Vodafone, Bharti Airtel and Idea Cellular have signed a pact to reduce the cost and offer pan India 3G services. They would share their networks to offer intra circle roaming in the circles where they did not acquire 3G licenses.
Bharti Airtel is already sharing Idea’s 3G network in Gujarat to offer intra-circle 3G roaming services for their customers, where they did not acquire 3G licenses. The winners of the 3G auctions were announced last May. Bharti Airtel, Reliance and Aircel acquired license in 13 circles, Idea in 11 circles and Vodafone and tata in 9 circles.
With this agreement, Idea would share Vodafone’s 3G network to offer intra-circle 3G roaming in Delhi and Kolkata circles. Bharti Airtel in partnership with Idea would offer 3G services in the cities of in Bangalore and Mysore in Karnataka.
Vodafone has launched their 3G services in Andhra Pradesh and Kerala in partnership with Idea and plans to launch their 3G services in Uttar Pradesh (West) in partnership with Bharti Airtel.