Idea Cellular, Bharti Airtel may have to wait a year before 3G services launch commercially

NEW DELHI: Top operators Bharti AirtelBSE 0.86 % and Idea CellularBSE 0.80 % may have won new spectrum in the 900 Mhz band in Mumbai and Delhi respectively, but their consumers have a long wait before they can finally benefit from the high-speed mobile broadband services.

"First, the frequencies have to be allotted which will be well past November, and then rollouts will happen, which will take months thereafter. So, it will be more than a year before 3G services in newly acquired cir .

he 3G intra-circle roaming bans imposed by the apex court still holds on the 2100 Mhz bandwidth won by operators in 2010. Bharti's entry will increase competition in Mumbai, traditionally the stronghold of Vodafone that has further fortified its 3G position in this circle with 11 units of 900 Mhz, which will be beneficial for consumers, say analysts.