India is the 2nd largest CDMA market

Bangalore: India has surpassed China to become the second largest CDMA market after crossing the 100 million users mark. Reliance Communications and Tata Teleservices are also among the top five CDMA operators globally, ranking second and fourth, respectively. The U.S.-based Verizon Wireless is the number one CDMA operator in the world, China Telecom is ranked third in the list of top global players, according to the CDMA Development Group (CDG).

After the launch of CDMA in December 2002, the cellular market in India has changed quickly. Efforts by CDMA operators, device manufacturers, technology enablers and the CDG introduced an array of entry-level handsets to the market, while tariffs dropped by more than 40 percent, said CDG.

"The CDG is encouraged by the continued CDMA subscriber growth in India, and we are proud to have worked with operators and manufacturers to bring wireless voice and data services to over 100 million Indians. Efforts to bring a wide range of devices into the market have resulted in a tremendously rapid growth of voice telephony in the country. As we look to the next 100 million subscribers, CDMA mobile broadband is already satisfying the demand for affordable high-speed wireless data services, while CDG initiatives will further increase the selection of CDMA voice and data devices," said Perry LaForge, Executive Director, CDG.

"Reliance has been a pioneer and the largest operator of a CDMA platform in India's wireless sector. We remain committed to further grow and serve our ever-increasing CDMA customer base through innovative applications, superior network quality and service and attractive value-propositions," said S.P. Shukla, President-Wireless Business, Reliance Communications.

CDMA reached 50 million subscribers in India twice as fast as any competing cellular technology, and at the same time greatly increased wireless Internet connectivity in India. Recently-introduced CDMA mobile broadband solutions are braced to have a similar significant impact on increasing broadband penetration in the country.

According to Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), broadband penetration in the country was only at 5.5 million users at the end of 2008, and PC connectivity continues to regulate faster growth. Recently launched mobile broadband services by CDMA2000 operators will have a similar effect on the increasing broadband penetration in India, like CDMA2000 1X services had on increasing voice telephony in the region earlier this decade.