Rel Jio racing to launch 4G services before deadlineVia The Economic Times | Mar 09, 2015Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Jio Infocomm is racing to launch its 4G services before a government-mandated timeline, after recent trials of parts of the network threw up technical problems around connecting one point with another, two people close to developments said. "The network backhaul isn't ready. Even the billing system is not in place. It would take nearly a month to set up and try out that system. Moreover, it cannot really be put in place until the company has an operational network," said a third person. Jio could be closest to a launch in Mumbai and Gandhinagar where it is testing services. Besides these two regions, the company is tying up 3,700 sites for its network in Delhi, another person said. Securing sites and permissions to lay more optic fibre is also proving to be a challenge, said a fourth person close to developments. The company has said it plans to launch its high-speed data and voice services in 2015 but has never given a specific date. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) rules stipulate that it must roll out services by second half of 2015, five years from the time it was allotted 4G airwaves in the 2300 MHz band. Responding to a query from ET on problems with signal testing, a Reliance Jio spokesman said these were rumours. However, the spokesman did not respond to when the company planned to launch its services.0 ResponsesLeave a ReplyComment