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Vi is here: Vodafone Idea Changes Carrier Name
Redmi Smart Band Review: Feature-Rich Yet Affordable
Reliance Jio Partners With AeroMobile to Launch In-Flight Connectivity Services
Realme UI 2.0 Set to Land on 20 Smartphones, Devices Listed
OnePlus 8T to Feature 4500mAh Battery and 65W Fast Charging
Vodafone Idea Lost Over 4.8 Million Subscribers in June, More “Active” Users on Airtel
Amazon Fire TV Stick 3rd Generation and Fire TV Stick Lite Launched in India
JioFiber Now Has 1 Million Users, BSNL Continues to Lose Users
Airtel Might Not Revamp its Postpaid Plans to Match Reliance Jio
Vi (Vodafone Idea) Offering Customers Free 1GB 4G Data for 7 Days

Vi is here: Vodafone Idea Changes Carrier Name

Posted: 25 Sep 2020 10:12 AM PDT

This post first appeared on TelecomTalk Read more at: https://telecomtalk.info/vodafone-idea-carrier-name-change/295901/, Vi is here: Vodafone Idea Changes Carrier Name

Vi is here

Vodafone Idea or Vi, has changed its carrier name to ‘Vi is here.’ The new carrier name falls in-line with the company’s announcement on September 7 that both Vodafone and Idea brands will have a single brand identity called as ‘Vi.’ The new carrier name ‘Vi is here’ is being spotted by both Vodafone and Idea customers across the country. With the telco now becoming a single brand, we can also expect improved services in the coming quarters. While the telco is pushing the new carrier name, subscribers of Vodafone Idea are complaining about the network issues they are facing for a long time now.

Vi is here: The New Carrier Name for Vodafone Idea

When we entered into lockdown back in March this year, Vodafone created awareness among users regarding Coronavirus by changing its carrier name to ‘Vodafone- Be Safe.’ That was a temporary move from the telco back then. Now, Vodafone Idea customers can see a new ‘Vi is here’ carrier name. At the moment, we are not sure whether it is a permanent change or a temporary change to inform customers that the network integration is done and Vi is looking to improve the services.

The new carrier name is being rolled out across the country. Vodafone Idea customers on Twitter started complaining to the telco that their network issues are not being solved, but it is rolling out a new carrier name. “When Vi is here. ! The complain I made last time is still pending there's no use I guess. Check the Network and Net speed in the SS. Please help how can I port please message,” wrote Abhinav Singh to Vodafone Idea on Twitter.

Vi Free 1GB 4G Data

Vi is giving its existing customer base free 1GB 4G data. This 1GB 4G data will carry a validity of 7 days only. So if it is not used within that time frame, the benefit will expire. Vi has also removed the 'Priority 4G Network' offering from its postpaid plans so that there is no tussle left between Trai and the telco.

Image Credit: Mudassar

Original article: Vi is here: Vodafone Idea Changes Carrier Name

Redmi Smart Band Review: Feature-Rich Yet Affordable

Posted: 25 Sep 2020 09:28 AM PDT

This post first appeared on TelecomTalk Read more at: https://telecomtalk.info/redmi-smart-band-review-india/300241/, Redmi Smart Band Review: Feature-Rich Yet Affordable

Redmi announced its first fitness tracker band aka Redmi Smart Band back on September 8, 2020. Xiaomi has given a tough competition to other cheap fitness tracking bands such as Realme Smart Band and more. The Mi Band series from Xiaomi is one of the best-selling series of Smart Bands in the market today. People love Mi Bands because they are cheap but doesn't trim down the features of the band. It is the same with Redmi Smart Band. This product from Xiaomi is also a fitness tracker and comes with plenty of features but at a very low price. I have been using this band for quite a few days now, and here is my complete review of it.

Redmi Smart Band Review: Design

Design of the Redmi Smart Band is something fresh. The Mi Bands are good; however, they lack the kind of design most of the people want. Mi Bands, in general, are slim and look very thin, but that’s not the case with the Redmi Smart Band.

Xiaomi needs to be given credit for the fact that they brought a fresh design with the Redmi Smart Band. If you are a fan of the Fitbit bands, then you are going to love the Redmi Smart Band. On top of the design, the build quality of the band is also very excellent. It will feel almost premium to the person wearing and other people peeking at it. Redmi has done a decent job in distinguishing its smart band from the popular Mi Band series.

One thing that Xiaomi could have worked upon was getting the straps of the Redmi Smart Band correct. This band doesn't offer the most comfortable experience for the customers for putting on the straps on the wrist. Another thing that I didn't like with the watch was that the USB charging port is placed at the bottom mouth of the strap which makes it difficult for me to open it up without too much hassle and then put it on the charge. Nevertheless, it is a welcome change when compared to the Mi Bands as we had to pull off the band from its strap to charge. But yeah, the Mi Bands deliver stellar battery life for a fitness tracker.

But overall, the Redmi Smart Band is quite comfortable to be worn all day long, and it will feel stylish on the wrists of almost anyone who wears it. Also, the band is water and sweat-resistant, so you don't have to worry about it getting wet.

Redmi Smart Band Review: Features

Talking about the features, one of the best things about the Redmi Smart Band is its display. The fitness band comes with a 1.08-inch LCD colour display offering ample brightness so that the customer can read the content on the watch even under direct sunlight. Since the screen of the watch is a little wide, even the viewing angels become a little wider.

There is no issue with the touchscreen feature of the band. The screen is very responsive (not the best-in-class but works good for the price) and makes it easier for the user to navigate through the watch. It is quite easy to wake up the display on the screen as well. There is a 'lift to wake' feature in the band. But compared to the Mi Band 4, this feature is less effective in the Redmi Smart Band.

The screen is made as such that you will be able to read every text message that you get in WhatsApp or normally and along with that, it will also become easier for you to read your emails. The only thing is that this band doesn't show or display text messages in Hindi and doesn't support GIFs, but for the asking price, you should not expect much.

Redmi Smart Band Review: Xiaomi Wear App

For people who don't want to use the small screen of their bands to adjust or change the settings, they can use the Xiaomi Wear app for making those changes. The Xiaomi Wear Lite app is currently supporting only two Smart Bands which are Mi Smart Band 4C and Redmi Smart Band. The application has a very minimal interface which is very similar to OneUI. Right after firing up the app, we are greeted with the Redmi Smart Band name along with the connection status and battery percentage.

The app allows users to change band displays, set alarms, set the apps which can show notifications, set the incoming calling alerts and more. The app can be downloaded for free via Google Play Store and Apple App Store. For iOS users, the app name is Xiaomi Wear Lite.

Redmi Smart Band Review: Health Features

One of the prime reasons why you should or anyone should get the Redmi Smart Band is that it is really good for the people who track their fitness and health. This Smart Band offers customers the usual sensors for tracking activities. The data recorded is almost accurate every time. You won't be able to record false steps simply by moving your arms.

Along with that, you can analyse heart rate activity with this band. There is an optical sensor present in the watch which will facilitate in the recording of the heart rates. The data will be posted graphically on the Xiaomi Wear Lite app.

The band is also capable of giving you accurate sleep data so you can keep wearing it while you are sleeping. As for workouts, the customers get five modes — cycling, running, freestyle, walking, and treadmill.

Redmi Smart Band Review: Battery

Redmi Smart Band comes with a 130mAh battery. Xiaomi has claimed that the watch can run up to two weeks in a single charge. But in my usage, when I used the band with automatic heart rate detection and one hour of moving activity every day, the Smart Band ran for a week. One point to consider is that at all time, my band was connected to my smartphone with the help of Bluetooth. However, you can increase battery life by disabling the heart rate detection functionality.

Redmi Smart Band Review: Verdict

The Redmi Smart Band is launched for a price of Rs 1,599 making it a very competitive Smart Band in the market. It offers a lot for very less which is what Xiaomi always does. The display is very nice, build and design are perfect for this price point and the battery backup isn't bad at all. So it really becomes one of the best products to be considered before you go out and buy a Smart Band. If you ask me, there is actually no other Smart Band which is better than the Redmi Smart Band in this price range at the moment.

However, if you are looking for a better version of Redmi Smart Band, the Chinese company is bringing the Mi Smart Band 5 to India on September 29.

Original article: Redmi Smart Band Review: Feature-Rich Yet Affordable

Reliance Jio Partners With AeroMobile to Launch In-Flight Connectivity Services

Posted: 25 Sep 2020 07:47 AM PDT

This post first appeared on TelecomTalk Read more at: https://telecomtalk.info/reliance-jio-aeromobile-connectivity-services/300223/, Reliance Jio Partners With AeroMobile to Launch In-Flight Connectivity Services

A few days ago, Reliance Jio launched the much-awaited JioPostpaid Plus service with plans starting at Rs 399. At the time of the launch, Jio said that the new plans would offer in-flight connectivity services to the users. In-line with the same plan, Jio also launched few plans with bundled in-flight services. And now, the company has issued a media statement on how it is bringing in-flight connectivity services to the users. Reliance Jio has teamed up with Panasonic Avionics Corporation subsidiary AeroMobile to bring India’s first in-flight services for JioPostpaid Plus users. This will allow every JioPostpaid Plus user to stay connected even while travelling.

How to Use Jio’s In-Flight Packs?

Currently, the in-flight services will be available to Indians when they travel abroad. Once the services are available in the Indian airspace, all Jio customers will have first access to them, but there’s no update on when in-flight connectivity service is launching in India.

Mr Akash Ambani, Director, Jio, says: "JioPostpaid Plus brings with it industry-defining and highest-quality user experience, and through our partnership with AeroMobile we will now offer in-flight roaming services at an attractive price. We are delighted to bring this new service to our customers, who will be able to enjoy seamless, high-quality and secure roaming at 20,000 feet, keeping every JioPostpaid Plus user connected, always."

As we reported recently, Reliance Jio’s in-flight packs start at Rs 499 and they go all the way up to Rs 999. The pack details can be found in the image below. Information regarding partner airlines is available on Jio’s website.

Reliance Jio users with a valid in-flight connectivity pack can start using the pack once their flight reaches 20,000 feet or higher in the following way:

Switch on the smartphone and turn off the Airplane mode
Your phone will automatically connect to the AeroMobile network. The network name may differ dependent on the handset
If your phone does not connect to the AeroMobile network automatically, you will need to go to 'Carrier' in your phone settings and manually select AeroMobile
Ensure Data Roaming is on to use data services
Once connected, you will receive a welcome text and other relevant information
You can now use your mobile phone to call, text, email and surf the internet

Original article: Reliance Jio Partners With AeroMobile to Launch In-Flight Connectivity Services

Realme UI 2.0 Set to Land on 20 Smartphones, Devices Listed

Posted: 25 Sep 2020 06:22 AM PDT

This post first appeared on TelecomTalk Read more at: https://telecomtalk.info/realme-ui-version-2-devices-listed/300141/, Realme UI 2.0 Set to Land on 20 Smartphones, Devices Listed

Realme on Thursday said that the Realme UI 2.0, the next version of Realme User Interface (UI) based on Android 11 will roll out to over 20 devices beginning September, 2020. The development was shared by the company in a forum post on Thursday. According to the company, the Realme 2.0 features "enhanced security and better productivity" with the update delivering "tons of customizations" to the users. Realme said that the Realme X50 Pro will be the first device to receive the Realme UI 2.0 update "in the month of September." However, devices such as Realme Narzo 20A are scheduled to receive the Realme UI 2.0 update in the second quarter of next year.

Realme UI 2.0 to Roll Out to Seven Devices in 2020

According to the "early access roadmap" shared by Realme, the company is said to roll out the Realme UI 2.0 to seven devices including Realme X2 Pro by the end of 2020.

The Realme 7 Pro and Realme Narzo 20 are scheduled to receive the Realme UI 2.0 update in November, 2020. Further, the Realme 6 Pro, Realme 7, Realme Narzo 20 Pro and Realme X2 Pro are scheduled to receive the Realme UI 2.0 update in December, 2020.

The Realme X3, X3 Superzoom, Realme X2, Realme 6, Realme C12 and Realme C15 are scheduled to receive the Realme UI 2.0 update in January 2021. The company said that the Realme UI 2.0 update is expected to roll out to Realme 6 and Realme Narzo 10 in February, 2021. Further, in March 2021, Realme C3 and Reame Narzo 10A are expected to receive the Realme UI 2.0 update.

The company said that the Realme UI 2.0 update will roll out to five devices including Realme X and Realme XT in the second quarter of 2021. The Realme 3 Pro, Realme 5 Pro and Realme Narzo 20A are also among the devices listed to receive the Realme UI 2.0 update in the second quarter of next year.

Realme UI Update Focuses on Creativity, Sociability and Productivity

The company on Monday provided a glimpse into Realme UI 2.0 said to focus on three aspects including creativity, sociability and productivity. The company said that creativity is a "core function" of Realme UI 2.0 update with Realme enabling users to customize more elements of the OS including several layers of the look and feel of the UI. The Always-on Display (AOD) on the Realme UI 2.0 includes an "unprecedented update" with the users now having an ability to customize AOD pattern.

With sociability among the key focus of the Realme UI 2.0 update, the company said that the Realme Share allows users to share files over WiFi between two devices. The Realme Share also lets users share photos and audio tracks through WiFi.

Crucially, the productivity aspect of Realme UI 2.0 updates focuses on "optimising the basic features of the system" such as 32% increase in system speed. Further, it was said that the Realme UI 2.0 update delivers 45% increase in system resources utilisation efficiency and 23.63% increase in speed of launching an application.

Original article: Realme UI 2.0 Set to Land on 20 Smartphones, Devices Listed

OnePlus 8T to Feature 4500mAh Battery and 65W Fast Charging

Posted: 25 Sep 2020 04:37 AM PDT

This post first appeared on TelecomTalk Read more at: https://telecomtalk.info/oneplus-8t-65w-charging-support/300139/, OnePlus 8T to Feature 4500mAh Battery and 65W Fast Charging

Chinese smartphone brand OnePlus is slowly revealing the key features of its upcoming flagship smartphone OnePlus 8T. Arriving on October 14, the OnePlus 8T will be a successor to the OnePlus 8 that was launched in May this year. Ahead of the launch, OnePlus announced its fastest charging solution ever and it is dubbed as Warp Charge 65. The OnePlus 8T 5G will feature Warp Charge 65 and the phone will fully charge from 0 to 100% in 39 minutes. OnePlus also confirmed the 8T would have a 4500mAh unit and users can get 58% of charge in just 15 minutes. We have seen smartphones with 65W fast charging in recent times and it is good to see OnePlus also joining the bandwagon.

OnePlus 8T: Confirmed Specifications and Features

OnePlus used to be one of the leaders in the charging department, but that has changed over the years as its sister brands Oppo and Realme are now offering faster charging speeds in a mid-range segment. “Charging should be quick and simple to help make your digital life as burdenless as possible,” said OnePlus CEO Pete Lau.

OnePlus says the Warp Charge 65's new twin-battery configuration allows the OnePlus 8T 5G to charge more than twice as fast as Warp Charge 30T. With this new setup, both batteries can charge at more than 30W simultaneously while staying cool even when using the phone.

Furthermore, the OnePlus Warp Charge 65 power adapter is also rated to offer high compatibility with other devices. It features a dual-end USB-C port design and supports all previous OnePlus charging protocols which is a good thing to see. It also supports up to 45W PD charging, providing users with the ability to charge up multiple supporting devices such as laptops or tablets.

OnePlus also confirmed that a new heat dissipation system has been included in the OnePlus 8T 5G to keep the charging temperature at a comfortable level. Other confirmed features of the OnePlus 8T include 120Hz Super AMOLED display. The phone might also run Android 11 out of the box.

The OnePlus 8T 5G will also be available for pre-book starting today on Amazon India. The pre-booking of the device will run until October 16, 2020. Customers can pre-book the device at Rs 2,000 giving them first preference once open sales are live for the OnePlus 8T 5G.

Original article: OnePlus 8T to Feature 4500mAh Battery and 65W Fast Charging

Vodafone Idea Lost Over 4.8 Million Subscribers in June, More “Active” Users on Airtel

Posted: 25 Sep 2020 03:12 AM PDT

This post first appeared on TelecomTalk Read more at: https://telecomtalk.info/vodafone-idea-lost-over-4-8-million-subscribers-in-june-more-active-users-on-airtel/300125/, Vodafone Idea Lost Over 4.8 Million Subscribers in June, More “Active” Users on Airtel

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) on Thursday highlighted in its Telecom Subscription Data for the period ending June 30, 2020 that the number of telephone subscribers decreased to 1160.52 million. According to the data released by Trai, Indian telecom operators registered a combined subscriber base of 1163.67 million at the end of May, 2020. The data reveals that the Indian telecom operators lost a combined subscriber base of 3.15 million in one month. Trai said that the urban telephone subscriber base reduced from 637.85 million in May to 636.83 million in June indicating that the operators lost 1.02 million users in one month.

Overall Teledensity in India Decreased to 85.85% in June

Further, the Trai data highlights that the rural telephone subscriber base reduced to 523.69 million in June from 525.82 million in the previous month. The overall tele-density in India is said to have decreased to 85.85% at the end of June from 86.15% in the previous month.

Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Odisha, North East, West Bengal and Rajasthan registered lower tele-density in June as compared to the national average.

Meanwhile, the wireless operators are said to have registered a combined subscriber base of 1,140.71 million in June as compared to 1,143.91 million in May. The Trai data highlights that the operators lost a combined subscriber base of 3.2 million in one month.

In the regional wise breakdown, the wireless operators registered an urban subscriber base of 619.11 million in June as compared to the 620.21 million subscribers in May. In the same time period, the wireless operators are said to have registered a combined rural subscriber base of 521.60 million in June as compared to 523.70 million in May. The Trai data highlights that the wireless operators lost 1.1 million urban subscribers and 2.1 million rural subscribers in one month.

Trai highlighted that the overall wireless tele-density decreased to 84.48% in June as compared to 84.69% in May.

Reliance Jio Added Over 4.4 Million Users in June

According to the Telecom Subscription Data for June, Reliance Jio is said to have added 4.4 million users in June. The Trai data highlights that Reliance Jio, the largest telecom operator in India has extended its overall market share in the country to 34.82% in June as compared to 34.33% in May.

It was said that Bharti Airtel, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and Vodafone Idea together lost over 7.6 million users in June. The Trai data highlights that Vodafone Idea lost over 4.8 million users in June followed by BSNL with 1.7 million users and Airtel with 1.1 million users.

Airtel also registered a marginal decline in its market share in the country from 27.78% in May to 27.76% in June. Similarly, the market share of Vodafone Idea is said to have declined to 26.75% in June from 27.09% in May.

However, it was said that Airtel continues to have more "active" users on its network followed by Vodafone Idea and Reliance Jio.

The data for active subscribers is said to be calculated based on the proportion between visitor location register (VLR) and home location register (HLR). The HLR data provides the total subscriber base of an operator while the VLR data represents the subscriber roaming into one particular network at any given time. It has to be noted that the subscriber can be present at a single network at any point of time, thus, signifying the importance of VLR data.

According to the Trai data, Airtel registered 98.14% of its users on the VLR charts followed by Vodafone Idea at 89.49% and Reliance Jio at 78.15% in June. In the previous month, the Trai data highlights that Airtel registered 96.63% on the VLR charts followed by Vodafone Idea at 89.29% and Reliance Jio at 79.59%.

Jio, Airtel and Vodafone Idea are said to be the top three wireless broadband service providers in June with a subscriber base of 397.25 million, 148.84 million and 116.44 million respectively. In the previous month, Jio is said to have registered a wireless broadband subscriber base of 392.75 million followed by Airtel at 143.55 million and Vodafone Idea at 113.05 million. The Trai data highlights that Jio added around 4.5 million wireless broadband users while Airtel added around 5.29 million wireless broadband users in one month. Further, Vodafone Idea is said to have added 3.39 million wireless broadband users in the same time period.

Original article: Vodafone Idea Lost Over 4.8 Million Subscribers in June, More “Active” Users on Airtel

Amazon Fire TV Stick 3rd Generation and Fire TV Stick Lite Launched in India

Posted: 25 Sep 2020 01:38 AM PDT

This post first appeared on TelecomTalk Read more at: https://telecomtalk.info/amazon-fire-tv-stick-lite-india/300087/, Amazon Fire TV Stick 3rd Generation and Fire TV Stick Lite Launched in India

Amazon Fire TV Stick is one of the most sought after products when people are looking to buy Android TV sticks or Smart TV sticks. Right from the moment Fire TV stick came out, it completely changed the way people consumed content with their televisions. Customers didn't need a Smart TV anymore to run Android apps on it. Amazon has been developing the Fire TV Stick so that their customers can enjoy better features of the product and now the e-commerce giant has launched the 3rd generation of Fire TV Stick and Fire TV Stick Lite in India. Let's take a look at all the specifications and price of the product.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 3rd Generation: Specifications and Price

Amazon has launched Fire TV Stick 3rd generation with 8GB of internal storage so that you can easily download the apps that you want to use. Not a lot has been changed in this 3rd generation product by Amazon. Design and applicability of the product pretty much remain the same. One good upgrade is to the remote which can now control most of the TVs sound and power which is cool to have since you won't need two remotes to control the TV anymore.

So what is the difference between the 2nd generation and 3rd generation stick? The answer is the processor. The Amazon Fire TV Stick 3rd generation comes with a 1.7GHz quad-core processor and it is being said that this processor is 50% faster than what the 2nd generation of the product came with.

Search and content discovery features have been enhanced so that it becomes easier for users to find their favourite shows and movies. There is of course Amazon's Alexa voice assistant which can be used for voice search and voice commands. Customers can stream in Full-HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) along with the support of HDR10+. For sound, there is Dolby Atmos support. This Smart TV stick is priced at Rs 3,999.

Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite: Specifications and Price

Actually, there is not much of a difference between the Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite and the Fire TV Stick 3rd generation. Both have almost similar features such as full-HD resolution support at 60fps along with HDR format support. The users get the same redesigned UI with 8GB internal storage and Amazon's voice assistant Alexa. However, the remote of the Fire TV Stick Lite isn't capable enough to control the features of the TV itself. This Smart TV stick is priced at Rs 2,999.

Original article: Amazon Fire TV Stick 3rd Generation and Fire TV Stick Lite Launched in India

JioFiber Now Has 1 Million Users, BSNL Continues to Lose Users

Posted: 25 Sep 2020 12:15 AM PDT

This post first appeared on TelecomTalk Read more at: https://telecomtalk.info/jiofiber-one-million-userbase-bsnl/300083/, JioFiber Now Has 1 Million Users, BSNL Continues to Lose Users

JioFiber, the Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) arm of Reliance Jio now has over 1 million subscribers, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) highlighted in its report on Thursday. The authority released the Telecom Subscription Data as on June 30, 2020, with the data highlighting that the internet service providers (ISP) in India added over 440,000 users in June. According to the data released by Trai, India hit a wired broadband subscriber base of 19.82 million in June. The ISPs in India had earlier registered a combined subscriber base of 19.38 million as on May 31, 2020.

BSNL Has Lost 490,000 Users in Six Months

The Trai subscription data for June highlights that the state-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) continues to be the top wired broadband service provider in India with a subscriber base of 7.90 million. The operator in the previous month recorded a subscriber base of 7.93 million with the data highlighting that the operator lost 30,000 users in one month.

According to the Trai data, BSNL registered a subscriber base of 8.39 million as on December 31, 2019. However, the operator has since consistently recorded a decline in its user base with the Trai data highlighting that BSNL has now lost 490,000 users in six months.

Bharti Airtel continues its position as the second largest wired broadband service provider in India with a subscriber base of 2.47 million as on June 30, 2020. The operator in the previous month had recorded a subscriber base of 2.41 million indicating that Airtel gained 60,000 users in one month. In March, Airtel registered a subscriber base of 2.47 million with the number dipping to 2.44 million in April and further to 2.41 million in May. It has to be noted that Airtel was among the initial set of internet providers to have resumed sign ups for its wired broadband service in mid-April.

With a subscriber base of 1.68 million, Atria Convergence Technologies (ACT) retained its position as the third largest wired broadband service provider in India as on June 30, 2020. The operator has gained 90,000 users in two months as the Trai data highlights that the operator registered a subscriber base of 1.59 million in April and 1.61 million in May.

Reliance Jio Crosses 1 Million Subscriber Base

The Trai data also highlights that Reliance Jio Infocomm has now emerged as the fourth largest wired broadband service provider in India with a subscriber base of 1.06 million as on June 30, 2020. Reliance Jio that offers its wired broadband service under JioFiber had earlier registered a subscriber base of 0.97 million in May and 0.90 million in April. The Trai data indicates that the operator has gained over 160,000 users in two months. The operator during the initial COVID-19 lockdowns had offered basic broadband connectivity with speeds of 10 Mbps to users even with the inactive lines for no additional cost. Further, JioFiber since late March also provided double data to its users due to the COVID-19 lockdown.

Meanwhile, Hathway Cable and Datacom dropped to fifth on the list of largest wired broadband service providers in India despite increasing its user base to 0.99 million as on June 30, 2020. The Trai data highlights that the operator since March 2020 had maintained its subscriber base of 0.97 million indicating that Hathway Cable and Datacom gained 20,000 users in three months.

It also has to be noted that the wired broadband service providers in India added 360,000 users in May. The Trai data highlights that BSNL had lost 40,000 users in May while Airtel lost 30,000 users. However, ACT and Reliance Jio had led the subscriber additions in May with the operators gaining 50,000 users and 70,0000 users respectively.

According to the data earlier released by Trai, the wired broadband service providers had lost 160,000 users in April with the top five wired broadband service providers except Reliance Jio losing its subscriber base. It remains to be seen how the operators fare in July as the service providers like Airtel had expanded its Xstream Fiber service in early July to more cities. The company has launched its Xstream Fiber services in Aligarh, Gorakhpur, Jagadhari, Jhansi, Jodhpur, Kakinada, Kolhapur, Mathura, Mirzapur, Shahjahanpur, Shimla, Thanjavur and Yamunanagar. The government on its part had also transitioned from Unlock 1.0 to Unlock 2.0 easing several other restrictions that were in place since the COVID-19 lockdown in March.

Original article: JioFiber Now Has 1 Million Users, BSNL Continues to Lose Users

Airtel Might Not Revamp its Postpaid Plans to Match Reliance Jio

Posted: 24 Sep 2020 09:51 PM PDT

This post first appeared on TelecomTalk Read more at: https://telecomtalk.info/airtel-postpaid-plans-revam-jio/299959/, Airtel Might Not Revamp its Postpaid Plans to Match Reliance Jio

Reliance Jio very recently launched its new postpaid plans. Up until now Jio only offered its customers only one postpaid plan of Rs 199 which came with 25GB data and truly unlimited voice calling with 100 SMS/day. Post using the 25GB data, the customers had to pay Rs 20 per gigabyte of data they consumed. Compared to other telcos, this single postpaid plan didn't make a good impression in the mind of the customers. But it was long overdue and it finally happened, Reliance Jio has launched 'JioPostpaid Plus' with a total of four new postpaid plans. But how do these postpaid plans of Jio fare against the plans offered by its rival Airtel? Read ahead to find out.

Airtel Postpaid Plans Offer Plenty Benefits, No Need to be Revamped

Airtel offers its customers postpaid plans with some really good benefits. The telco arguably provides some of the best postpaid plans to the users in the country. That is why it seems very unlikely that Airtel will be too much threatened by what Jio is providing to its customers in the same domain. Airtel’s postpaid plans start at Rs 499 with 75GB data benefit and they go all the way up to Rs 1,599 offering 500GB data per month.

Airtel has been in the postpaid service space for a long time now and it exactly knows what its customers want. Postpaid users are generally more loyal to the telcos than the prepaid ones. That is why there is a very less chance that Airtel is going to revamp its postpaid plans with better benefits to try to compete with Jio.

Bharti Airtel has been very excellent with its postpaid services until now and it depends on both postpaid and prepaid customers to earn its revenue on a large part. But it is not the same case with Reliance Jio. Jio depends on its prepaid customers for the majority of its revenue. Bharti Airtel has over 15 million postpaid customers and the growth of the telco's postpaid service has been constant even when Jio offered a cheaper Rs 199 postpaid plan.

The thing to understand is that even though postpaid offerings is a good thing for Jio, it is not necessarily a threat to Airtel. This is because postpaid plans make a big difference when it comes to retaining the customers but they do not play the role of a key differentiator in adding new customers.

As for OTT subscriptions, it is also highly unlikely that a majority of customers will only look at the OTT subscriptions that are offered and will switch from Airtel to Jio for postpaid service. Like it is mentioned above, postpaid users are more loyal to the telcos than the prepaid users. So Airtel shouldn't be threatened of Jio's postpaid plans and is unlikely to revamp the plans.

Original article: Airtel Might Not Revamp its Postpaid Plans to Match Reliance Jio

Vi (Vodafone Idea) Offering Customers Free 1GB 4G Data for 7 Days

Posted: 24 Sep 2020 06:31 PM PDT

This post first appeared on TelecomTalk Read more at: https://telecomtalk.info/vodafone-idea-free-data-one-week/299924/, Vi (Vodafone Idea) Offering Customers Free 1GB 4G Data for 7 Days

Vodafone Idea, now rebranded as Vi is offering its customers 1GB of free 4G data. Vi is looking to expand its business in India very rapidly and change its image so that it can be profitable soon. The telco has a debt of Rs 54,754 crore in the form of AGR dues which it needs to pay back in the next 10 years. In a bid to be profitable again, the telco is doing everything it can to regain its lost and inactive customers. There are many customers who are not actively using Vi SIM cards for making calls or using data but still have them on their devices. Vi looking to capitalise on those customers by offering them free data.

1GB Free 4G Data for Vi Customers

In a promotional offer, Vi is giving its existing customer base free 1GB 4G data. This 1GB 4G data will carry a validity of 7 days only. So if it is not used within that time frame, the benefit will expire. This move by Vi clearly shows that the telco is really putting in efforts to convert its inactive customers into active ones.

Vi is also offering new benefits with its prepaid plans to the customers. Vi is the only telco apart from Bharti Airtel which is offering customers the subscription of ZEE5 Premium. Even with Airtel, the OTT benefit is limited to only 1 plan. But with Vi, this OTT benefit is provided to the customers with 5 prepaid plans.

Not only that, but Vi is also offering interesting benefits with its plans. Every prepaid or postpaid plan of Vi is now coming with the benefit of MPL cash and discount on Zomato. These offers can put Vi in the spotlight for some time but the telco needs to work on its customer service and improve its overall 4G network so that the customers can stay loyal to the telco in the long-term.

For the unaware, Vi has also removed the 'Priority 4G Network' offering from its postpaid plans so that there is no tussle left between Trai and the telco.

Inputs: Srikapardhi

Original article: Vi (Vodafone Idea) Offering Customers Free 1GB 4G Data for 7 Days

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