Bye-bye call drops

Call drops, as poor connections are known, aren’t restricted to any single operator. Poor connectivity, in fact, is one of the biggest irritants for subscribers. So, what’s the way out?

The solution, says Udit Mehrotra, Director, Ubico Networks, a company promoted by the majority owners of Shyam Group who also has a minority stake in Sistema Shyam Teleservices, is to install an in-premises distribution antenna system (DAS).

“Research shows that 60 per cent of mobile phone calls originate or are received inside buildings. What a DAS does is enhance the network strength within a building, by complementing the existing tower,” Mehrotra points out.

This is how it works: the telecom solutions company installs a DAS inside a building which plays host to the base stations of multiple cellphone operators and is further connected by a network of wires to mini antennas installed all over the building.

“It’s cost-effective. While erecting a tower would cost Rs 30 lakh, a DAS can be installed for as little as Rs 12 lakh, with the cost being shared by operators,” says Mehrotra. This market is hotting up with the likes of Kavveri Telecom and Quippo also providing DAS.

• Advantage operators: Increased likelihood of stickiness to operator and higher revenues due to increased usage.
• Advantage subscribers: Apart from saving time, also cost saving as conversation can be completed in a single call.
• Advantage realty developers: Building aesthetics not compromised as there’s a single base station instead of multiple antennas.