Nearly 3 months after BSNL had introduced their EVDO(aka mobile/wireless broadband) Tata Teleservices has launched the Photon - their version of the EVDO service.

For the unknown, EVDO is an acronym for Evolution-Data Optimized, which is a CDMA revision which allows for data transfer rates of upto 2.4 Mbps. Before you run out of your house to get a connection, do note that as of now the service is launched only in SELECT, sub urban areas of Chennai.

BSNL Chennai’s website may claim that EVDO connections are avaible, but the reality is that they’re offering connections only in outer peripheral areas. Sad as it may be but the news is true. I’d paid a visit to the Greames Road exchange in Chennai to apply for a EVDO connection. Initially I was thrilled to see the EVDO device infront of me, all my excitement died when I was informed that there’s no CDMA tower in Triplicane, nor there is one in city. I was told that at the moment, BSNL is focussing on EVDO connections(in Chennai, atleast) only in areas where standard wired connectivity is not possible - areas like Perungudy, OMR, Velachery etc.

while surfing through Chennai telephones site, I came across an interesting web page: https://chennai.bsnl.co.in/News/EVDO.htm This is indeed good news for me, and for those people who can’t just go for a wired connection now(read my reason as to why i cant get a wired connection here. While a web page announcement is a good thing, whether it’ll change the ground reality - that of lack on information among BSNl employees about EVDo, anytime soon will remain to be seen.

Ever since Santosh aka Gigacore started an unofficial site on BSNL EVDO device I’ve been following it closely, seeking for more information and reviews on the device. So it was no surprise that when he launched the BSNL EVDO forums I was the first to register at the forums. Now the userbase has increased and the site has definitely picked up popularity. Has it become so popular as to warrant Airtel from Blocking access to the site?

Ever since my guest house owner denied me permission to draw a 2MM cable for TATA Indicom broadband, I’ve been searching for alternatives, so that I can get atleast a decent net connection. For the past month or so, I’ve been trying out AirTel’s EDGE USB modem option, but this net connection sucks harder than the blackhole. Another good alternative is BSNL’s EVDO service, but then the service was launched recently, and BSNL staff are ignorant about the service.