Irancell brings 4G to Iran
4G mobile phone network was launched Thursday morning in a ceremony attended by Irancell CEO, Irancell senior managers and a host of media reporters in Pars Hotel in Mashhad. This way, Mashhad, in addition to being covered by 3G network, becomes the first city which enjoys 4G technology across Iran, reported Irancell Public Relations.
After obtaining the agreement to have licence upgrade to 3G and 4G and successful launching of 3G broadband in more than 67 cities across Iran by Irancell, now LTE (4G), as the latest communications technology of the world, is for the first time launched by Irancell.
With 4G network of Irancell being launched, for the first time in Mashhad, the mobile phone susbscribers and the MBB users can experience Internet of world-level standard. Through Irancell Usim, as the new generation SIM cards of Irancell, the users can use 4G services to have access to Internet instead of the other methods of access.
4G supports all capabilities of the advanced handsets in market. Downloading and watching the video files of HD quality, playing online games with no delay, simultaneous use of different users with no impact on the quality, using applications as well as the Internet-based services and products are now possible easily, with high quality, thanks to the 4G technology.
In sync with offical launch of the services in Mashhad, the MBB modems of Irancell which are capable of supporting GPRS, 3G, EDGE and 4G have been offered to market to have more access to the new services. In view of the fact that there are a few handsets which are capable of supporting LTE services, the said modems enable access to all 4G capabilities of Irancell for the users at a low cost.
Speaking in Irancell 4G network launch ceremony, Irancell CEO, Mr. Alireza Ghalambor Dezfouli, referred to launch of the service in line with the top operators of the world and added: The first LTE network was launched in Stockholm and Oslo in 2009, followed by South Korea which launched the technology in 2011 and now Irancell 4G network is launched in Mashhad in 2014.
He went on to say: LTE represents the 4th generation of mobile phone networks. More bandwidth which allows for transfer of larger files in a short time, development of network responding time which enables real time communications and development of network performance which allows for establishing connection and keeping it while in movement at a high speed, are but a few of the LTE advantages.
He said: With 4G generation: download speed is from 10 to 40 Mbps, upload speed from 1 to 15 Mbps and the responding time from 50 to 150 milliseconds.
Referring to the ICT development trend in Iran, he stated: There are some factors which necessitates development of the broadband: The changes in the users’ behavior and the daily-increasing demand of them for using the data-based services, the need for higher speed and quality in data transfer, the need for continuous access to data services, demolition of the 2G technologies and WiMAX and the deadlock in manufacturing and production of the equipment and provision of support by the equipment suppliers, the development of the national information network and evolution of the MBB technologies (3G and 4G) as the continuous solutions for having integrated access to data services.
Movement towards realization of the 20-year mission objectives, institutionalizing for development and generation of knowledge and research, increasing the gross domestic production share in scientific generations, developing and promoting the software movement and placing more emphasis on the innovative ideas, materialization of the rapid, stable and ceaseless economic growth, useful job creation, reduction of the unemployment rate, active global interaction in all sectors and effective participation in the global economy, supporting job creation, innovative activities, relying on the competitive advantages and creation of new advantages, strengthening the private sector and cooperatives as the economic growth driving force, upgrading the capabilities and abilities of the cooperatives and facilitating their access to the resources, establishment of technical, economic and monetary links between the cooperative institutions, meeting the needs and demands of the youth and preparing the grounds for their active participation in the social acticvities and elite management are among the justifications of broadband development.
Iranian Government Earned IRR 173,000 Billion from Irancell Project
Irancell project has brought about as much as IRR 173,000 billion direct and indirect income for the Iranian government over the past eight years, Irancell Chief Executive Officer said.
Referring to the 30% increase of the government annual mixed-income from Irancell project, Mr. Dezfouli added: Irancell had paid some IRR 112,000 billion directly to the government over the past eight years, which consisted of the License fee for 2G, 3G and WiMAX, revenue sharing, numbering, USO, regulation fee, frequency fee, interconnection charges, income tax and duties, withholding tax, Customs and duties, transmission links, utility and energy costs, and the income made by state-run telecommunication companies.
Irancell Coverage beyond License Obligations
Dezfouli added, "According to the License requirements, Irancell was committed to cover 9,089 km of the country's roads by 9th contractual year; this is while we have covered some 28,229 km of roads during the month of Shahrivar (August-September) and went far beyond our obligations by 210.6%."
According to Dezfouli, Irancell has also reached 84.1% of population coverage, going 8.1% beyond its obligations under the License which is 76.3%.
Broadest Mobile Internet & Data Network Nationwide Belongs to Irancell
Irancell CEO reiterated: Installing over 137,000 TRXs, Irancell has the most widespread data and mobile Internet network across the country which is based on 3G, EDGE, GPRS, 2.5G, 2G and 4G.
Irancell Average Dropped Call Rate: 0.77%
Noting that the standard average dropped call rate over the 9th contractual year is 1% as far as the network quality is concerned, Dezfouli said: under the current circumstances of Irancell network and having the network upgrade to higher generation performed, the dropped call rate is 0.77%; while the license agreement recognizes 1% call drop rate as standard. The rate is 0.8% in Shiraz, 1.2% in Tehran and 0.6% in Mashhad, by way of example.
Irancell Has the Most Widespread Roaming Network in Iran
Referring to Irancell's international roaming network as the broadest network in Iran, Dezfouli said, "Using roaming, Irancell's post-paid SIM cards are connected to 421 operators and Prepaid SIM cards are connected to 158 operators worldwide. Irancell is the only Iranian operator which is party to contract with 304 operators in the world and is able to use USSD codes and recharge cards in the destination countries. Irancell has also provided connection during international flights and voyages via 21 international airlines and shipping lines.
Estimated: 15% Exabyte Traffic per Month
Speaking on the global trend for using mobile data, Dezfouli said, "The monthly traffic for mobile data is predicted to be 15 Exabyte in 2018, predicting an increase of 11 times in the traffic rate for the period of 2013 to 2018."
He went on to say: "The total number of electronic devices which are going to be connected to each other using mobile technologies, including M2M devices, is predicted to reach 10 billion until 2018. The collective increase in mobile data usage in the MENA region is also expected to hit 70%."
According to Dezfouli, the increasing trend for mobile data usage is expected to be 9.4% in the MENA region, 18.6% in North America, 42.4% in the East Asia, 10.3% in Central and East Europe, 12% in West Europe and 7.3% in South America.
He went on to say: At present, 331 LTE networks have so far been launched in 112 countries as well as 547 3G networks in 216 countries worldwide. Also, the total percentage for the growth in the number of active MBB subscribers from 2007 to 2014 stands at 83.7% in the developed countries, 21.1% in the developing countries and 32% worldwide.
10% Bandwidth Increase Causes 1.38% Growth of GDP
Speaking on the effects of MBB over global indices, Dezfouli said: Each 10% increase in the MBB penetration rate will result in increasing the Gross Domestic Production by 1.38%. Moreover, each 1% increase in the MBB penetration rate will increase the employment rate by 0.2% and ultimately result in 0.13% increase in the production efficiency.
He went on to say: "We will have 1.8 million jobs created in a 10-year-period as per US$10 billion investment in MBB development as we saw US$300 billion dollars economic efficiency was resulted from increase in the MBB penetration rate in 2007 in the US (22% of the total economic efficiency). Moreover, the total exports of manufacturing companies will be increased by 6% while the total sales of service companies will also be raised by 10%."
Referring to the reports published by the World Bank, Dezfouli explained that the country's GDP will be increased by 1.38% as per each 10% increase in the MBB penetration rate, and according to Analysis Mason group, each 1% increase in the MBB penetration rate will result in 0.13% increase in the total efficiency.
He further reiterated: "The increase in MBB usage will result in employing more efficient business processes, introducing new services and applications, having access to the maximum possible resources, customers and workforce, which will ultimately result in the increase in efficiency, innovation and productivity of the business. According to the ITIF, every 1% increase in the MBB penetration rate will result in 0.2% increase in the employment rate, and every IRR 10 billion investment allocated to development of MBB will create 1.8 million job opportunities over a 10-year period."
According to Criterion Economics, the USA has gained UDS 300 billion benefit in 2007 as a result of increase in the MBB penetration rate. Consumer benefit means purchase of a product by the consumer at a price much lower than expected. More than 1 million and 388 thousands new jobs will be created by 2017 in the US thanks to the development of MBB.
Referring to ITU announcement to the effect that using MBB can increase the amount of manufacturing companies' exports by 6% and sales of services companies by 10%, he added: Based on the existing information as well as the international experiences, development of MBB will make some of the objectives pursued by the resistive economy come true: Bringing about agility and dynamism and developing the macro indexes; Resistance against the threatening elements; Resorting to the local capacities; An approach of ever-increasing efforts; Public-centricity; Safety of the strategic and basic goods; Reducing the dependency to the oil; Changing the Consumption Pattern; Combat against corruption and Becoming more knowledge-centered.
According to Mr. Dezfouli, the net amount of cost-saving by the British households arising from MBB will reach 270 million per year pounds by 2024. The amount of time-saving of the British families arising from making use of MBB, as the main platform of teleworking, is estimated to be 60 million hours by 2024.
While mentioning the impact of MBB on culture, he said: "Using MBB services can help us in promoting the Iranian and Islamic culture across the world through increasing the access and easy-to-use software and hardware for generating and distributing the cultural and religious contents, establishing Iranian-Islamic life style by the specialists, technicians and the public, promoting the culture of the society through increasing the rate of publishing and distribution and cost effective access to books, different kinds of movies and video contents in science, religion, culture and life style arenas, varieties of national, local and religious songs and tones as well as works of arts."
Dezfouli also reiterated: By increasing the awareness about the negative impacts of the unpleasant culture, more training about the cultural immoralities and law defiance through the pictures, text and video presented via MBB, we can prevent the spread of unpleasant cultures and can combat against the alien cultural penetration. Likewise, by making MBB available and accessible to all folks of the society at all time, regardless of their geographic positions in areas such as training, health and treatment, sustainable security, it will be possible to materialize the development of social justice. The most comprehensive and economic layer of access to the National information network is provided through Irancell MBB.
100 Billion Applications Download in a Year
Talking about the growth of the amount of the revenues of the different sectors of MBB ecosystem, he said; nowadays, more than 100 billion applications are downloaded per year across the world. The application economy creates more than 10 billion euros per year just in the Europe. By 2013, around 1.8 million jobs were created only in the contents and application production in the world.
Dezfouli also reiterated: "Nearly 181 percent increase in the revenue earned by the providers of content and applications by 2020 as the activists in culture sector and 22 percent increase in the revenue share of the providers of content and applications from the total revenue generated in mobile broadband ecosystem by 2020 are the other features of the service.
67 Cities under Irancell 3G Coverage
He went on to say: Data transfer speed of Irancell MBB network is now 10 times as much as before. The agggragte amoung of the data usage reached above 3,000 trabyte by Shahrivar which shows an increase of 120% when compared with the time when MBB was not launched in the cities which now enjoy the technology.
4G Modems Rolled-Out
Regarding the features of Irancell 3G and 4G modems, Irancell CEO declared: "The features of these modems are as follows: Access to 3G, 4G, EDGE and GPRS networks; monitor; SMS panel; connection to Internet via USB cables; connection to Wi-Fi and memory cards. Some of the modems have extra features such connection to Internet via Rj 45 cable, data usage management panel and can be used as handset recharger."
Irancell Social Responsibilities
Irancell CEO, Mr. Dezfouli, continued to enumerate many measures taken by Irancell for fulfilling its social responsibilities, such as: sharing BTS sites, and also using firefighting stations, footbridges and masts across towns and cities for preservation of urban structure and beauty, hybrid usage of solar, wind power, gas and electricity resources to help prevent energy loss and construction of the first Green BTS Site working with hybrid energy systems in Iran, construction of standard sites approved by the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran ensuring that the radiations are harmless to life, sending bulk messages in line with environmental protection practices (March 2014), hazardous waste management in accordance with related rules and standards for prevention of environmental pollution, energy consumption management and reduction of greenhouse effect gases and CO2 from 2011.
Dezfouli added: Sponsoring sports teams, supporting the State Welfare Organization, Building schools in impoverished regions and cooperation with Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation were among other measures taken by Irancell for fulfilling its social responsibilities.