Idea Cellular - India
Idea Cellular (India) uses 2 UMTS bands and 2 GSM bands. Find out if your unlocked phone or mobile device will work with Idea Cellular (India). See the tables below for details.
Check device compatibilityCarrier website: http://www.ideacellular.com/
Idea Cellular was an Indian telecommunications company based in Mumbai, Maharashtra. It was an integrated GSM operator with a significant subscriber base of 220 million as of June 2018. The company was incorporated as Birla Communications in 1995 and was later renamed Idea Cellular in 2002 after a series of mergers and joint ventures with Grasim Industries, AT&T Corporation, and Tata Group.
Idea Cellular provided a range of mobile services including prepaid, postpaid, VOLTE, and high-speed 4G/3G internet services. The company had a strong network presence across all 22 telecom circles in India and was known for its innovative marketing strategies.
In 2018, Idea Cellular merged with Vodafone India to form Vodafone Idea, creating one of the largest telecommunications companies in India by subscribers and revenue. The merger was completed on August 31, 2018, and the combined entity was named Vodafone Idea (Vi).
Frequency Bands
UMTS
| Name | Interface | Description |
|---|---|---|
| B1 (2100 MHz) | UMTS | Idea Cellular India uses the UMTS B1 (2100 MHz) frequency band for its 3G services. This band is widely used for 3G services and supports various networks and devices. The deployment of this band in India is part of the broader implementation of UMTS technology, which was allocated by the World Administrative Radio Conference (WARC-92) held in Málaga-Torremolinos, Spain between 3 February 1992 and 3 March 1992. |
| B8 (900 MHz GSM) | UMTS | Idea Cellular India uses the UMTS B8 (900 MHz GSM) frequency band. This band is used for both GSM and UMTS services, allowing for compatibility with a wide range of devices. The deployment of this frequency band is part of the company's strategy to provide comprehensive mobile services to its subscribers. |
Supported UMTS Protocols
| Name | Generation |
|---|---|
| UMTS | 3G |
| HSPA+ | 3.5G (4G speed) |
GSM
| Name | Interface | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 900 MHz (E-GSM) | GSM | Idea Cellular India uses the GSM 900 MHz (E-GSM) frequency band. This band ranges from 880 MHz to 960 MHz for both uplink and downlink frequencies. The uplink frequency range is from 880 MHz to 915 MHz, and the downlink range is from 925 MHz to 960 MHz. The Absolute Radio Frequency Channel Numbers (ARFCNs) in this band start from 0 to 124 and 975 to 1023. |
| 1800 MHz (DCS) | GSM | Idea Cellular India used the GSM 1800 MHz (DCS) frequency band. This band was introduced in 1991 as an extension of the GSM standard and is primarily used in Europe. The frequency ranges for GSM 1800 are:
This band offers reduced signal interference and greater channel availability compared to the more crowded 900 MHz and 1800 MHz bands used by GSM. It provides services such as voice communication, text messaging (SMS), and basic data communications, similar to GSM. |
Supported GSM Protocols
| Name | Generation |
|---|---|
| EDGE | 2.5G |
