3G mobile telephony is here

Third generation mobile telephony was ushered into India today when Tata Teleservices launched BREW-based products and services to its 1.43 million mobile customers.

BREW, acronym for Binary Runtime Environment for Wireless, is San Diego-based Qualcomm Inc's proprietary technology that enables users of CDMA phones to wirelessly download games, ringtones, communication, email and business-focussed applications virtually anytime or anywhere.

Peggy Johnson, president of Qualcomm's internet services, said Tata joins a select club of 30 operators worldwide to offer such services.

Tata will offer BREW in Andhra Pradesh, New Delhi, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Maharashtra circles now, through handsets made by Kyocera Wireless Corp, the Japanese major.

It will extend the offering to 12 more circles - Bihar, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Kolkata, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh (both east and west) and Bengal "" later.

The move follows the company's launch of push-to-talk services using the same BREW platform in south India last week.

Amit Bose, president, telecom, Tata Teleservices said, the BREW solution enables high-speed wireless Internet experience even as it offers advanced voice and data services. "It's a way of increasing mobile penetration and expanding wireless data offerings," he said.

Johnson said the BREW solution enhances the possibilities for software developers and wireless subscribers. "It will help India stay on the cutting edge of wireless data services."

Publishers and developers worldwide are generating revenue from BREW-based applications and content, and 26 manufacturers today offer more than 135 BREW-enabled mobile phone models.

(The writer was in San Diego courtesy Qualcomm Inc)