Department of Telecommunication (DoT) is all set to approve Reliance Industries' (RIL) request to be allowed to test voice services on its 4G networks, reports The Economic Times. The report states that a DoT department called Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC), which is responsible for setting telecom standards and research new products & services, has recommended that RIL be allocated around 10,000 mobile numbers for testing purposes. The department has also reportedly recommended that RIL-owned Infotel Broadband be allowed to connect its network to other operators as part of testing the service, thereby allowing these 10,000 test numbers to make and receive calls from other consumers. However, it has noted that the testing activities should be limited to a specific geographic area at a time and the same equipment is to be used for testing in different circles. Also, it has recommended the government to allot a specific time period for testing purposes, during which the company should not be allowed to offer commercial services. Note that Infotel Broadband is currently the only firm in the country with pan-India BWA spectrum. This development ties in with earlier reports of RIL bundling voice services along with its data offerings. It was previously indicated that RIL would be tying up with Anil Ambani's RCOM to offer these voice services. However, earlier this year, a senior RIL official had reportedly stated during its annual general body meeting, that RIL would not be partnering with RCOM and it would be launching operations all on its own. He had also stated that…
