Efforts are already being made to launch 4G (fourth-generation) telecommunications services in select centres but it would consume a couple of years for these services to proliferate, Bharti Infratel Chairman Rakesh Bharti Mittal said.

Mr. Mittal said that 4G services required upgrading of existing infrastructure at the operator level and network, and also required mobile phones capable of handling 4G services.

Speaking on the topic, he added, "4G is effective within a radius of about 350 metres and it will take little longer than 3G to stabilize."

Mr. Mittal was speaking to reportes on sidelines of an event organized to announce Bharti Infratel's first initial public offering (IPO).

Bharti Infratel, the telecom tower division of Bharti Group, will launch its IPO of around 19 crore equity shares of face value of Rs 10 apiece on December 11. The issue will include a fresh issue of the company's more than 14.62 crore equity shares and an offer of sale of around 4.26 crore equity shares by some other stakeholders.

With a price band of between Rs 210 and Rs 240 apiece, the issue will comprise ten per cent of the company's post-issue paid up equity share capital.

The issue will close on December 13 for QIB bidders and on December 14 for retail individual investors and non-institutional bidders.