US-based Qualcomm, which is responsible for developing Code Division Multiple Access technology, is in talks with its Indian partners Reliance Infocomm and Tata Teleservices to offer Forward Link Technology.
FLO is TV-on-mobile, a media cast network technology where the customer would be able to see many channels (channel surfing) of high quality video and audio programming on third-generation mobile phones.
The platform uses the orthogonal frequency division multiplex wave form technology and is complementary to CDMA-2000 and W-CDMA networks.
Speaking to Business Standard, the Qualcomm team of Mark Epstein, senior vice-president, development, Charles E W Heatley III, senior vice-president, technology and Kanwalinder Singh, President, India and South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, said that talks were on with both Tata and Reliance at two levels.
"On the one hand, we are telling them about the concept of mass multimedia. We are saying that a high quality experience of video and music is possible. We are also working with them on the regulatory aspects of deploying FLO, so that the operators can work with the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India on licensing and spectrum related issues," said Qualcomm executives.
They also added that Tata Teleservices would soon begin trail runs of the value-added wireless broadband service, Evolution Data Only. EvDO is a third generation mobile service, which provides data transfer at speeds of upto 2.4 megabits per second.
"Considering that their network has grown, they will face limitations as to how and where to find the spectrum for the trail run. We are confident that they will find areas where they can squeeze the required spectrum for this," said Singh.
Reliance Infocomm has already implemented EvDO in its Mumbai campus. According to Reliance executives, the company had completed test runs and was technically ready for the launch of the platform in India.
Reliance is awaiting frequency allocation from the Department of Telecommunications and the Wireless Planning and Coordination Wing, for launching this service in India.
"The progress of EvDO in India has been delayed by lack of spectrum. Once the spectrum policy is announced, it would just be a couple of months before customers can enjoy this facility," he added.
Tata Teleservices and Reliance Infocomm are also scheduled to witness the demonstration of FLO during the upcoming Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Associations wireless 2005 meet in the US. "We expect them (Tata and Reliance) to start trial runs with us after the CTIA meet, Qualcomm executives added.
