If you are a regular reader here [As If I update Regularly ?], you know Broadband is my Food 🙂 I can go without food for a Day but not Broadband. I knew that Airtel and Reliance Communications have been deploying Wireless Point to Point Technologies for SMEs where they couldn’t wire. I had a brief communication with one Mr. Wali in Airtel Delhi and he was all excited to establish a connection for me while Reliance Communications call went unanswered.
So what is this P2P Wireless Broadband ?
P2P is Point to Point Communication using the underlying Free Spectrum of 2.4GHz of 5.8GHz which also overlaps as WiMax. Additionally, I shared the details of both the operators deployment and a subject expert Mr. Sam Churchill of DailyWireless was courteous enough to respond stating as under,
The ISM bands, defined by the ITU,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISM_band include 150 MHz between 5.725 GHz – 5.875 GHz which is often used for pt to pt because it allows higher power. But those unlicensed bands can be used by different devices using completely different and incompatible technology. Like microwave ovens and cordless phones using the 2.4 GHz band. So my guess is it’s some type of proprietary technology from the vendor. That’s pretty common.
Airtel has connected 7,902 and Reliance Communications with 8,255 SMEs with P2P Broadband in the last 5 years. Airtel has clearly stated that the nature of service is broadband while RCom states it as Fixed Service but they do mention the underlying Equipment as “Point to Point Radio” while Airtel mentioned the Network Gear as “TDD-OFDM”.
BSNL and Tata Indicom may have also provided similar Broadband connections, let me see if I can get my hands on that data. If you are a SME and looking for P2P Broadband, do drop me a line, I’ll put you across the right persons.