Wireless Communications

History of Wireless
Communications in
India
Assignment 1

Hitesh D.Dudani
Roll No: 407
MBA(Tech) Telecom
History of Wireless Communications
It was in the late 1800's, though, that the first successful wireless
transmission of radio waves was accomplished by the Italian
physicist Guglielmo Marconi. By September 1895, Marconi had
already built the equipment that transmitted electrical signals
through the air, which marked the beginning of telegraphy, or radio.

The Indian history of wireless communications is distributed along a

broad timeline dating back to early 20 th century. The Indian telecom
industry has grown tremendously in the past few decades and so has the use of wireless
communications. The simple convenience of setting up a wireless network is the reason why its
widely preferred in all types of communication.

The history of wireless communications in INDIA mentioned briefly below:-

 1902-First wireless telegraph station established between Saugor Islands and Sandheads.
Wireless telegraphy originated as a term to describe electrical signaling without the electric
wires to connect the end points. 1909 wireless Telegraph Table Island, etc.Traffic  was
maintained with ships at-sea from Calcutta stations at Diamond Island,

 1927 Radio-Telegraph started working  between U.K. and India. 

Radio-Telegraph started working between U.K. and India. The beam station at Kirkee and
Dhond opened by Lord Irwin and greetings exchanged with the King of England

 1933 Radio-Telephone communications between England and India

Radio-Telephone communications between England and India opened by India Radio and
Cable Communication Co.Special Trunk Exchange was installed at Kirkee.

 1942 Bombay-China Wireless Service inaugurated. Training centre at Calcutta transferred

to Jabalpur.

 1938-39 Construction of short wave and medium wave wireless telegraph

Receivers in a number of stations and direction finding stations at Gaya and Allahabad.

 1949 Wireless Station commenced functioning at Srinagar.

 1950 India-Afghanistan Wireless Telegraph Service inaugurated.

Radio-Telephone Service between India and Nepal inaugurated

 1953 First Automatic Exchange in Calcutta.

Telex Service in Bombay. First 12-Channel Carrier Systems.  Introduction of Frequency
Modulation.  Mechanisation of Telephone Revenue Accounting.
  1975 First PCM system

Between city and Andheri telephone exchanges commissioned in Mumbai. ‘Advanced Level
Telecom Training Centre’ commenced training activities from Delhi to be eventually shifted
to its own campus in Ghaziabad.

 1976 First Digital Microwave System introduced in Calcutta Junction network

 1980 First satellite earth station for domestic communications                established at

Secunderabad (U.P.)

 1985 First Mobile Telephone Service introduced at Delhi.

First Radio Paging introduced in Delhi.

 1994 Announcement of National Telecom Policy.

Cellular telephone service started in Calcutta and Delhi. Internet service provided by VSNL.
ISDN service started commercially.

 1995 The “Telecom Regulatory Authority of India” was set up.

Wireless in Local Loop (WLL) telephone system introduced in MTNL Delhi.

 2002 VSNL came under private management. 

International Long Distance Service opened for private  competition. Internet telephony
was started.

Auctioning of the Wireless Spectrum

 1992  Liberalization of the Indian Economy begins

First two rounds of the allocation process for nationwide spectrum raised Rs3,400 crore for
4.4 Mhz, valuing each Mhz at Rs770 crore [1 Crore = 10 million]
 1999 The third license in every circle was given free to state-run BSNL and MTNL.
 2001  Economies recover from the Dot Com Bust and Face 9/11 issue.
Government auctions fourth license for a total of Rs1,651 crore for 4.4 Mhz, valuing each
Mhz at Rs375 crore.
 2008 Five new operators were given spectrum at 2001 rates despite resistance from
telecom bloggers.
 2010 the price of one national slot of 5 Mhz of 3G spectrum is going for Rs8,914
crore, valuing each Mhz at Rs1,782 crore. The auction is ongoing.

In August 1995 GSM entered India by means of historic first call phone call was made by
MobileNet-joint venture between Telstra (Australia) & B. K. Modi Group.

This was followed by a mobile revolution in Kolkatta. The initial tariff fot talking over a mobile
phone was Rs 17/min