Fun with Limited Mobility

I

can bet that limited mobility is going to give all industry watchers unlimited

moments of fun, angst and surprises.

I am so confident because I already see unlimited commotion all around, be it

in policy, technology or its utility.

TRAI says it wants to ensure that mobility in limited mobility is really

limited. MTNL says it is going to challenge this decision of the regulatory

authority. And the cellular service providers are insistent that they too will

challenge limited mobility, as it is unfair to them.

Then there is the technology angle. The debate whether WLL based limited

mobility can use Mobile Switching Center based architecture in their networks or

not, has already started. It’s said that TRAI has recommended that these

networks should be directly connected to the local exchange using V5.2

interface, so that there is no possibility of limited mobility becoming as good

as cellular mobility. This will not only make limited mobility less attractive

to subscribers, but put additional burden on service providers in terms of

higher investments and reduced viability. Interestingly, some service providers

are already saying this is something that goes against the spirit of National

Telecom Policy, which calls for technology neutrality. One should not be

surprised, if we see more court cases about this.

And of course, the utility of WLL telephony is also a subject of discussion.

All sorts of information or opinion are floating around about how great or

useless limited mobility is going to be. Some say the quality of sound will be

poor, especially in moving vehicles. Others claim that the range in which WLL

works, is going to be too short, maybe 8-10 kilometers. Also unclear is the

question of costs. The government says it is allowing WLL because it wants to

take communications to the common man. At the same time TRAI has announced

fairly high rentals for this service for the common man. While MTNL says it will

provide Rs 10,000 CDMA handsets used in limited mobility on lease to the

subscribers, private companies like Reliance are said to be getting Rs 2,500

handsets from some Chinese vendor.

So, what is going to happen in the end? No one knows nor is bothered.

Business lobbies both from the basic as well as cellular side are working

overtime to influence the government of India. And the government is taking its

own sweet time in putting the matter to rest.

ibrahima@cmil.com