BSNL is the first company in India to offer broadband on the move. This service is on the EVDO spectrum and offers speeds upto 2.5Mbps! This article is a summary of all the frequently asked questions on EVDO broadband.
I am in Trivandum, Kerala and it took about 4 trips to the BSNL office at Pattom to get the connection. They have a separate process for issuing the EVDO cards probably because the number of units sold are much less than other post paid services. If you don’t have an existing BSNL connection, you need an address proof document(they don’t accept driving license as a valid document).
Please note that BSNL EVDO is still in implementation. Currently only major cities in India is covered. In the near future it is expected to be implemented across the country. So before you jump in and buy EVDO device confirm that your areas has a tower which supports EVDO!
What is BSNL EVDO service?
BSNL EVDO is a roaming broadband service offered by BSNL. EVDO (Evolution-Data Optimized) is a wireless protocol for broadband access and is an enhancement of the CDMA2000 standard. See wikipedia for more details on EVDO standard.
How do I get the BSNL EVDO service?
You need to visit the main BSNL office in your area for getting the EVDO service. If you already has a BSNL landline, just fill in the form and pay the initial fees of around Rs. 5600 and you will immeditely get the EVDO device. If you don’t have an existing connection, you need to give address proof (passport copy, election card copy etc.).
What is the BSNL EVDO device? Do you have any pictures?
BSNL is using EVDO device AC8700 manufactured by ZTE. It is a sleek black USB device. BSNL has burnt in the phone number and hence the EVDO comes with a phone number on it. The user id is the phone number prefixed with area code and password is typically the last 4 digits of the phone number.
What are the software/hardware requirements for BSNL EVDO?
Along with the ZTE USB card, you will also get a mini cd which contains the device drivers for Microsoft Windows.
What is the cost of BSNL EVDO service?
BSNL EVDO is an unlimited bandwidth service. The initial cost for the device and connection is about Rs. 5600 ($140) and the monthly subscription charge is Rs. 500 excluding tax.
What is the download/upload speed I can expect with BSNL EVDO?
EVDO is capable upto 2.5mbps. But actual speeds are much below this. The maximum I got was 1mpbs and at technopark trivandrum. At my home I get about 150kbps (which is not broadband!) and at Irinjalakkuda there is no service at all! So it will take a while before EVDO can replace other mobile services such as Reliance Netconnect or Tata Indicom mobile broadband.
Where can I use BSNL EVDO service?
BSNL EVDO service is roaming enabled. This means that you can use it anywhere inside your state (I can use it anywhere in Kerala). Currently country wide roaming is not available.
Is there anything I can do to boost BSNL EVDO performance?
The speed on BSNL EVDO is dependent on a number of factors. The location of the EVDO device and the orientation of its antenna can affect the broadband speed if you are away from the BSNL tower. Experiment to find out the best location for maximum speed!
