BANGALORE, INDIA: With Bharti Airtel launching the fourth generation mobile services in Kolkata
WHAT'S 4G OR LTE
LTE stands for “Long Term Evolution” — it is a radio access technology to deliver Very high speeds up to 100Mbps (technically) in an ideal environment. 4G is a Standard in Mobile Network Technology and stands for “Fourth Generation”-the latest after 2G and 3G.
TARIFF
SPEED
Get speeds up to 100mbps while downloading, and 40mbps while uploading. It offers break-free speeds up to 40mbps on the move. No pixelation. No lag. No drag. no buffering. Enjoy streaming HD video, multiple video chats, instant uploads of photos, videos and much more.
AVAILABILITY
Airtel 4G is currently available in Kolkata and will soon be launched in Bangalore and then in other cities.
WILL PHONE NUMBER CHANGE WITH USIM?
You will need a new number for Airtel 4G LTE and a USIM to be on the Airtel 4G network. While normal SIM supports 2G and 3G Network, USIM Supports 2G, 3G, 4G Networks as well as JAVA Applications. Memory of normal SIM is 64KB whereas that of USIM is 128KB
DEVICES
Currently, Airtel 4G is available as a data service right now. The company offers 4G LTE USB Modem and 4G LTE Indoor Wireless Gateaway devices for accessing its service. The USB data card costs Rs 7,999, while the Indoor wireless gateway will be priced Rs 7,750.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN: GPRS, EDGE, 3G and 4G
GPRS refers to a service on the 2G network that provides basic data up to 56kbps (similar to dial-up speeds)
EDGE is a 2.5G technology. An enhancement of the 2G technology which provides higher data transfer rates compared to GPRS (the default on 2G). The speeds can go up to 144 Kbps
3G technology provides faster/higher data transfer rates compared to the 2G network (EDGE & GPRS). This technology can offer speeds up to 21 Mbps
4G: This technology rides on LTE platform and is the latest in the world of mobile data transfer. It is the next generation of mobile communications. Currently it is the most advanced technology available. Theoretical data downlink speeds can go up to 100 Mbps.
WILL THERE BE ROAMING SERVICES?
It will work in the cities having 4G network. Since this service is currently launched only in Kolkata, it will only work in Kolkata