Reliance Communications (RCom) is planning to start offering 4G services to its CDMA subscribers starting this week. It’s apparently looking to utilize Reliance Jio’s network for this initiative.
Unfortunately, the new 4G platform will only be available in select circles namely Bihar, Kolkata, Mumbai, UP East and West, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Delhi, and Gujarat. This interesting piece of information comes courtesy a letter Reliance Communications wrote to the DoT.
An official source told PTI that RCom wrote the letter to inform the DoT it was set to use Reliance Jio’s LTE network for its CDMA customers next week. Only CDMA consumers who have actually opted to upgrade themselves will be getting the new service.
As per the data shared in the letter, 90% of RCom’s 8 million CDMA patrons have chosen to do so. Intriguingly, RCom is looking to make its 4G data available starting at Rs 93 per 10GB of data consumed. This is far cheaper than what most broadband connections ask for, in addition to being 94% less expensive than its LTE rivals.
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The rates will supposedly vary between Rs 93 to Rs 97 per 10GB in most circles. RCom then plans to expand its 4G platform to 6 more circles by mid-July. These areas include Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and Karnataka. However, this next step requires the DoT’s approval. It’ll eventually offer its services on a pan-India basis by mid-August.
RCom customers with older CDMA phones will not be able to take advantage of the new network since its being upgraded to 4G. The telecom operator is set to phase out CDMA technology over the course of the next few months.