As I believe, underneath all these bells and whistles there lies a more emphatic game revealed only to the privileged few. Say for example we are all aware of the patriotic sentiments ushered in by the so called IPL but none could decipher the billion dollar business brewing behind the scenes. In a similar fashion, 3G and everything to do with it has become synonymous with mobile Net. But is that the whole story.
Let’s find out. Trying to perceive through the corporate eyes, one is compelled to believe that it’s a do or die scenario for the carriers. With call revenues stumbling to all time low, carriers are all set to roll 3G services which would fetch them those extra bucks. Now let’s take a peek into the stock markets. With telecommunication stocks touching rock bottom, the recent 3G fuss has elevated investor sentiments. But a matter of grave concern is the performance of carriers in the 3G business. There has been a history of bankruptcy in Europe, owing to overbidding and the heavy infrastructure for a nationwide network. Moreover the success of 3G in India is still hanging in the balance. With smart phones making up below 5 % of the total handset market and most Indians complacent on voice calls and SMS, the picture is somber. And that too at a time when the world’s leading economies are going 4G already. Many experts even believe that India should leap over to 4G directly to be on a par with modern trends in technology.
