SSTL rolls out 3G plus telecom network across all circles

Company also launched a hi-tech dongle priced at Rs 1,299, that provides data speeds of up to 9.8 Mbps

Sistema Shyam Teleservices (SSTL), controlled by Russian conglomerate Sistema, today announced the commercial roll-out of 3G Plus telecom network across all its circles.

The network is used to offer high speed data services.

The company, which operates under MTS brand name, also launched a hi-tech dongle priced at Rs 1,299, that provides data speeds of up to 9.8 Mbps.

The company had recently got the third carrier or slot in the 800 Mhz spectrum band from the Department of Telecom (DoT) allowing it to launch third generation plus services. The telecom operator had won three slots of 1.25 Mhz each in 800 MHz band, used for providing CDMA services, for eight circles in the March auction for Rs 3,639 crore.

The 3G Plus telecom network is based on Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) Rev. B Phase II technology.

"The roll out is all set to make MTS India the first telecom operator in India to provide ubiquitous 3G plus network coverage across all its nine circles of operations," MTS India CEO Dmitry Shukov told reporters here.

The company has operations in Delhi, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kolkata, Uttar Pradesh (West) and West Bengal. It has Unified Licence, which allows liberal use of telecom technologies for providing latest services.

Shukov said going forward, the company is planning to launch a slew of smartphones by the end of the 2013.

The operator launched tariff plans in the range of Rs 798 to Rs 1498 for pre-paid customers and Rs 700 to Rs 1399 for post-paid users having a validity of one month.

It also announced a bundled offer for its pre-paid customers wherein they need to pay Rs 1399 to get an MBlaze Ultra dongle along with 10 GB data usage with 30 day validity.

Existing postpaid MBlaze customers can get the dongle by paying Rs 750 with complete cash back.