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Government owned Telecom Company BSNL is all set to join Airtel and Vodafone to offer Apple iPhone 3G to their customers.

BSNL could start offering the iPhone 3G by the end of the year.

And they might become the first player in the market to offer 3G functionality on the iPhone in the Indian market.

BSNL is working on launching their 3G mobile network and the iPhone seems to be the perfect device to offer to the potential customers.

BSNL and MTNL have already received permissions to launch their 3G networks. Private mobile service companies are yet to get allocations of the 3G spectrum.

The wait finally seems to be over. According to reports, the pricing of the most-awaited gadget Apple iPhone, set to be launched in India on August 22, is out.

Reports indicate that the 8 GB version of the 3G iPhone will cost Rs 31,000, while the 16 GB version will cost between Rs 36,000–37,000.

The above pricing is exclusive of the rental plan the phone will come bundled with.

Last week Bharti Airtel and Vodafone announced that they will launch iPhone on August 22.

In a statement, Bharti said that millions of Airtel subscribers will be able to purchase the iPhone at Airtel’s Relationship Centres from August 22.

“iPhone has been an iconic technological revelation of this year and Airtel has been at the forefront of innovation and customer delight in the Indian telecom sector,” Sanjay Kapoor, President, Bharti Airtel mobile services, said.

iPhone is embedded with all 3G features and is twice as fast as the existing mobile phones. The phone also has in-built GPS system, which facilitates as navigation and positioning tool.

Apple’s iPhone 3G is all set to rock the Indian market by the end of August or early September. The phone will be available through Vodafone and Airtel and only the 8GB model will be launched initially.

According to an anonymous source from Airtel, the iPhone 3G will carry almost the same softwares that are available in U.S. market, with some features customised to suit Indian tarrifs. Also the softwares will be available from App store with revised prices for the Indian consumers.

Initially, the 8GB model will be launched in India at an expected price between Rs. 11,500 and Rs. 12,000. The price does not include the data plan costs and import duty.

Most important of all, the 3G availability date has not yet been announced. 3G is a key feature of the iPhone. However, GPS will be present in the Indian version of the phone.

Airtel is the official carrier of iPhone 3G in India, but Vodafone has the 15 day launch advantage due to its global tie-ups. Still Airtel feels that Vodafone hasn’t been able to create the same impact on the prospective iPhone buyers, as Airtel has, with its aggressive marketing.

Both Vodafone and Airtel are allowing pre-orders, so it’s quite possible that the number of orders will easily surpass the quantity available.

Here we have it folks, an exclusive on the iPhone’s availability in India. When, how much, what features, software — everything you ever wanted to know about the iPhone 3G in India! We know you want to get to the meat of the matter, so without further ado, here’s what you need to know:

> iPhone 3G Availability: Vodafone to have a 15 day launch advantage (available August ’08 through Vodafone, and late Aug/September ’08 through Airtel)

> Model: Initially, the 8GB version only

> Price: Rs. 11,500 to Rs. 12,000 (note: U.S. price of the 8GB iPhone 3G is $199)

> Applications: App Store will be available

> App prices: Application prices may see a revision to suit Indian market

> 3G: No fixed date for 3G availability; expected sometime later this year

> GPS: Present on the Indian version as well

> Grey-market availability: Almost nowhere to be seen. One store expects to sell it next week at Rs. 50,000
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