Tata Docomo 3G Data Card with maximum 21.6 Mbps Speed

Docomo 3D Data Card

Tata Docomo which has recently launched 3G service in nine circles will be offering high speed mobile broadband through USB plug and play devices offering speeds up to 21.6 Mbps. High speed Mobile Broadband can be availed using various categories of technology packed USB Modems i.e HSDPA, HSUPA and HSPA+ modems . A summary is presented below to make you understand more about 3G Mobile Broadband Service. Both BSNL and MTNL have been offering HSDPA data cards supporting speed upto 3.6 Mbps but now private telecom operators are all set to offer higher speeds through HSUPA and HSPA+ data cards . Such services will witness huge uptake from corporate and business users which are major segments of data consumption. High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) is an enhanced 3G (third generation) mobile telephony communications protocol offering down-link speeds of 1.8, 3.6, 7.2 and 14.0 Mbps
High-Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA) is a 3G mobile telephony protocol offering up-link speeds up to 5.76 Mbps
High Speed Packet Access (HSPA+): is a combination  of two mobile telephony protocols, High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) and High Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA)HSPA supports increased peak data rates of up to 14 Mbps in the downlink and 5.8 Mbps in the uplink
Evolved High Speed Packet Access (HSPA): Evolved HSPA offers data rates up to 42 Mbps in the downlink and 11 Mbps in the uplink
Current Mobile Broadband Devices from Tata Dococmo-

3G USB Modem (Dongle)	Download Speed	Upload Speed
HSDPA USB Modem	Max. 3.6 Mbps	384 Kbps
HSUPA USB Modem	Max. 7.2 Mbps	Max. 5.76 Mbps
HSPA+ USB Modem	Max. 21.6 Mbps	Max. 5.76 Mbps

As per Tata Docomo’s call center representative, HSDPA Dongle will cost Rs 1999, however HSUPA Dongle will be priced at Rs 2600 however prices have not been displayed on the company website so far,
Tata Docomo’s strategy to enter the 3G market before its peers may work and give first mover advantage to capture data market . Here its important to note that, pre-social-networking and bloging era, upload speed was not much significant to internet users. Evolution of social-networking, video sharing and blogging generated equal thirst for upload bandwidth among internet users. Large numbers of internet users are using social networking sites like Facebook, orkut, ibibo, twitter. These users very frequently share (uploading) images, videos, multimedia contents and applications with their friends, family members and colleagues. For such users HSUPA USB Modem will be preferred as it provides maximum 5.76 Mbps of upload speed.
High speed upload bandwidth is equally required by commercial users using internet leased lines for their business process. Mobile broadband through 3G USB Data service will attract business entities to implement 3G technology as an alternative for their internet bandwidth requirements.

The 3G USB modems begins from Rs. 1999; completely amalgamate the functionality of modem and mobile phone. They are intended to deliver huge data at different speeds. The operator also boasts that USB modem is ready to encounter all the business commitments of its customers. All the data cards enables you to make/receive calls and messages whenever you plug into desktop or laptop.

Data Cards and Features	Speed	Cost
HSDPA USB Modem Suitable for super speed snack surfing, can send/receive text messages	Upload speed: Max. 384 Kbps Download speed: Max. 3.6 Mbps	Rs. 1,999
HSUPA USB Modem Geared with intense speeds, can make/receive calls and messages	Upload speed: Max. 5.76 Mbps Download speed: Max. 7.2 Mbps	Rs. 2,600
HSPA USB Modem Transfer data at lightening speeds, can make/receive calls and messages	Upload speed: Max. 5.76 Mbps Download speed: Max. 21.6 Mbps	Rs. 3,500

Internet Unlimited Plans ! What actually true?

A minor clause is proving to be a major roadblock for surfers ready to zip along the information autobahn. Many Internet users who have paid for a fast ‘unlimited’ broadband connection are finding that their Net speed has reduced to a crawl. Worse, it has been deactivated.

Take the case of Bangalore-based journalist Prem Udayabhanu, who decided to take a more expensive ‘unlimited’ broadband connection. Last month, when he could not access the Web, he was told that the connection had been deactivated due to excessive use. To restart it, he’d have to pay Rs 12,000. “Yours is an unlimited connection, but only up to 10 GB of download,” he was told. Udayabhanu made quick calls to friends close to top execs in the company and got the issue settled. The connection was restored and the demand for Rs 12,000 withdrawn.


But, the company blamed him for exceeding his 10 GB usage limit.“I wasn’t told of a usage limit. The ads and the salesman made me believe it was truly an unlimited connection,” Udayabhanu says. Udayabhanu isn’t alone. Delhi-based artist Prasad Raghavan, who uses an ‘unlimited’ broadband connection, thought he didn’t have to worry until his download speed became erratic.

“Which means unlimited is just a ruse to attract you to a plan which offers good speed only as far as you restrict your usage to a certain limit,” says Raghavan. While most Internet service providers (ISPs) explain the ‘limits’ of unlimited plans, it is the expression ‘unlimited’ in ads that Raghavan, says “is deceptive.”

The Airtel's Browser Rs 899 Plan, for instance, is advertised as unlimited download with speed of 512 kbps, the download speed is downgraded to 256 kbps once the user has downloaded over 8 GB in less than a month.

Thanks to hundreds of complaints from consumers, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has warned companies against misleading advertisements.

TRAI has disapproved of “advertising a broadband plan for higher download speed (for example, 3-4 times faster than the original plan) by paying fixed monthly charges”. It also said that ISPs must disclose details of data download limit beyond which “broadband speed would be restricted as per the original plan.”

A Bharti Airtel spokesman says “Subscribers can check out all our plans and limits on the website.” He, however, concedes that many ‘unlimited’ plans do have a cap, which is explained in the company’s fair usage policy (FUP).

What is fair usage policy? According to the Bharti Airtel site, a very small number of customers use an excessive amount of the network bandwidth, to the extent that it can impair the experience of others. The idea of it’s FUP is to provide optimum Internet experience to all.

In the policy, “we have defined fair usage levels for unlimited data transfer plans,” it adds. The Tata Communications Internet Services Ltd site says, “Tata Indicom Broadband has established a monthly data transfer threshold (Fair Usage Limit) for various unlimited tariff plans...” It goes to explain those plans for which FUP is applicable.

In an email, a spokesperson for Reliance Communications said: “As the ‘unlimited’ plans are devised for the benefit of individual customers, a fair usage cap is necessary to ensure fair use of services for sustained benefits.”

State-run MTNL says it has no FUP at the moment and its unlimited broadband packages “really” offer unlimited usage. Now, unlike many others, people like Satynder Kapoor, a retired systems analyst and financial consultant based in Delhi, have got their priorities right.

“My priority is speed, I don’t download music track or videos. So I didn’t go for an unlimited plan. Our (current) plan is a 6 GB one with 4 mbps speed, for which I pay Rs 900 a month,” he says. But most avid Net users opting for speed have realised the first impact of FUP, as soon as you cross the fair usage limit, is a painful slide in speed, which in some cases touches levels much below the minimum broadband download speed of 256 kbps. That FUP is applicable to unlimited data transfer plans simply defies logic.

Best Click Forward ( Tariffs and speeds are indicative )

Emails & basic surfing: If your Internet usage is restricted to mails and basic web surfing, don’t go for “unlimited” plans. Choose a basic scheme which could either be post-paid `249 p.m. or an entry level Rs 499 prepaid plan. The speed will be 256 kbps.

Skype & YouTube watchers: If you Skype, watch YouTube and occasionally download music, you could go for a plan that ceases to become unlimited beyond 6-8 GB download. If you don’t cross the threshold, you will enjoy a download speed in the range of 512 Kbps to 2 Mbps. Pay not more than Rs 1,000 a month.

Home business & entertainment: If you take your work home, watch songs and video clips for a few hours, you won’t regret going for Rs 1,200 a month and above” schemes which offer speeds of 2 Mbps -4 Mbps with download limit of 20 GB a month.

Download addicts: For those who excessively use the Internet, (streaming video and audio through home wi-fi network and to multiple devices, laptop, TV), there are schemes that are almost unlimited. They offer data transfer limits of 50-200 GB in select locations at speeds of 8-50 Mbps. The charges are Rs 2,999-8,999 per month.

Fair Usage FAQ: What happens when a customer crosses the fair usage limit?

1) Data transfer in excess of fair usage limit as per the applicable tariff plan is treated as a violation of FUP.

2) Upon such violation, the company contacts the customer suggesting reduction in usage or upgrade to a higher bandwidth plan.

3) If the customer fails to upgrade or continues to violate the FUP, company can suspend or terminate the customer's account.

Source: Economic Times