecom circles - Kolkata, Maharastra, Punjab and Karnataka - for Rs 3,314.36 crore in 2010, selected Chinese telecom equipment maker ZTE to manage its services in Kolkata.
The other players are yet to announce plans to rollout 4G services.
Shares of Bharti Airtel were trading near neutral in afternoon trade on the Bombay Stock Exchange, down 0.19 per cent at Rs 329.90.
with IANS inputs 
Bharti Airtel Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal 
Special 
