2G and 3G in India: Battle of the tariffs!

4G speeds are yet to arrive in a big way in India and considering that users have been grappling under the weight of dismaying speeds for a long time, this will be more than welcome in the country. Airtel slashed the rates of its 4G packs recently, and Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance seems to be prepping for a big India-wide launch of its 4G services soon.

Getting more out of your “smart” device

It is against this backdrop that operators are encouraging their customers to opt for mobile data for their surfing needs. An indicator of this has been the recent spate of drops in mobile data tariffs by Airtel, Vodafone, Tata Docomo, and Idea Cellular. In addition to bringing some relief to customers burdened with high data tariffs, such price drops go a long way towards encouraging them to enjoy the benefits of staying connected on their smartphones. Mobile phones are limited in features and capabilities, smartphones thankfully face no such restraint.

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Here’s a look at the 2G and 3G plans from Airtel, Idea, and Vodafone in Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi & NCR, and Kolkata circles: 

| | RELIANCE | Rs 178 for 2GB | Rs 219 for 2GB | Rs 52 for 2GB | Rs 178 for 2GB | | VODAFONE | Rs 199 for 2GB data

| Rs 199 for 2GB | Rs 199 for 2GB | Rs 199 for 2GB |

| Rs 650 for 3GB | Rs 450 for 2GB |

The smartphone market is only going to swell in the times to come and only a good data plan will let you benefit from all that your phone truly has to offer. In fact, research firm IDC has estimated that 1 billion smart devices will be shipped to emerging markets by 2014. Even within these markets, BRIC countries of China, India, Brazil, and Russia are expected to generate shipments of 662 million units, and the shipment value is said to be more than $206 billion. Data plans should fall further as more and more smartphones get connected.

Figures from a survey by Ernst & Young in December last year revealed that most mobile phone users in India prefer unlimited Internet data plans over usage-based plans. It found that roughly 54 percent of the respondents in India prefer unlimited mobile data for a fixed price per month. The numbers are an indication that smartphone users are looking at data consumption in a more ambitious way now.