Idea launches 4G services in Odisha

NEW DELHI: Aditya Birla group-led Idea Cellular has launched its high speed 4G LTE services  in Ordisha circle. With this launch, the company has expanded its 4G LTE service footprint to 8 telecom service areas, including the 4 telecom circles of South India, Andhra Pradesh & Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu & Chennai, and 3 telecom circles of North India, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab, that it launched in December and January respectively.

Among the 12 major towns being covered with Idea’s 4G LTE services launch in Orissa are the cities of Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Baleswar, Jharsuguda, Jatni, Khurda. A further 18 major towns including Sambalpur, Brahmapur, Raurkela, Bhadrak, Rajagangpur, Sundargarh will follow by 31st March 2016.

“Starting 23rd December, we have been rapidly expanding our high speed 4G LTE service footprint from 4 to 8 telecom circles now. With revised capex guidance for FY16 at Rs. 75 billion we are accelerating our 4G rollout to cover the length and breadth in the 10 telecom circles, including Maharashtra & Goa and North East that are slated for launch before March ’16. By June 2016, Idea’s 4G footprint will cover 750 cities across 10 telecom circles," said Ambrish Jain, Deputy Managing Director, Idea Cellular.

Idea Cellular currently holds 1800 MHz 4G spectrum in these 10 Telecom circles which cover 50% of telecom market but over 60% of Idea’s gross revenue.

Additionally, Idea has recently signed an agreement with Videocon Telecommunications Limited for acquiring ‘Right to Use’ 1800 MHz spectrum under ‘Spectrum Trading Agreement’ in two of its key telecom leadership markets of Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh (West). Post completion of this transaction, 4G services will be extended to 12 service areas, covering 75% of Idea’s revenue base in the country.

“Idea customers with 4G devices in the towns across these 8 circles can now start experiencing superfast speeds by simply upgrading their existing SIM cards to new 4G SIM cards. The company is also offering attractive subscription plans to digital content including a wide range of the latest Music, Movies and Games. Idea has also partnered with leading handset manufacturers and e-commerce retailers for special data bundling offers on new 4G smartphones," said Sashi Shankar, Chief Marketing Officer, Idea Cellular.