Airtel subsidiary approaches DoT for 4G voice call service

 Telecom major Bharti Airtel's subsidiary Wireless Business Services has approached the DoT for allocation of mobile numbers to start testing of voice call services on 4G network in four service areas, including Delhi and Mumbai.

"We Intend to test voice services on our lTE (4G) network being deployed at Delhi, Mumbai, Haryana and Kerala service areas for which numbering is required," Wireless Business Services said in a letter to the DoT, as per sources.

The company has requested DoT to allocate "25,000 numbers out of mobile number series in each service area" for testing of voice service, sources said. Wireless Business Services has won BWA spectrum, that can be used for 4G services, in four circles of Delhi, Mumbai, Haryana and Kerala. Airtel holds 51 per cent stake in the company which was initially launched by chip maker Qualcomm.

Bharti Airtel has also 4G spectrum in four service areas of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kolkata and Punjab. However, it is providing only high-speed 4G mobile Internet services in Kolkata, Bangalore, Pune and Chandigarh. Reliance Industries-promoted Reliance Jio Infocomm, which has BWA spectrum in all 22 circles, is also conducting tests for similar service.

Inter-ministerial panel Telecom Commission has already approved permit for BWA spectrum holder to provide voice call services like other mobile operators on payment of additional amount of Rs 1,658 crore on pan-India basis.

Under the new licencing regime, telecom operators are proposed to use any technology of their choice for facilitating telecom services provided that its should abide by law in the country like access to security agencies for legal interception and monitoring services.