Bharti Airtel in talks with Chinese OEMs for 'mifi' devices

Telecom major Bharti Airtel is in advance talks with Chinese Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEMs) to bring 'mifi' devices that will help people in India to access fourth generation (4G) services from their 3G smart phones. A tiny, battery-operated, wireless device about half the size of a cellphone, a mifi is easy to carry and can help a user hook on to a 4G network through the wi-fi feature in 3G phone.

Since a mifi device can also provide 4G connectivity from a tablet, it is likely to be positioned as a mass-market tool by Bharti to price open the relatively underpenetrated tablet market, which can complement its small-screen 3G offerings.

At present, a mobile user can plug on to Airtel's 4G network with a 3G phone using a device known as an indoor customer premise equipment or CPE, which would be just confined to a room. A mifi device, on the contrary, will give the user mobility.