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- Watcho, Dish TV’s Entertainment Platform Now Has 25 Million Plus Subscribers
- Realme GT Series India Launch Confirmed for May
- Oppo Reno 5Z 5G Launched With MediaTek Dimensity 800U SoC
- WhatsApp Upgraded Business App Comes With New Shopping Features
- India Needs Affordable Smartphone, Mobile Plans with Unlimited Data
- Google’s Whitechapel Expected to be Behind Qualcomm, Apple Flagship Chipsets
- Vivo Y72 5G Spotted on IMDA Certification Hinting Imminent Launch
- Airtel IoT to Help India Integrate and Manage Billions of Smart Devices
- DD Free Dish Controversy Cleared by MIB, All You Should Know
- 5G: Ericsson Trials W-Band for Improving Backhaul Network Capacity
- Airtel Will Soon Purchase Telecom Products From a New Joint Venture Company
- How to Use Samsung TV Plus for Entertaining Yourself
- Airtel, Vi and Tata Tele Will Soon Have to Answer SC on AGR Dues Payments
- Fiber Broadband Plans With Unlimited Data and Other Benefits Are Overrated
| Watcho, Dish TV’s Entertainment Platform Now Has 25 Million Plus Subscribers Posted: 07 Apr 2021 09:12 AM PDT
Dish TV India had earlier expanded the Watcho platform to Amazon Fire TV stick, Dish SMRT Hub and Dish SMRT stick. Commenting on the achievement of the new milestone, Mr Anil Dua, Executive Director & Group CEO, Dish TV India Ltd, said, "We are elated to achieve this 25 million milestone and are proud of having created a strong resonance with our viewers in such a short span of time. At Dish TV India, it has always been our endeavour to meet the entertainment needs of all our subscribers all the time. Watcho is a step in this direction that delivers a seamless streaming entertainment experience to our subscribers through its advanced technology and diverse content. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all our subscribers for loving our platform and congratulate our young watcho team for having created this bond with them." Sharing the optimism Mr Sukhpreet Singh, Corporate Head – Marketing, DishTV & WATCHO, Dish TV India Ltd, added, "Watcho has been growing consistently since its launch. What sets us apart is the fact that Watcho has always aimed at delivering a versatile content portfolio to its subscribers. We are confident that our subscribers are in for a thrilling ride as we continue to introduce interesting snackable content and an integrated content viewing experience across screens." Watcho not only has this unique content on its platform but also provides several engagement properties. Watcho has recently launched Watcho Aur Jeeto to give users an opportunity to engage with the platform daily. It has also launched Watcho Swag that lets users showcase their talent on this novel platform. Watcho is available across screens (Android & iOS devices, Dish SMRT devices, D2H Magic devices, and Fire TV Stick). |
| Realme GT Series India Launch Confirmed for May Posted: 07 Apr 2021 08:53 AM PDT
Realme has recently expanded its portfolio in the home country China with the launch of the Realme GT series. Now, the company has confirmed the launch of the flagship smartphone series in the Indian market. According to the latest report from TechRadar, Francis Wong Realme's CMO (Chief Marketing Officer) has confirmed that the company is all set to bring the next flagship series to India during its third-anniversary celebration. Let's have a detailed look at the Realme CMO announcement. Realme GT Series Confirmed for IndiaWong didn't mention anything about the name of the device. Considering the latest Chinese launch we can expect that the company might launch the Realme GT series in the country. Further, the report confirmed that the upcoming Realme flagship series will make its way to the Indian market in May 2021. According to the TechRadar report, Wong hinted about the launch at "Know your Realmers" where a community member asked him about the phone which he uses daily. In return, Wong replied "wish I could tell you the device I am using, it is our next flagship and it will launch as part of our 3rd-anniversary celebration. Just wait for it." Back on May 4, 2018, Realme started its operations in the Indian market and if the company is planning to launch the device during its 3rd-year celebration then it could be the same date. The CMO didn't throw any specific launch date nor mentioned anything about the launch of GT Neo in India. The smartphone has recently appeared on the BIS website hinting towards an imminent launch in the country. It would be interesting to see which Realme flagship phones are going to make it to the Indian market in May. Just to recall, the Realme GT 5G flaunts a 6.43-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a punch-hole cutout design for the selfie camera sensor. The smartphone is fuelled by a massive 4,500mAh battery with 65W fast charging support. Under the hood, the smartphone is powered by the Snapdragon 888 processor. On the camera front, it houses a 64MP triple-rear camera setup. |
| Oppo Reno 5Z 5G Launched With MediaTek Dimensity 800U SoC Posted: 07 Apr 2021 08:30 AM PDT
Oppo Reno 5Z 5G launched in Singapore on Wednesday, April 7. Oppo F9 Pro+ 5G is quite alike in features with the recently launched Oppo Reno 5Z 5G. The Oppo Reno 5Z 5G only supports has a single SIM card slot and supports 30W VOOC Flash Charge 4.0, which is probably the only difference between it and the Oppo F9 Pro+ 5G. To know more about its price and specifications please read ahead. Oppo Reno 5Z 5G SpecificationsThe smartphone comes with a 6.4-inch full-HD+ (1,080×2,400 pixels) with a Super AMOLED display that features a 20:9 aspect ratio and a 90.8% screen-to-body ratio. It runs on Android 11 with ColourOS 11.1 on top. The Oppo Reno 5Z 5G is powered by the octa-core MediaTek Dimensity 800U SoC along with 8GB of LPPDDR4X RAM and 128GB of internal storage. The handset comes with a quad-camera setup at the rear with a 48MP sensor with an f/1.7 lens. The other 3 camera sensor sport an 8MP macro shooter, a 2MP portrait sensor, and lastly a 2MP macro shooter. For selfies, there is a 16MP sensor with an f/2.4 lens. The Oppo Reno 5Z 5G packs a 4,310mAh battery that is supported by 30W VOOC Flash Charge 4.0. Various connectivity options include 5G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth v5.1, GPS/A-GPS, NFC, a USB Type-C port and a headphone jack. The smartphone measures about 160.1×73.4×7.8mm and weighs 173 grams and comes with an in-display fingerprint sensor. Oppo Reno 5Z 5G price and availabilityThe handset is priced at SGD 529 (about Rs 29,300) for its only variant i.e. 8GB RAM + 128GB internal storage. The model is being offered in two colour options namely Cosmo Blue and Fluid Black. Oppo Reno 5Z 5G is out for grabs on the e-commerce sites Lazada and Shopee. Moreover, Oppo is also offering an unnamed True Wireless Stereo (TWS) earbuds worth SGD 69 which estimates around (Rs 3,800 roughly) with the purchase of the handset. |
| WhatsApp Upgraded Business App Comes With New Shopping Features Posted: 07 Apr 2021 07:30 AM PDT
WhatsApp has introduced new shopping features to its Business App. The option was previously only available on smartphones, but the company is now providing businesses with the option of creating and managing the catalogues from WhatsApp Web (desktop version) rather than just smartphones. WhatsApp being a Facebook-owned company has enhanced the effective ways of marketing, and is now offering the same for its business app. Citings by WhatsAppWhatsApp has cited in a statement that they are aware that most businesses manage inventories from their computer rather than smartphones. The new feature will be an easy way to add new items or services and this will allow customers to easily spot the availability of the items/services. This feature will benefit many businesses, but businesses with large inventories the most. More than 8 billion users can now browse the catalogue using the WhatsApp Business app. Hiding unavailable items is also possible and the hidden items can later be shown again as and when they are back in stock. The feature is now rolled out around the world by WhatsApp and in case you still haven’t received it then you will get it in a few days, most probably. Steps to Add a Product or Service to Your CatalogueStep 1: Open the WhatsApp Business application and click on ‘More’. Step 2: At the top of your chat list you need to locate the ‘Catalogue’ option and then click on it. Step 3: Click “Add new item” and add images that you need to upload from your Photos. Only 10 photos are allowed to be uploaded at once. Step 4: Product or Service name needs to be necessarily provided. Whereas, other options like price, description, link and item code for an uploaded product are not necessarily required as they are optional. Then, you need to tap on ‘Add to Catalogue’ to add the product/service to the cart. |
| India Needs Affordable Smartphone, Mobile Plans with Unlimited Data Posted: 07 Apr 2021 06:30 AM PDT
Maverick Operator Reliance Jio Transformed Indian Telecom MarketHowever, if one takes into account the country general price level (CPL) metric, Drossos said that the telecom plans in Israel and Italy "have similarly very low prices." "The Indian market was completely transformed from the entry of Jio, a maverick operator group," Drossos told TelecomTalk. "India has the lowest 4G monthly prices for plans with up to 50 gigabytes. But there is no affordably priced plans with very large (e.g. 500, 1000) or unlimited data volume which according to our research is the most important competitive metric." Drossos said that a telecom user in Israel can buy 30GB data for 5.48 euros (approximately Rs 483) while 5.98 euros (approximately Rs 526) in Italy would offer 50GB data. In comparison, the managing partner at Rewheel Research said that a telecom plan with 50GB data in India costs 4.39 euros which roughly translates to Rs 387. However, Drossos said that the general price level of Israel and Italy is three times and two times respectively higher to that of India. "So those prices in Israel and Italy are relatively lower than the Indian price for 50 GB," Drossos said. "Prices in mobile markets are primarily driven by the number of mobile network operators (MNO). The more MNOs the lower the price."  The managing partner at Rewheel Research said that Israel had five mobile network operators but that the country now has only four catering to its users. Similarly, Drossos said that Italy now has four telecom operators but that the operator count is set to increase to five. In 2019, Fastweb, an Italian telecommunications company received official approvals from the country's Ministry of Economic Development to become the nation's fifth mobile network operator. Further, Drossos said that Malaysia with six mobile network operators enables users to purchase 20GB data for 4 euros (approximately Rs 353) while 7 euros (approximately Rs 617) offers 6 Mbps "4G unlimited data volume." Drossos also said that Malaysian telecom users can purchase "high speed 4G unlimited data volume" pack for 12 euros which roughly translates to Rs 1060. Indian Telecom Operators Lack Spectrum, Mobile SitesIn mid-March 2021, Rogers Communications, one of the largest telecommunications company in Canada inked a deal to purchase Shaw Communications in a transaction valued at C$26 billion (approximately Rs 1537 billion) including debt. Rogers Communications offers wireless services through its subsidiaries Fido, Chatr and Rogers Wireless while Shaw Communications offers its services through its subsidiaries Freedom Mobile and Shaw Mobile. Freedom Mobile is said to be the fourth largest wireless operator in Canada with the company currently having over 1.9 million users as on November 30, 2020. While the deal between Rogers Communications and Shaw Communications is currently being reviewed by the Canadian government, industry experts including Rewheel Research said that the merger will "result in higher prices and consumer harm." However, the companies said that the transaction will "enhance competitiveness" and that it would offer "more choice and improved services" to Canadian users. The Canadian telecom market is largely similar to the Indian telecom market with three large operators namely Rogers Communications, Telus and BCE controlling the majority of the wireless market. While the country does have multiple other operators including SaskTel, a government-owned telecommunications firm, these operators are largely restricted to one or two provinces. Drossos said that such a scenario of a merger between two Indian wireless operators or even the collapse of an telecom operator will "most likely" result in the increase of telecom plans. "Consumers prefer to buy very large or even better-unlimited data at the lowest price. How low can the lowest monthly price drop in a market depends on competition," Drossos said. "If the smallest operator can make money by selling unlimited data for less than 10 EUR per month (see Malaysia and Russia for example) then the lowest price will be set at that level." While Indian telecom operators have been vocal about the need for an increase in the average revenue per user (ARPU) metric, Drossos said the operators need to offer "truly unlimited mobile data" to increase the APRU. "In our knowledge and experience the only way to sustainable increase the monthly spend of mobile customers is to offer them truly unlimited mobile data [sic]," Drossos said. Crucially, Drossos said that India needs "affordable" smartphones and telecom plans with "unlimited or practically unlimited" data volume as there is minimal wired broadband penetration and a "huge rural population." "The mobile operator that will move first has a lot to gain. Of course, this needs a lot of spectrum and a lot of mobile sites," Drossos said. "And Indian operators do not have much of those two." |
| Google’s Whitechapel Expected to be Behind Qualcomm, Apple Flagship Chipsets Posted: 07 Apr 2021 05:40 AM PDT
Google seems to be working on its next flagship phone dubbed as the Pixel 6. We have already witnessed a series of leaks and rumours about the smartphone but nothing’s been confirmed yet. Moreover, the company is yet to reveal anything about the handset. In the latest development, it has been reported that the company is planning to launch the Pixel 6 with Google's GS101 processor which is codenamed "Whitechapel." This means that the search giant is no more reliable on Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets. According to the report from 9to5Google, the search giant has joined hands with Samsung and the folks at Samsung's System Large-scale Integration (SLSI) division are the ones who are taking care of CPU cores, memory modems and integration of other SoC components. Furthermore, the report suggests that Samsung's 5nm LPE fabrication process is being used to build the Samsung chipset. It seems that Google is planning to launch the devices with Whitechapel chips in 2021, maybe in the second half of the year. The documentation viewed by the folks at 9to5Google suggests that Google will launch the Pixel phone by this fall and it would be powered by the company's Whitechapel platform. Earlier it was rumoured that the company is following Apple's strategy by developing its in-house chipset which can be used in Pixel phones and Chromebooks. Exactly how Apple uses its chipsets in iPhones and Mac. Going with the SamMobile report, the Google chipset has some similar characteristics like Exynos processor, this also includes software components. But we can safely assume that Google will remove Samsung's default ISP and NPU components and encrypt its designs. Reports also suggest that the Pixel 6 series is codenamed 'Slider' and the series consist of two phones with code names 'Raven' and 'Oriole'. These two smartphones could be the Pixel 6 and the Pixel 6 XL. Both the smartphones are expected to launch in the third quarter of 2021. It would be interesting to see how Google's first in-house processor is going to perform and how it’s going to stand against Snapdragon chipsets. What You Should Expect From it?Now the question is how well the chipset is going to perform and what we should expect from it. Long story short, it would be better not to expect that Google's Whitechapel SoC is going to be more powerful than Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 888 or Apple's A14 Bionic chipset. The Whitechapel processor is built by Samsung and most of the core processing components will be similar to the ARM Cortex and Mali components. Moreover, Google doesn't have a dedicated mobile CPU department which will help it in building a complete ARM-based core of its own. The search giant also misses out on the mobile graphics division which means Samsung will more likely use ARM Mali-G78 or maybe a newer version. We all know that Qualcomm's Adreno always outperforms the Mali GPU. Considering all this, we can safely assume that the Google chipset is not going to be a game-changer and it might be less powerful than the existing chipsets. |
| Vivo Y72 5G Spotted on IMDA Certification Hinting Imminent Launch Posted: 07 Apr 2021 04:38 AM PDT
Vivo and other Chinese smartphone brands have a stronghold in the Indian and global market because of their competitive pricing and top-of-the-line specifications. The company is now planning to expand its Y-series lineup with the launch of the Y72 5G. In the past couple of months, we have encountered a series of leaks and rumours about the smartphone, but it’s very tough to believe them blindly as the company is yet to reveal anything. In the latest development, popular tipster Mukul Sharma has shared a post revealing that the upcoming Vivo Y72 5G smartphone is listed on the IMDA certification website revealing some of the vital information about the handset. Let's have a closer look at the IMDA certification and figure out what is new in it. Vivo Y72 5G IMDA CertificationAccording to the screenshots shared by the tipster, the Vivo Y72 5G is listed on IMDA certification with model number V2041. The listing suggests that the smartphone will be powered by the MediaTek 6833 which is the codename for MediaTek Dimensity 700 chipset. The handset is tipped to be backed by 8GB RAM and on the graphic processing front, it will feature Mali G57. The listing also confirmed that the smartphone will run on the Android 11 operating system and features a 1080×2408 pixel resolution display. On the connectivity part, it will support Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, NFC, and a 5G network. Besides this, the IMDA certification didn't reveal much about the Vivo Y72 5G. However, the smartphone is already launched in the Thailand market and thanks to that we know pretty much about the handset. The Vivo Y72 comes with a triple camera setup with the combination of 64MP primary sensor + 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens with 120-degree field-of-view + 2MP macro shooter with an LED flash. The smartphone is fuelled by a 5,000mAh battery with support for 18W fast charging. The smartphone was launched in Thailand in Graphite Black and Dream Glow colour shades. Let's see in what colour the company is planning to launch the device in other markets. |
| Airtel IoT to Help India Integrate and Manage Billions of Smart Devices Posted: 07 Apr 2021 03:45 AM PDT
Bharti Airtel, the second-largest telco of India today, launched the 'Airtel IoT'. It is an integrated platform that empowers businesses to harness the power of the Internet of Things (IoT) and further allow them to prepare for the upcoming era of connected things. Ajay Chitkara, Director & CEO of Airtel Business, said that every business has three key IoT requirements. First, connectivity solutions that future proof their application and device investments. Second, for keeping their data secure. And third, seamless integration with existing IT systems ensures that the IoT data can be used for taking actions. Chitkara assured that Airtel IoT is built on the above-mentioned insights to majorly ease the IoT journeys of businesses. What is Airtel IoT?Airtel IoT is an end-to-end platform. It possesses the capability to connect and manage billions of devices and applications very easily with complete security. At its core is Airtel's robust 5G ready network that comes with the option to deploy NB-IoT, 4G or 2G connectivity leveraging Airtel e-SIM technology. The platform also comes with a flexible set of APIs to help the businesses in removing difficult integration journeys, allowing them to streamline the process of connecting, collecting, and analysing data with the help of their existing workflow tools. Airtel will keep all the IoT data secure with its telco-grade security technology solutions. For the unaware, Airtel IoT is already providing services to a major automobile company called MG Motor. President and MD, MG Motor India, Mr Rajeev Chaba, said that Airtel IoT helped the company in providing customers with India's first internet car that comes with i-SMART technology and 60+ connected car features. Airtel IoT will allow users to access real-time telematics and infotainment in the MG Motor cars. The partnership between both companies will benefit the customers a lot. India's cellular IoT market is expected to grow up to Rs 10,000 crores by the year 2022. This will certainly help Airtel grow the roots of its business even further in India. |
| DD Free Dish Controversy Cleared by MIB, All You Should Know Posted: 07 Apr 2021 02:08 AM PDT
DD Free Dish came into the news when some channels from private networks found a loophole in Prasar Bharti's auction system for gaining free viewership back in 2017. Several questions related to the matter were asked from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB). The ministry recently answered all the important questions in a single statement clearing the matter for all the concerned parties/people. The statement comes directly from Prakash Javadekar, Minister of Information and Broadcasting. He has answered questions such as if the government took the complaints on the matter seriously and, if it did, how did it address the issue. Read the answer provided by Javadekar below. Non-Mandatory Requirement for Encryption of Signal the IssueJavadekar said that the ministry received complaints regarding some channels getting views on the DD Free Dish Set-Top Box (STB) when they were not part of channels downlinkable from DD Free Dish through the auction process. He said that the ministry had examined the complaints and the situation. Upon analysis of the issue, it was found that the situation occurred because of the co-location of the signals and non-mandatory requirement for encryption of signals of free-to-air (FTA) TV channels while being uplinked to a teleport. Javadekar didn't provide any details regarding the 'loss' that the exchequer had to face because of this incident. However, a tweet from Congress quoting Ghulam Nabi Azad, member of Rajya Sabha, in January made headlines saying the exchequer had to face crores of loss because of the issue. The tweet of Azad also mentioned that the private networks had done this on several occasions, and this was not the first time. So while the amount is big, it can't be specified at the moment. Further, Javadekar didn't answer the question of measures that the government will be taking to collect the fees from the concerned private networks. The statement from Javadekar suggests that the government is yet to decide on what its next move should be. |
| 5G: Ericsson Trials W-Band for Improving Backhaul Network Capacity Posted: 07 Apr 2021 12:28 AM PDT
Ericsson recently tested the W-band (92 GHz to 114 GHz) for checking how much it can help in improving the backhaul capacity of a network. The company conducted the trial by partnering up with Cosmote and Deutsche Telekom. The test results proved that W-band frequencies are capable of handling multi-GB wireless backhaul capacity for 5G. At present, wireless backhaul utilises frequency bands in the range of 4 GHz to 80 GHz for supporting 5G. Along with Radio Access Networks (RAN), even the transport networks require an upgrade to handle the increasing demand for telecom services. This makes a higher frequency band with broad channels for wireless backhaul all the more important. Ericsson Said Speed of 10 Gbps AchievedThe companies used a W-band wireless hop spread over a 1.5 km range with telecom grade availability and equipment not yet available in the market. To demonstrate that the W-band will deliver the same long-term performance as the E-band (70/80 GHz), the W-band hop was placed parallel to a 1.5 km E-band hop. Ericsson said that over a 1.5 km distance, a speed of 5.7 Gbps was achieved and a speed of 10 Gbps over a 1 km distance. This test proved that W-band can deliver the same performance as the E-band. Deutsche Telekom Vice President for 5G solutions, Dr Konstantinos Chalkiotis, said that future-proof, high-capacity and cost-efficient wireless backhaul networks are important for handling high traffic demand and increased site locations. The test has confirmed that W-band frequencies with wider channels can be leveraged to deliver a higher performance backhaul for the 5G customers. The company will soon bring the solutions into live networks in a cost-efficient manner. This is not the first time Deutsche Telekom and Ericsson have partnered up. Both the companies have worked together in the past for developing a higher-performing wireless backhaul for the 5G to deliver a superior experience to the customer. |
| Airtel Will Soon Purchase Telecom Products From a New Joint Venture Company Posted: 06 Apr 2021 11:09 PM PDT
Airtel will soon start purchasing telecom equipment from a new joint venture (JV) company. The JV in concern will be formed by the partnership of Bharti Enterprises and Dixon. For the unaware, Dixon has been in the market since 1993, producing and manufacturing a variety of electronic goods and appliances. Dixon and Bharti Enterprise's partnership will be focused on manufacturing telecom related products such as routers, Set-Top Boxes (STBs), modems, and more for the industry. Airtel will also purchase equipment from the JV. The JV company will soon go ahead with filing the necessary documents with the Ministry of Communications (MoC). It will also look for any other nodal agency available to get as much as benefit it can from the Production LinkedIn (PLI) scheme of the government. Once the agreement is completed, and all the paperwork is done officially, Bharti Enterprises will hold a minority stake of 24% in the company, while Dixon will hold the remaining 74%. Saurabh Gupta, CFO of Dixon Technologies, said that it is a delight for the company to partner with Bharti Enterprises. He said that Bharti Enterprises is an ideal long-term partner for the company. Both the companies will be able to leverage each other's resources and knowledge to develop and manufacture new networking and telecom products. This is a strategic partnership for both the companies since the Bharti group has a lot of experience in the telecom domain, while Dixon is great at large-scale manufacturing of electronic goods. Airtel will be a key customer for the upcoming JV company. The Indian telcos can't purchase their gear for network core from Chinese vendors or any vendor that's not on the 'trusted' list of the government. More local manufacturers and equipment makers will stand to benefit the country at a time such as this. This partnership might just be the start for the companies in that direction. |
| How to Use Samsung TV Plus for Entertaining Yourself Posted: 06 Apr 2021 10:00 PM PDT
Samsung TV Plus has become one of the renowned streaming services around the globe. The Smart TV video service offers instant access to news, sports, entertainment and much more. You can simply turn on your TV and open the gates of hassle-free entertainment options. The best feature of the Samsung TV Plus is that it is amalgamated with your Samsung TV. You do not have to install any external device or go through the sign-up process to enjoy the service. The smart TV video service is constantly upgraded to elevate the experience of users. How Can You Get Samsung TV Plus?Accessing Samsung TV Plus is easy. You do not have to download any additional app or insert your credit card information for the services. You can simply turn on your TV, and Samsung TV Plus will instantly start. You can navigate to the Samsung TV Plus using the app bar located at the bottom of your TV screen. Samsung TV Plus offers an array of channels that provide news, sports and entertainment content. You also get recommended list of channels that feature the most popular and widely watched channels on Samsung TV Plus. You must always keep an eye on the recommended section for new shows and channels for an interactive experience. Can you Delete Channels from Samsung TV Plus?Samsung TV Plus offers complete flexibility to users and allows them to delete the channels which they do not want to watch. The smart TV video service adds new channels on a frequent basis. To delete the channels from Samsung TV Plus, press the home on your TV remote and navigate to Samsung TV Plus. Navigate to the channel list and select the edit channels option. Select the channels which you want to delete and click on delete to remove the channels from your Samsung TV Plus channel list. |
| Airtel, Vi and Tata Tele Will Soon Have to Answer SC on AGR Dues Payments Posted: 06 Apr 2021 08:30 PM PDT
Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea (Vi), and Tata Telecommunications had all denied paying any further adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues for FY21. The telcos believe that they have already paid more than they were supposed to. According to a PTI report, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court (SC) for the non-compliance of the AGR order by the telcos. As per the SC order on September 1, 2020, all the telcos had to pay their AGR dues over the period of 10 years with a 10% advance on the total amount before the end of FY21, i.e., March 31, 2021. When DoT asked the telcos to pay the 10% advance, the operators said they had already done that. DoT says that the 10% advance was referred for the 'leftover' dues and not the 'total dues' assessed for the companies. Airtel believes that it doesn't need to make any AGR payment for the next four instalments, and Vi believes that it only has to pay AGR dues in 2022. The time for the telcos for making the payments has passed, and now the telecom department has moved to the SC for getting clearance on the matter. As per the DoT assessment, Airtel had to pay Rs 43,980 cores in AGR dues, out of which it has already paid Rs 18,004 crores. Vi, on the other hand, was said to have AGR dues of Rs 58,364 crores, out of which the telco has paid Rs 7,854 crores. The telcos say that they have paid more than 10% of what was asked of them by referring to the amount paid above. Further, the telcos have gone to the SC asking for a reassessment of the AGR dues amount. Operators say that DoT made arithmetical errors while calculating the dues. The response from the SC is yet to come on any of the matters mentioned above. |
| Fiber Broadband Plans With Unlimited Data and Other Benefits Are Overrated Posted: 06 Apr 2021 06:30 PM PDT
The era of fiber broadband is here. People rely on their fiber connections for doing most of the things online today—especially people who are working or learning from their homes. The new normal has forever changed the way we connect. While 4G networks can offer good speed, they can't be relied upon due to a number of factors, including network throttling, congestion, and more. Thus the demand for broadband plans grew by a factor no one imagined it would. Gone are the days of DSL broadband (copper-cable) connections; fiber broadband is what's hot in the market. This is because fiber broadbands can offer unlimited data, speeds up to 1 Gbps, and more like over-the-top (OTT) benefits. But there's one thing that a lot of people don't understand. Fiber broadband plans are overrated. Fiber Broadband Plans Are OverratedNow, just to be clear, fiber broadband is arguably the best medium to connect to internet for several usages at homes and offices. However, its plans are costly, and most of them don't make sense for an average user. An average user is subscribed to a 4G unlimited call and data plan already; thus, his/her basic needs for streaming in HD, using social media, and reading blogs online can mostly be covered with that data. But then there are broadband companies offering you 'unlimited data', which is mostly 3.3TB or 3,300GB data with several major internet service providers like JioFiber, Airtel Xstream Fiber, and more. Apart from entry-level fiber broadband plans, the average cost for the 100 Mbps broadband plan is between Rs 750 to Rs 900 per month. Thus, these plans are not at all cheap. But then one would argue, DSL broadband plans came for nearly the same price as fiber plans and offered much less. While that is true, what's also true is that most of the users don't require fiber broadband plans. Users can live with 4G data if they live in a good network zone and get constant speeds even during peak hours. However, fiber plans make sense when there's a whole family or a bunch of people who are contributing to get a plan so that everyone can use it. Because then, the data offered by the plan would actually be put to use. Then there are lucrative OTT benefits. Users can get subscriptions to OTT platforms for very cheap today. Apart from Netflix, even the most major OTT platforms don't cost more than Rs 1,500 per year. But the expensive fiber plans with several OTT benefits seem like such a good deal when you calculate the total price you would have to pay if you got the subscription of these platforms individually. However, the question is, how many people actually consume content from the OTT benefits provided by the ISPs. Mostly, an average user would shuffle across two to three premium OTT platforms and not more than that. Thus, getting a subscription to 15 OTT platforms is just not of any use. Entry-Level Fiber Broadband Plans the Best for an Average UserAn average user with basic data needs would get his/her needs fulfilled with an entry-level plan. These plans might not offer 100 Mbps speed, OTT benefits, but they will offer data at sufficient speeds and help the user get the job done. The next time you are inclined towards purchasing a high-speed fiber broadband plan, ask yourself, do you actually require the speed or the OTT or the data benefits? Don't just subscribe because they look like a good deal. Any plan is only a good deal for a consumer when he/she actually needs it. |
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