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4G Migration Rate Fell to an All Time Low in Q1 2020
MTNL Delivered Higher Call Quality in August, Idea Registers Lowest Rating
Redmi 9i With 4GB of RAM to Launch in India on September 15
Dish TV India to Continue its Investment in Evolving Technologies
Trai Chairman: Tax Rates for Telcos Should be Reduced for Further Growth
Android 11 Stable Update Now Live, Currently Rolling Out to Select Pixel Devices and More
There May Not Be a OnePlus 8T Pro This Year
ACT Broadband Netflix Broadband Plans Available in Several Cities: Check Details

4G Migration Rate Fell to an All Time Low in Q1 2020

Posted: 09 Sep 2020 09:26 AM PDT

This post first appeared on TelecomTalk Read more at: https://telecomtalk.info/4g-migration-rate-q1-2020/296096/, 4G Migration Rate Fell to an All Time Low in Q1 2020

vodafone-upgrade-4g-sim-in-karnataka

The effect of COVID-19 was seen in every sector of the economy. One of the already struggling sectors, the telecom sector saw many losses and hardships during the lockdown period. Reliance Jio was the only telecom company which saw profits during the time because of all the investments which came in. One of the many side-effects witnessed was low migration rate and new user addition to the 4G. In the first quarter of 2020, an all-time low user addition and migration rate to 4G was recorded. Even though it is a bad result for the sector, it is not surprising and the sector is going to recover very soon.

Lowest Migration Rate to 4G Recorded

There are many reasons behind this unfortunate record. One of them was the lockdown and the shutting down of retail stores. A large number of customers go to purchase their SIM cards from local retail stores and since they were shut, there was no way people could port to 4G SIM cards.

According to a report from ET Telecom, the 4G user base grew by a very small 1.7% in the first quarter of 2020 against 5.3% in the quarter before that. However, the analysts are quite sure about the fact that the telecom industry will recover very soon since it was just temporary retail shut down in the country.

As for the current quarter, the number is expected to rise to 4% and when the festive season arrives the numbers might further rise to 5% since sales for smartphones increase during that time. Along with that, now the telecom companies are delivering the SIM cards to the homes of their customers. This will further add to the convenience of the customers and they will be more motivated to port to a 4G network or SIM card.

One of the other reasons which have been prominent in the slow migration rate is the resilience of 2G and 3G customers of the country to the 4G network. There are around 317 million customers in India which use 2G/3G network.

Original article: 4G Migration Rate Fell to an All Time Low in Q1 2020

MTNL Delivered Higher Call Quality in August, Idea Registers Lowest Rating

Posted: 09 Sep 2020 06:25 AM PDT

This post first appeared on TelecomTalk Read more at: https://telecomtalk.info/mtnl-higher-call-quality-august-2020/296057/, MTNL Delivered Higher Call Quality in August, Idea Registers Lowest Rating

Multiple Indian telecom operators including state-run Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL), Vodafone and Reliance Jio registered higher voice quality ratings in August, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) data reveals. The data released by Trai on Sunday on its MyCall Portal is said to be generated using Trai MyCall application. Trai said that the data on its MyCall Portal highlights the voice call quality feedback provided by the users on the Trai application. According to the Trai data, MTNL received an average 4.5 voice quality rating on the scale of one to five for the month of August. In the previous month, the operator received an average voice call quality rating of 4.1.

MTNL Leads Indian Telecom Operators in August in Voice Call Quality

The Trai data highlights that MTNL received a 4.5 indoor call quality rating and a 4.9 rating outdoors on the scale of one to five. Further, MTNL is said to have received 87.43% satisfactory rating in August.

Vodafone took the second spot on list with an average voice quality rating of 3.4 for the month of August. The operator received an indoor call quality rating of 3.5 and an outdoor call quality rating of 3.1. Vodafone is said to have received a 73.66% satisfactory rating in August. In July, the operator received an average voice quality rating of 3.3.

The Trai data highlights that Reliance Jio took the third sport with an average voice quality rating of three for the month of August. The operator received an indoor call quality rating of 2.9 and outdoor call quality rating of 3.1. Further, Reliance Jio received a satisfactory rating of 53.99% in August. In July, the operator is said to have received an average 2.8 voice quality rating.

Idea Recorded Lowest Average Voice Quality Rating in August

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) took the fourth spot on the list with an average voice quality rating of 2.9 for the month of August. The operator received an indoor call quality rating of 2.8 and an outdoor rating of three. BSNL received a satisfactory rating of 50.52% in August. In July, the operator was on par with MTNL with an average voice quality rating of 3.8 and received over 70% satisfactory rating.

Airtel took the fourth spot on the list with an average voice quality rating of 2.8 in August. The operator received an indoor and outdoor call quality rating of 2.9 and 2.7 respectively. Further, Airtel received an 50.46% satisfactory rating in August. In July, Airtel received an average voice quality rating of 2.9 along with a 49.67% satisfactory rating.

Idea took the final spot on the list with an average voice quality rating of 2.7 for the month of August. The operator received a 57.11% satisfactory rating in August along with an indoor and outdoor call quality rating of 2.7 and 2.5 respectively. In July, Idea received an average voice quality of 1.8 with an 19.19% satisfactory rating. With Vodafone Idea announcing a complete integration of its networks earlier in the week, it remains to be seen how Vi registers its performance in September.

Original article: MTNL Delivered Higher Call Quality in August, Idea Registers Lowest Rating

Redmi 9i With 4GB of RAM to Launch in India on September 15

Posted: 09 Sep 2020 04:49 AM PDT

This post first appeared on TelecomTalk Read more at: https://telecomtalk.info/xiaomi-redmi-9i-india-launch-date/296052/, Redmi 9i With 4GB of RAM to Launch in India on September 15

After launching its most affordable smartphone under the ‘9’ series, Xiaomi is all set to launch the Redmi 9i in India. This is the seventh Redmi device to launch in India this year after the likes of Redmi Note 9 Pro Max, Redmi Note 9 Pro, Redmi Note 9, Redmi 9 Prime, Redmi 9 and the Redmi 9A. The Redmi 9i will most likely be the Redmi 9A with slightly different specs like 4GB of RAM and dual camera setup on the back. Furthermore, Xiaomi is teasing the phone as ‘Redmi 9i 4GB’ hinting that the phone will arrive in a single variant with 4GB of RAM. Xiaomi never launched seven smartphones in a single series but that has changed with the ‘9’ series in 2020. Hopefully, the Redmi 9i will be the last smartphone under the 9 series this year.

Xiaomi Redmi 9i: Expected Specifications

As noted, the Redmi 9i could well be the Redmi 9A with 4GB of RAM. For the unaware, the Redmi 9A that was launched in India on September 2 comes in two variants- 2GB+32GB and 3GB+32GB, and it is a proper upgrade to the Redmi 8A. However, Xiaomi last year launched the Redmi 8A Dual as well with the dual rear camera setup. So we are expecting the Redmi 9i to be the successor to the Redmi 8A Dual with features like dual camera setup, Helio G25 SoC, 4GB of RAM, HD+ display and a 5000mAh battery.

Xiaomi is teasing the Redmi 9i as ‘BIG ON ENTERTAINMENT.’ Going by the landing page created on mi.com, we can confirm the Redmi 9i to have a teardrop notch, 3.5mm headphone jack and it will run MIUI 12 out of the box.

Key features of the Redmi 9i will be revealed by Xiaomi as we inch closer towards the launch. The price of the Redmi 9i could be Rs 7,999 or Rs 8,499, as these are the only two price points available for Xiaomi for launching a new smartphone.

Original article: Redmi 9i With 4GB of RAM to Launch in India on September 15

Dish TV India to Continue its Investment in Evolving Technologies

Posted: 09 Sep 2020 02:36 AM PDT

This post first appeared on TelecomTalk Read more at: https://telecomtalk.info/dish-tv-investment-evolving-tech/296035/, Dish TV India to Continue its Investment in Evolving Technologies

Dish TV India, one of the largest Direct-to-Home (DTH) operators in India on Sunday said that it will "continue to invest in evolving technologies to fulfill customer needs." The development was shared by Jawahar Lal Goel, managing director of Dish TV India in the company's annual report released on Sunday for the period ended March 31, 2020. Goel said in a message to shareholders that Dish TV India will “continue to adopt and deploy the latest technology to meet the needs of subscribers in the most efficient manner." The report also reflects on the COVID-19 pandemic with the company highlighting that it "sees opportunity in this adversity and looks forward to leverage its pan-India reach, strong rural connect" to connect with users. With the user sentiment "remaining cautious to spend," the company said that "it could cause migration of subscribers from costlier mediums like IPTV to more pocket-friendly options like DTH and cable TV."

Dish TV India Witnessed "Significant Jump in Recharges" Through Digital Mediums

The company said that its post COVID-19 "operational plan incorporates the touchless way of getting new acquisitions, installations and service." Dish TV India said that the pandemic fuelled demand for home entertainment resulting in television and streaming platforms to see "significant growth." Crucially, the company said that the spike in television and streaming platform consumption due to the COVID-19 outbreak is "likely to persist in future as well."

"With the home entertainment left as [the] only choice during lockdowns subsequent to COVID-19 pandemic, the Company witnessed [a] significant jump in recharges with digital mediums," Dish TV India said in its report.

The company said that its users preferred online real-time payment modes such as Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and e-wallets for recharges over cash and physical outlets.

"Increasing proportion of renewals through digital mediums should be the new normal in the post-COVID-19 world," Dish TV India said in its report.

The company said that the return of fresh content on the general entertainment channels along with sporting action "can be expected to be a strong stimulus for recharges going forward."

Goel said that the Indian Media and Entertainment (M&E) industry is the "fastest developing sector in the world" and that the industry is evolving to user demands.

"Consumers are expecting M&E provider to deliver choice, convenience and value, all wrapped inside personalised, customised experiences, that are available on demand," Goel said. "This has resulted in continuous reinventing and explore dynamic entertainment genre, be it in terms of platform, devices, delivery, consumption patterns, government regulations as well as technology and payment methods [sic]."

Further, Goel said that the "transformation phase" of the M&E industry has resulted in the "emergence of many new trends and opportunities" on multiple fronts such as content distribution and consumption.

"The Over-the-Top (OTT) platforms are trying to jostle for space along with traditional distribution platforms," Goel said. "With the increasing threat from internet content and OTT players, some TV distribution networks have launched their own OTT platforms or partnering with pure play OTT players to retain their urban and rural audience along with expanding their viewership."

Crucially, Goel highlighted that the price gap between OTT platforms and DTH providers along with the average revenue per user per month "will play a positive role in favour of DTH player." However, Goel said that the consumer habits will "determine the longevity and acceptance of the OTT platform" beyond the initial years.

It has to be noted that the company launched smart dongles such as Dish SMRT Kit and d2h Magic enabling users to convert existing Set-Top Box into smart device to access OTT content. It was highlighted that the company associated with multiple OTT players such as Amazon Prime Video, Zee5, SonyLiv to enable its users to access OTT content through smart dongles.

"The partnering with leading technology platforms like Amazon, Fire TV Stick and Huawei App Store and being embedded in our very own Dish Smrt Stick, Smrt Kit, Magic Stick, Smrt Hub and Stream, will provide further opportunities to grow business," Dish TV India said in its report.

Watcho Set to Become "One-Stop" Destination for Entertainment Needs

Goel said that the Watcho platform, Dish TV India's in-house product has already shown "green shoots of revenue generation with subscription model coming into play."

"We are working towards making this application a one-stop shop for all entertainment needs for our subscribers," Goel said. "We will continue to remain ahead of the competition in terms of new launch, innovation led by technology and provide all contemporary means of affordable entertainment to the subscribers."

Original article: Dish TV India to Continue its Investment in Evolving Technologies

Trai Chairman: Tax Rates for Telcos Should be Reduced for Further Growth

Posted: 09 Sep 2020 01:04 AM PDT

This post first appeared on TelecomTalk Read more at: https://telecomtalk.info/tax-rates-reduction-telcos-trai-chairman/296023/, Trai Chairman: Tax Rates for Telcos Should be Reduced for Further Growth

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) Chairman, Ram Sewak Sharma recently said that for promoting the growth of the telecom companies in India, GST rates should be slashed from the current 18% to 5%. Trai has requested from DoT (Department of Telecommunications) for the same to be implemented by looking at the telecom industry as an integral part of the economy of the country. If the tax rates are reduced, telecom companies will get a huge relief on their financial burden. Cash flow problems for the telecom companies have risen post the AGR dues matter which has directed the companies to pay 10% advance on the dues before the 10-year payments start.

Tax Rates Can Reduce and 2G Still a Popular Service in Rural Areas

Tax rates for the companies can reduce, but it depends on the decision of DoT. According to a report from ET Telecom, Trai works with a technology-neutral approach and it is the same with the licensing framework. Thus, when asked if 2G would be gone soon from India, the Trai chief said that it depends on the telecom companies and the demand of their customers. He mentioned that in the rural parts of India, 2G is still a popular service and the demand is still there.

Commenting on the investments gained by the Jio Platforms, Trai chief said that these investments have given an opportunity to Jio for leveraging technology to make more innovations in the industry. He further mentioned that innovation has been witnessed in every telecom company in the industry and to remain relevant and competitive in the market, it is important for the companies to keep innovating.

As far as the foreign tech giants who invested in Indian companies are concerned, now they will be able to understand the Indian market even better. They will be able to access more diverse data which will help them in creating digital solutions and products needed in the country. The more advancements which take place in the telecom industry, the more opportunities for creating revenue streams will rise for the telecom companies.

Original article: Trai Chairman: Tax Rates for Telcos Should be Reduced for Further Growth

Android 11 Stable Update Now Live, Currently Rolling Out to Select Pixel Devices and More

Posted: 08 Sep 2020 11:43 PM PDT

This post first appeared on TelecomTalk Read more at: https://telecomtalk.info/android-11-stable-update-official/296013/, Android 11 Stable Update Now Live, Currently Rolling Out to Select Pixel Devices and More

Google on Tuesday announced that the Android 11 stable update is rolling out to select Pixel, OnePlus, Xiaomi, Oppo and Realme devices. The company said that the 11th version of the Android features enhancements to conversations, privacy and includes "new ways" to control smart devices. Android 11 also includes a built-in screen recording feature that enables users to capture and share natively. Google initially introduced Android through a developer preview in February, 2020 with the company releasing the first beta on June 10, 2020.

Android 11 Features Enhancements to Conversations

Android 11 includes a dedicated space in the notification area for all the user conversations across various messaging platforms. The company said that the users can also "prioritise conversations" from select people on Android 11 ensuring that they "never miss an important message."

Further, Android 11 also includes Bubbles, a Facebook Messenger inspired interface that enables users to keep a tab on the messaging app without the need for opening the dedicated app.

The company said that the users on Android 11 can access and control all smart devices in one place by long pressing the power button. The media controls on the Android 11 are said to be "redesigned and are more helpful" to users as compared to the previous versions of Android. Google said that the users on Android 11 can now "quickly switch" the audio output from the mobile speakers to headphones "without missing a beat."

Android 11 features "one-time permissions" enabling users to allow an application to access microphone, camera and location information for a single time. The applications with "one-time permissions" will ask user permission again to access the camera, location or microphone.

The company said that the 11th version of Android will also "auto-reset" permissions on the unused apps. Crucially, the Google Play system updates will enable the company to deliver security and privacy fixes to devices "as soon as they're available" without having to perform a complete device update.

Google said that the Pixel 2 and latest generation Pixel devices will receive exclusive features such as AR-location sharing feature, Smart Reply with Gboard and app suggestions based on the user’s daily routine.

Android 11 Available on Select Pixel, OnePlus, Oppo and Xiaomi Devices

Google said that the Android 11 stable update is currently live on select Pixel devices such as Pixel 2, Pixel 3, Pixel 3A, Pixel 4 and Pixel 4A. Android 11 update is also said to be rolling out to non-Pixel devices such as the OnePlus 8 series. However, unlike Google, the Android 11 update on the non-Pixel devices is available only on the public beta.

OnePlus on Tuesday said that the OnePlus 8 series users can experience the Android 11 update with the OxygenOS 11 Open Beta. Similarly Oppo said that the ColorOS Beta version based on the Android 11 update is currently available for Find X2, Find X2 Pro, Reno3 and Reno3 Pro devices.

Xiaomi said that the Mi 10 and Mi 10 Pro global users can experience Android 11 by downloading its Global Stable Beta ROM.

Meanwhile, Realme said that it is rolling out an Android 11 Preview to the Realme X50 Pro. However, the company said that its Android 11 Preview Release program will be limited to 100 users.

Original article: Android 11 Stable Update Now Live, Currently Rolling Out to Select Pixel Devices and More

There May Not Be a OnePlus 8T Pro This Year

Posted: 08 Sep 2020 09:54 PM PDT

This post first appeared on TelecomTalk Read more at: https://telecomtalk.info/oneplus-8t-pro-not-launching/295999/, There May Not Be a OnePlus 8T Pro This Year

It was recently reported that OnePlus 8T with codename ‘kebab’ would launch later this month or in early October. OnePlus last year launched the OnePlus 7T and 7T Pro smartphones as successors to OnePlus 7 and 7 Pro smartphones. But this year, the company will not be launching the OnePlus 8T Pro which means the OnePlus 8 Pro will remain as the premium offering from OnePlus. It makes complete sense as the OnePlus 8 Pro is probably the best premium smartphone out there and launching a ‘T’ version just for the sake of like the OnePlus 7T Pro may not be a good idea. OnePlus was heavily criticised last year for launching the OnePlus 7T Pro with just minor upgrades on the board, but the show-stealer was the OnePlus 7T Pro McLaren Edition.

OnePlus 8T Pro Reportedly Not Launching

Popular tipster Max J stated that there would be no OnePlus 8T Pro this year. The OnePlus 8T Pro was supposed to have ‘kebab2’ codename. The Chinese company might have taken this decision as it wasn’t able to add major changes to the OnePlus 8 Pro. And the OnePlus 8T which is supposed to launch very soon will sit between the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro smartphones and it is a good thing for the company as well. The OnePlus 7T Pro did not receive a good response as people bought the cheaper OnePlus 7 Pro.

The OnePlus 8T is said to offer 120Hz Full HD+ display, 65W fast charging, Snapdragon 865+ SoC and a new 48MP primary shooter. The prices of the 8T could start at Rs 44,999 in India, which will make a perfect option between the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro.

But again, nothing is confirmed, but the fact that the OnePlus 8T Pro wasn’t leaked till now pretty much confirms that it does not exist. The standard OnePlus 8T will not offer features like wireless charging, IP68 certification and Quad HD+ display as they will remain exclusive to the OnePlus 8 Pro.

Original article: There May Not Be a OnePlus 8T Pro This Year

ACT Broadband Netflix Broadband Plans Available in Several Cities: Check Details

Posted: 08 Sep 2020 06:32 PM PDT

This post first appeared on TelecomTalk Read more at: https://telecomtalk.info/act-fibernet-netflix-broadband-plans/295927/, ACT Broadband Netflix Broadband Plans Available in Several Cities: Check Details

ACT Fibernet has become a popular internet service provider and provides broadband service to a large number of Indians. In recent months, people have resorted to watching OTT content sitting in their homes because there is a lot of risk in going out. To make the streaming easier, ACT offers customers high-speed internet plans and along with that OTT benefit. There are many plans from ACT which come with the benefit of Netflix. If you pay for both Netflix and broadband connection, these plans from ACT might interest you. Keep reading ahead to know about the plans.

ACT Broadband Netflix Plans

The thing is, there is not one standard plan offered to the customers by ACT which is available across the country. Unlike Airtel Xstream Fiber and JioFiber, ACT offers plans with different rates in different telecom circles of the country. ACT also offers some plans on which the customers of various telecom circles in India get the benefit of Netflix. The thing which you must remember is that Netflix special plans don't offer Netflix for free but offer a cashback of up to Rs 500 on purchase of Netflix subscriptions.

Starting with plans from Bangalore, you can select from either of these plans — Storm, Blaze, Lightning, GIGA, and Incredible. All these plans will get you the benefit of Netflix and will help you in streaming without any worry of data or speed. The speed on these plans range from 100 Mbps to 1 Gbps and data ranges from 450GB to 3,500GB per month. Monthly rental on these plans ranges from Rs 1,085 to Rs 5,999. Once the data is exhausted, the speed drops to between 1 Mbps and 5 Mbps in these plans.

Coming to Delhi, customers can choose from either of these plans — Platinum Pro and Diamond. These are the only two plans from Delhi which are suitable for getting Netflix. The speed on these plans ranges from 200 Mbps to 300 Mbps. As for data, it ranges from 1,000GB to 1,500GB per month. Monthly rental of both these plans is Rs 1,049 for the Platinum Pro and Rs 1,349 for the Diamond. Post FUP limit, the speed for data reduces to 1 Mbps and 2 Mbps.

If you are living in Chennai, then you can select from either of the following plans — Storm, Blast Promo, Incredible, and Lightning. You get between 150 Mbps to 350 Mbps speed with these plans along with 1,000GB to 2,000GB data per month. Monthly rental of these plans ranges from Rs 1,075 to Rs 1,999. Once the data is exhausted, the speed of the data is reduced to 1 Mbps and 2 Mbps.

As for Hyderabad, there are multiple A-Max plans at Rs 1,075 and Rs 1,325 along with ACT GIGA at Rs 5,999 and Incredible at Rs 1,999 available for people who want the benefit of Netflix. Speed range on these plans falls between 100 Mbps and 1 Gbps along with 1,000GB and 2,000GB data. Post FUP data is over, speeds are reduced to between 3 Mbps and 10 Mbps.

There are Netflix plans available in more telecom circles and their pricing is also somewhat near the price ranges mentioned above. Speed and data benefits will differ from city to city.

Original article: ACT Broadband Netflix Broadband Plans Available in Several Cities: Check Details

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