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Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Internet Service Providers (ISP) of Kolkata



Wired Internet:

Those days are past when we were exhausted to use BSNL dial up via landline, BSNL got us with their 2Mbps of broadband in Kolkata in 2007-08. Days of Cable broadband or ADSL/DSL broadband are also over, now in 2023 most ISPs in Kolkata have been upgraded to Fiber. Thanks to COVID lockdown the service providers got much needed time for the upgrade. I must say Jio took the opportunity to extend its fiber coverage across the country. 



➤ Alliance Broadband - alliancebroadband.co.in
Kailash Cable Network - www.kailashcablenetwork.com - It was founded as MSO in 2008, mostly served in Howrah district, and now delivers Alliance Broadband's service. 

➤ BSNL Broadband - ADSL based/Bharat Fiber (Fiber broadband) 
➤ Meghbela Broadband - meghbelabroadband.com
➤ Wishnet Broadband - wishnet.in
➤ SpeedNet Broadband - www.speednetbroadband.in
➤ Siti Cable - www.sitinetworks.com
➤ Manthan Broadband - Since 2002 it was a MSO, later ventured into Cable based broadband
➤ Hathway - now Hathway FiberMax
In October 2018, RIL (owns Jio) acquired 51.34% stakes in Hathway.
➤ GTPL KCBPL
In 2005, Kolkata Cable & Broadband Pariseva Ltd (KCBPL) was formed by a group of 160 cable operators as a MSO in Kolkata metropolitan area. 
Gujarat Telelinks Pvt Ltd or simply GTPL was incorporated in Ahmedabad by Anirudhsinh Jadeja and Kanaksinh Rana in 2006 (or in 2007). 
Rajan Raheja backed Hathway Cable acquired 50% stake in GTPL in 2008 (or 2007). That time the company received cat-B ISP license. In 2008 they started providing broadband services under GTPL Broadband Pvt Ltd. They came to Assam by using MoU with V&S Cable Private Limited in 2011 and started services in West Bengal with KCBPL in 2011. (In 2013 they ventured into Patna/Bihar through MoU with Darsh Communication Private Limited, and in Andra Pradesh via MoU with Vaji Communications.)
In 2013 they also completed digitalization of phase I & II. They got cat-A ISP license in 2015.
In 2010 it was merged with GTPL Hathway Limited. A new joint venture, GTPL KCBPL was formed after that as a subsidiary of GTPL Hathway Ltd. GTPL KCBPL (https://www.gtplkcbpl.com/) serves in West Bengal and Orissa.

➤ Airtel Broadband - rebranded as Airtel Xtream Fiber
➤ Tata Indicom Broadband - rebranded as Tata Sky Broadband (2019), again as Tata Play Fiber (Jan 2022) (https://www.tataplayfiber.com) - available in selected areas
➤ Jio Fiber Broadband 

Indinet - Indinet.co.in

BSNL - Dial up (obsolete)
Reliance Broadband (under RCom of ADAG) (Bankrupt)
✈ Get Network 
✈ Ortel Broadband - call 033-40016891/ www.facebook.com/OrtelCom
✈ Sify Broadband & high speed Internet - Sify exited from consumer biz in 2013.
I used to visit Sify iWay cybercafes during 2005-07, but soon found that they are charging more than BSNL backed cybercafes. Also BSNL was offering better speed that time at 2-8Mbps vs Sify's 256kbps. Also Reliance backed R-World cafes posted some competition to iWays. In 2008-09 I saw downfall of iWays. In 2008 Sify made a try to be in the business by a total rebranding of iWays into ePorts. But that did not work. In 2013 Sify silently exited from consumer internet business and focused on enterprise segment. 


4G - LTE
▶ Jio (formerly Infotel)
▶ Airtel
▶ Vodafone/Idea (presently Vi)

5G (SA/NSA) - Launched in 2022
▶ Jio True5G (SA)/ AirFiber (5G-FWA) 
▶ Airtel 5GPlus (NSA)/ Xtream AirFiber (5G-FWA) 


Wireless Internet
ISPs offering Wireless Internet on 2.4Ghz Spectrum
Tikona Digital Networks
Meghbela Broadband
BlinkNet
Sky Vision Broadband (I guess SkyVision is now owned by A1Diginet)
A1Diginet = www.a1diginet.in , www.a1diginet.co.cc







GPRS/EDGE: (upto 236kbps) [via Mobiles/USB dongles]
Aircel (bankrupt)
Airtel
BSNL
Idea (merged with Vodafone, as Vi)
Reliance - bankrupt
Tata Docomo/Virgin Mobile/T24 (merged with Airtel)
Uninor (merged with Airtel)
Vodafone


CDMA: via USB dongle
BSNL: 1x (upto 153.6kbps) & EVDO (upto 3.1Mbps)
Tata Photon/Virgin vLink (upto 153.6kbps) and Photon+/Virgin vFlash  (upto 3.1Mbps)
Tata Docomo Photon Max ( upto 6.2 Mbps )
Reliance Netconnect Broadband (upto 153.6kbps) and Netconnect Broadband+  (upto 3.1Mbps)
MTS MBrowse (upto 153.6kbps) & MTS MBlaze  (upto 3.1Mbps), MTS MBlaze Ultra (upto 9.3Mbps)
* CDMA Internet services also available on mobile if handset supports.
Since 2018 all CDMA services in India were discontinued. 


3G GSM - upto 3.6Mbps in most areas (upto 7.2Mbps/14.4Mbps/21.6Mbps)
▶ BSNL 3G
Reliance - bankrupt
Aircel - bankrupt
Vodafone (merged with Idea as Vi)
Idea via Vodafone
Airtel via Vodafone (Airtel later bought 3G900 and later discontinued 3G to promote 4G/5G)
Both Airtel and Vodafone (presently Vi) stopped 3G for spectrum reallocation to 4G

WiMAX 
[right now none of them offering WiMAX to new users]
BSNL
Reliance
Tata Communications
All WiMax services were withdrawn around 2015. 



The post was updated in 2023. 

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