Tata Teleservices is all set to offer time division multiple access (TDMA)-based voice and data services in the rural and semi-urban areas by August, based on corDECT, India's very own wireless in local loop technology.

corDECT was jointly developed by Analog Devices Inc, Midas Communication Technologies Ltd and the TeNeT group of IIT Madras led by professor Ashok Jhunjhunwala about four years back.

"The efficacy of this technology is already proven by a small-time Internet service provider in some towns of Tamil Nadu and we are satisfied with the technology after testing it. This will work in the rural and semi-urban belts and also reduce the cost of per line connection," said TTSL chief operating officer Jagrut Vyas.

Under corDECT, there will be a digital integration switch in the main town surrounding the villages from where optical fibre network will join the base station.

"From the base station to the customer's premises, the technology will reach voice and data wireless. It is also a kind of fixed wireless telephone, which we are now offering in major cities," Vyas said.

corDECT is now being successfully used in Brazil, Egypt, Nigeria, Yemen and Madagascar and at the implementation stage in another half-a-dozen countries.

TTSL will launch the services in states such as Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Maharashtra in August, while the other states will get the services in a phased manner, Vyas said.

Under the plan, TTSL will offer a combined 70 kbps -- 35 kbps each for data and voice services -- through its fixed telephone connections.

The TDMA services will not only fulfill the licensing obligations but also open new vistas for generating revenue for the company, Vyas said.

"We have already completed the initial works for rolling out TDMA services in rural India and work on the final phase is progressing," Vyas said.

"We have checked with the operators abroad and received a good feedback. We hope it will be quite successful in India," said Vyas.

Telephone instruments for TDMA services are manufactured by at least three companies -- Crompton Greaves, HFCL and Shyam Technologies in India at present.

As per the existing telecom regulations, starting mobile services in the rural and semi-urban areas is not permitted.

TTSL will only concentrate on fixed wireless connections.

"The rural market is huge and has an immense potential and may be much bigger than what we are getting from the 10 major cities in the country. We are hopeful that we will be the first to enter the TDMA market," Vyas said.