Tata Tele, Infocomm offer mobility on fixed wireless

Wireless fixed phones will have a range of over 60 km, like that of a mobile phone.

Tata Teleservices and Reliance Infocomm have begun offering roaming on fixed wireless phones (FWP) and fixed wireless terminals (FWT) in short distance chargeable area (SDCA). In some cases, the SDCA can cover an entire city. For instance, Mumbai is considered as a single SDCA.

This follows the Telecom Dispute Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) order in September last year which termed FWP services akin to that of wireless in local loop-mobi (WLL-M) services.

"Tata Tele had begun to offer mobility on FWP and FWT a couple of months ago, while Reliance Infocomm started it last month. This enables subscribers to use the services like that of a mobile phone, as FWP and FWT services offer higher pulse rates and cheaper call rates," industry sources told Business Standard today.

This means that the phone which was to be locked to the nearest base transceiver station (BTS), enabling mobility of a meagre three km radius, has a range of over 60 km, like that of a mobile phone.

The FWP and FWT is much like a landline phone, but the local loop connectivity (connectivity between the exchange and user's premises) is provided over the air. As it can function even while the subscriber is moving around in a vehicle, or as the car phone, with charges as low as that of a fixed phone.

The helpline numbers of the companies also confirmed this, with the contact call centre executives stating that the phone can be taken around, but not outside the area with a different STD code.

This means that the phone can be used anywhere in Mumbai where the STD code is 022, but not outside the city or where there is a different code.

According to analysts, there is no breach of law as TDSAT in its order has described FWP services akin to that of WLL-M services. The only condition being the service providers have to pay access deficit charge (ADC) to state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd.

The companies have over 5.5 lakh FWP customers in the country, spread across all the 24 circles they operate in.