Ranchi, Feb. 27: All you smart, young people had always wanted to download dreams at 2mbps. Your wait is over. Ranchi has become one of the 12 cities of the country where mobile telephony has entered the third generation (3G).

Union minister of state for food processing Subodh Kant Sahay launched the service, offered by BSNL, at a function in the capital today.

Sahay dedicated 3G to parents whose children study or work abroad and said boundaries would melt once the service, which saw a soft launch today, goes full steam.

BSNL officials are expected to test 3G feasibility here before commercial connections are given to interested subscribers. “That will possibly happen in the middle of March. The service will first be available here, then in Jamshedpur, Dhanbad and Bokaro,” a BSNL official said.

Apart from video calls, where the callers can see each other, the 3G service offers video-conferencing, high-speed broadband connectivity, mobile TV, faster video and music downloads and online gaming among others.

All this sure comes for a price. The 3G mobile service requires a handset with advanced features. The minimum cost is nothing less than Rs 7,000. Interested BSNL subscribers will also have to buy a new SIM card for Rs 300. Monthly rental will start from Rs 350 for prepaid connections and Rs 500 for postpaid ones.

The 3G launch has triggered a wave of excitement among the tech-savvy. “We were anxiously waiting for this moment,” said Ashish Singhal, a student of BIT, Mesra, who plans to be among the first subscribers of the service.