Airtel shuts down 3G network in Kolkata

In one of the first phase-outs of 3G technology globally, Bharti Airtel on Friday announced the shutdown of its 3G network in Kolkata.

Airtel mobile broadband services in the city will now be available on the high speed 4G, it said in a statement. Airtel has reframed the 900 MHz band spectrum being used for 3G to further strengthen its 4G network.

The company is deploying state-of-the-art L900 technology in the 900 MHz band to complement its 4G services in the 2300 Mhz and 1800 Mhz bands.

With L900, Airtel smartphone customers will get 4G availability inside buildings -- homes, offices, and malls. It will also result in wider availability of Airtel 4G and superior network experience across Kolkata.

"This is in line with our stated strategy of focusing on serving quality customers with best-in-class service experience," said company's Chief Technology Officer Randeep Sekhon.

"Going forward, we plan to re-farm all of our 3G spectrum across India and deploy it for 4G in a phased manner. Also, it complements the smartphone ecosystem, which has now gravitated overwhelmingly towards 4G only devices."

However, Airtel will continue to provide 2G services in Kolkata to serve the connectivity needs of customers on feature phones.

All customers on 3G were duly notified and requested to upgrade their handsets and SIMs to continue having smartphone experience.

3G customers who are yet to upgrade their handsets and SIMs will continue to get access to high-quality voice services.