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• Bharti Airtel Enhances Networks in Gujarat by Deploying Additional Spectrum
• Vivo, Oppo, Xiaomi Gearing Up to Compete With Samsung’s Upcoming Foldables
• ASCI Guidelines Require Social Media Influencers to Provide Ample Disclosure
• Apple AirPods 3 and AirPods Pro 2 to Launch With Revamped Design
• Telecom Deal Renewal Delay Drags Zee5 Revenues
• OnePlus Nord CE 5G Tipped to Launch With Snapdragon 750G and 64MP Camera
• Belgium’s Proximus Equipped with Nokia’s 25G Passive Optical Network
• Mavenir to Provide Cloud-Based 5G Solutions on Amazon Web Services
• COAI Believes 5G Will Empower IoT, AI, AR and More Such Technologies
• Vodafone Idea the Best in Providing Group Video Calling Experience: Opensignal
• Poco F3 GT Might be the Next Revolution in the Indian Smartphone Market
• Vodafone’s Aggressive 5G Plans for International Markets
• Spectrum for 5G Trials Allocated to the Telcos, mmWave Band Included
• DoT Wants to Regulate Social Media Apps Like Telecom Operators
• Finding the Right Broadband Router for Smooth Online Gaming
• How To Check Whether Your Phone Supports Carrier Aggregation
• Vodafone Idea or Reliance Jio, Which Operator’s Rs 555 Plan is Worth It?

Bharti Airtel Enhances Networks in Gujarat by Deploying Additional Spectrum Posted: 28 May 2021 10:27 AM PDT Bharti Airtel, one of India’s top telcos on Friday stated that it had deployed an additional 10MHz spectrum when it comes to the 2300MHz band in the state of Gujarat alongside network software as well as tools that include pre-5G Massive MIMO Carrier Aggregation and 4G Advanced meant to improve network capacity and coverage across the state. For those of you unaware, Airtel had acquired the 10 MHz spectrum for the state of Gujarat during the spectrum auctions that recently took place. The company stated that, with this fresh spectrum, Airtel now has 70.4MHz of diverse spectrum holdings across bands such as 2300/1800/900. Furthermore, the company is supposedly well-positioned to cater to the growing demand for high-speed data services with readiness for 5G. Navneet Sharma, the CEO of Gujarat Bharti-Airtel stated that the company has continued to invest aggressively when it comes to the new spectrum as well as network updates in order to deliver a world-class experience to Airtel’s customers. With the new block of 2300 band that had been acquired during the recent auctions, the company has erected a future-ready network by building capacities capable of catering to higher-speed data. What Else Has The Company Done In Recent Times Airtel stated that with this latest spectrum purchase, it now has a spectrum holding of 68.8MHz in the southern state of Karnataka, whilst the diverse spectrum holdings that are present across 2300MHz, 2100MHz, 1800MHz, and 900MHz band makes it apt for the proper rollout of 5G. The company, which is also India’s second-largest telco deployed an additional 15MHz spectrum, namely 5MHz spectrum in the 1800MHz and 10MHz in the 2300 band coupled with advanced network software tools in the state of Kerela. The company is also adding extra spectrum when it comes to the 1800MHz and 2300MHz bands in states such as Punjab, MP and Odisha in short duration to ramp up overall 4G coverage as well as boost readiness for 5G. Airtel is also planning to deploy 800MHz spectrum in MP in a couple of weeks as per the report. In case you missed it, with the auction that was held in March of 2021, Airtel was able to acquire 355.45MHz of the spectrum that was worth Rs 18,699 crore with market leader Jio purchasing a whopping 488.35MHz spectrum spread across 22 circles for a total amount of Rs 57,123 crore.

Vivo, Oppo, Xiaomi Gearing Up to Compete With Samsung’s Upcoming Foldables Posted: 28 May 2021 08:47 AM PDT Samsung has been at the pinnacle of smartphone design ever since it launched the original Note series of devices, which brought the phablet trend to the market, with a more recent example of the trendsetting habit being the S6 Edge which modernised the curved screen and made it into a feature that was garnering a lot of attention from all kinds of users. The company, in recent years, decided to enter the foldable market with the original fold, which, to put it lightly, was quite mediocre at best. The quality control issues meant that the device was a no-go from the start, with reviewers reporting issues with the display even after getting replacements. In recent months, we have heard increasing rumours of the company launching the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3, the successor to the Z Fold 2, which was the successor to the Fold discussed earlier. Now, it seems that Samsung will not be alone in this race to the best foldable. BBK Group, Xiaomi To Launch New Foldables A report by DigiTimes has mentioned that Samsung might not be the only smartphone maker to launch a new foldable device in Q3 or the third quarter of the year, with the report claiming that the likes of Xiaomi, OPPO and Vivo are working on their own version of foldable that will be launched in the next quarter with the aim to beat Samsung’s top offerings. Xiaomi, the famed Chinese company announced its first foldable device back in the month of March is now reportedly planning to launch a cheaper foldable to compete with Samsung. The report states that the device could be priced lower than the Mi Mix Fold, which was launched for a pricey 9,999 Yuan or $1,570. Meanwhile, BBK Group’s Oppo and Vivo are also working on their own foldables, both of which will launch in the second half of the year. Much like the Xiaomi foldable, the specifications of these foldables are not yet known, with no hints expected soon. Previous leaks have suggested that Samsung is expected to launch two new foldables in the month of July, namely the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and the Galaxy Z Flip 3, with the former rumoured to be the company’s first offering to come with an under-display selfie snapper. The device will also feature support for the S-Pen and come with 120Hz refresh rate support with a new split-UI feature in the works for the same.

ASCI Guidelines Require Social Media Influencers to Provide Ample Disclosure Posted: 28 May 2021 07:29 AM PDT The Advertising Standards Council of India or ASCI has released new guidelines meant for influencer advertising on digital media platforms such as Instagram or Youtube. The new guidelines mandate the need for all promotional content that is being published by social media influencers or representatives to carry a disclosure label identifying the same as an advertisement. Furthermore, the new laws urge influencers to provide due diligence regarding products or services that are promoted via their accounts with ASCI stating that it was critical for consumers to distinguish between something being promoted and something that is not. This includes the likes of products that might feature an influence of the influencer’s opinion or behaviour for commercial gains. The new guidelines will come into effect on June 14 as per certain reports with mandates in place that require influencers to label their content appropriately to help consumers understand whether or not the content is an advertisement. ASCI also emphasises prominent disclosure that will not be confusing to the viewer. Influencers are also required to review and satisfy themselves with the product before advertising the same. What Do The New Laws Mention ASCI mentions that influencers are required to add a disclosure to their posts only if there is any material connected to the advertiser. This might be in the form of monetary compensation, freebies or any other compromise that has been put in place between the two parties. This is to be done in a manner that is not hard to miss, meaning it should not be buried under hashtags or links and disclosure tools should be used. In case adverts or videos are posted, the disclosure label should be showcased over the content, with labels like ads, sponsored, collaboration, partnership, employee and free gift on offer. For videos that are 15 seconds or longer, the disclosure label is required to be there for at least 3 seconds, with videos over two minutes requiring the same for the entire duration of the video. For videos longer than 15 seconds but less than 2 mins, the disclosure label should be there for one-third the length of the video. Finally, in the case of audio media such as podcasts, the disclosure must be announced at the beginning and towards the end of the audio, as well as before and after every break taken in between. During live streams, the disclosure label should be announced at the beginning and the end of the broadcast.

Apple AirPods 3 and AirPods Pro 2 to Launch With Revamped Design Posted: 28 May 2021 06:53 AM PDT Apple, the Cupertino tech giant is said to be revamping the design of its AirPods this year with the launch of the second generation. According to the reports, the company might launch the next-generation AirPods Pro next year with a new design. As per a report from Bloomberg, this is going to be the first design update to the AirPods Pro lineup since the March 2019 launch. Further, the reports also claim that the new design of the base entry-level AirPods 3 will almost replicate the design of the AirPods Pro model. Let's have a closer look at the latest development. Apple AirPods 3 and AirPods Pro New Leaks According to the people familiar with the matter, the upcoming earbuds are going to arrive with a compact case design with shorter stems, unlike the previous models. On the other hand, the AirPods Pro 2 which is expected to launch next year is expected to launch with fitness-focused motion sensors, which are said to be capable enough for fitness tracking. The report claims that the sources didn't reveal their name since it is confidential information. Previously it was reported that the new AirPods Pro is going to launch in the first half of this year. However, the company is yet to unwrap any information about the launch of the audio device. This is going to be an update to its existing earbuds lineup, as the accessories segment for the company is growing rapidly. Apple has accounted for more than $30 billion in annual revenues. The last AirPods device that was added to the headphone segment was the over-the-ear AirPods Max headphones, which was launched back in December 2020. The headphone was launched at $549 in the global market. The premium and expensive AirPods Max garnered huge criticism, but the sound quality and material of the device also get praises for the audio device. However, there is no information on the second generation of the AirPods Max, but it has been reported that the company might launch new colour variants of the device. Recent Apple Music received the Lossless Audio feature which enhances the quality of the music and delivers a high-quality music experience just like it was recorded for the first time. However, Apple AirPods series users were unable to take advantage of the feature as it was not compatible with the devices. We can expect that the company might make some changes with the hardware and make it compatible with a better experience.

Telecom Deal Renewal Delay Drags Zee5 Revenues Posted: 28 May 2021 06:28 AM PDT Zee5, the over-the-top (OTT) streaming platform recorded a dip in quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) revenues due to the delay in the renewal of a telecom deal. The development was shared by Punit Goenka, the managing director of Zee Entertainment Enterprises in the fourth quarter earnings call on May 20, 2021. Goenka said that the renewal of the telecom deal has been "pending" since the third quarter of the previous year and that the company is currently "under negotiation" with the operator. The managing director of Zee Entertainment said that the Zee5 is the "youngest OTT platform" in India and that the company sees "scope for significant improvement" in the upcoming quarters. Zee5 Set to Soon Receive Performance Enhancements In its earnings release, Zee Entertainment Enterprises said that its operating revenue hit Rs 1965.8 crores in its fourth quarter of the 2021 financial year, translating to 0.8% year-over-year (YoY) increase. The company said that the Zee5 platform for the month of March recorded 7.26 crore global monthly active users (MAU) while its daily active users (DAU) were at 61 lakhs. Goenka said that the Zee5 annual pricing was reduced to Rs 499 in the fourth quarter "in line with what is happening in the market." Further, Rohit Gupta, the chief financial officer at Zee Entertainment Enterprises in the earnings call said that the new pricing of the annual pack enhances the user’s "value proposition." "We expect that it will enable us to upgrade consumers to the 12-month pack instead of monthly subscriptions," Gupta said. Crucially, Goenka said that the company will now be working on improving the user experience and that Zee Entertainment has been "behind the curve." "We have drawn up a technology and product roadmap, in order to upgrade this digital platform to the next level," Goenka said in the fourth quarter earnings call. "I believe ZEE5 will certainly see an all round improvement in performance over the next few quarters." Gupta said that the Zee5 platform in the quarter ended March 31, 2021, recorded Rs 110 crore in revenues. Analysts Say Zee5 Likely to Emerge As Future Growth Engine Further, Bijal Shah, the head of investor relations at Zee Entertainment said that the partnerships with telecom operators are "only for premium content or for subscription service." Shah said that the users gained through the partnerships with telecom operators are "not really that large." "So predominantly our MAUs are coming and DAUs are also coming from our own organic growth rather than through telcos," Shah said in the fourth quarter earnings call. While Zee Entertainment did not reveal the telecom operator it is currently holding negotiations, it has to be noted that Vi in early March stopped offering Zee5 premium pack with its postpaid plans. The third largest operator in India earlier offered Zee5 subscription for no additional cost to its postpaid users subscribed to plans priced Rs 499 and above. Meanwhile, multiple analysts including Prabhudas Lilladher have said that they remain positive on Zee Entertainment Enterprises largely due to the "emergence of Zee5 as future growth engine in changing content consumption landscape." ICICI Direct, one of the largest retail broker and financial product distributors in India in a report on May 21, 2021, said that the Zee subscription revenues will improve with Zee5 ramp up. With the company already reducing the Zee5 annual pack pricing, Goenka said that the company would also focus on the content along with enhancing the Zee5 platform experience. "First increasing the value proposition of ZEE5 which will be achieved through a combination of compelling content and competitive pricing," Goenka said. "We are in the process of creating a very strong line-up of movies and digital originals." Gupta highlighted the company released over 75 shows during the 2021 financial year including "14 original shows and movies" on its Zee5 platform in the fourth quarter. However, Dolat Capital, the financial firm engaged in the trading markets said in its report on May 20, 2021, that the OTT platform run by Zee Entertainment has had "limited success." "Zee's effort in [the] digital space has met with limited success," Dolat Capital said in its report. "Competition OTT platforms remain the buzzword."

OnePlus Nord CE 5G Tipped to Launch With Snapdragon 750G and 64MP Camera Posted: 28 May 2021 05:17 AM PDT At the start of the year It was expected that Oneplus would launch the Nord series smartphone alongside the launch of the OnePlus 9 series. However, we haven't seen that happening at the launch event. Yesterday a report from TechRadar citing an interview of OnePlus CEO Pete Lau confirming that the company is all set to launch the OnePlus Nord CE 5G in India on June 10. Lau also revealed that the handset will fall in the mid-range price segment and also uncovered some of the details which we will explain further in this article. OnePlus Nord CE Specification Leak Now in the latest development, a report from Android Central surfaced on the web claiming that they know some more important information about the OnePlus Nord CE. Citing an industry source the publication claims that the upcoming Nord CE is tipped to be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G with 5G connectivity support. It seems that Nord CE might join the mid-range chipset party like the Galaxy A52 5G and Xiaomi Mi 10i, which are already available in the market. Further, the report also claimed that the source suggests that the handset ships with a 6.43-inch AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate, similar to the original Nord. Lau confirmed that the Nord CE 5G will be a rebranded version of the original Nord and it seems that the source has taken the information and pitched it to Android Central. The source also tipped that the OnePlus Nord CE will feature a 64MP camera sensor accompanied by two auxiliary sensors. The smartphone is also said to offer a 16MP camera for selfies and video calls. In the previous report, Lau told TechRadar that OnePlus is also gearing up to launch the Nord N200 5G this year in the Us and Canada exclusively. However, the specification and features of the device are yet to be revealed officially. We can safely expect that the phone will launch in the budget or mid-range segment. Meanwhile, the company is also planning to launch the OnePlus U1S LED TV on the same date, it seems that the India launch is going to be full of surprises.

Belgium’s Proximus Equipped with Nokia’s 25G Passive Optical Network Posted: 28 May 2021 04:15 AM PDT   Proximus, a leading provider of fixed broadband networks in Belgium, is now equipped with Finnish telecom gear maker Nokia's 25G Passive Optional Network. A Passive Optical Network or PON is a telecommunications technology based on fibre-optic used for delivering broadband network access to end consumers. This deployment of PON in Proximus makes it the fastest live fibre network deployment to date. According to an official statement, network speeds of more than 25Gbps will be achieved using this technology. Havenhuis building in the Port of Antwerp is now connected with the Promus central office using the 25G PON live network. All about Nokia's 25G Passive Optical Network The world's first 25G PON Network will be powered by Nokia's Quillion chipset. The Quillion chipset supports three generations of PON technologies. The chipset was launched last year and has been adopted by 100 operators since then. Nokia's President of Network Infrastructure, Federico Guillén, has said that all the operators that have deployed the Quillion based GPON and XGSPON solutions can now easily upgrade to 25G PON. Proximus Achieved a Technological Leap Forward with Nokia: Proximus CEO Guillaume Boutin, CEO of Proximus, stated that the activation of the first 25G PON network worldwide shaped Proximus's bold ambitions to become a trendsetter to become a reference operator in Europe and, eventually, the world. He added that Proximus had achieved a technological leap forward with Nokia. This leap will become a key enabler of the digital economy and society that their company stands for. An official statement also added that Proximus currently holds a market share of 45.9% in Belgium. By 2028, the network provider aims to reach at least 70% of homes and businesses. Federico Guillén from Nokia also commented on the deployment of their 25G PON Network by saying that Nokia is Proud to support Proximus in enabling the world's first 25G PON Network that is powered by Nokia's Quillion Chipset. The Research Director for Fiber Networks at Analysys Mason, Rupert Wood, also commented on the project by noting that this next evolution in fibre technology will provide organisations with 10Gbps connectivity. It will also provide the capacity needed to support 5G transport and future next-generation services like Virtual Reality (VR) and real-time digital twins.

Mavenir to Provide Cloud-Based 5G Solutions on Amazon Web Services Posted: 28 May 2021 04:00 AM PDT The American telecommunications software company Mavenir has announced its partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to deploy and integrate 4G and 5G products and applications for telecom operators on the infrastructure of AWS. The collaboration will help Mavenir leverage AWS robust infrastructure, state of the art container deployment and management technologies and big data analytic services. Not only this but the new solution has been specifically designed to scale and leverage the same services and tools offered by AWS to enterprise applications today. All the tools are the foundational pillar of any AWS-based offering, and it is generally dubbed as Platform-as-a-service(PaaS). Mavenir and AWS Partnership Will Aid Telcos in Multiple Ways The partnership between Mavenir and AWS will help telecom operators in multiple ways. It will help them to offload some of the existing application business to cloud functions which will lower the complexity and provide them at par with entities already gaining from cloud migrations. Also, the collaboration will lower the cost and time of network deployment for MNOs and organisations equally fulfilling use cases of including 5G and edge capabilities to an existing network. Private Networks and Edge Deployment on Amazon Web Services (AWS) One of the key elements of the collaboration between Mavenir and AWS is enabling private networks and edge deployment on AWS. Mavenir's Edge AI application suite, which is a digital app store for multiple applications such as IVA, AR/VR, IIoT, is empowering a bubble of partners, developers, enterprises to create and deploy applications in Amazon Web Services (AWS). Customers Will Witness True Power of 5G Sidd Chenumolu, who is the Vice President of Technology Development, DISH, stated that the collaboration between Mavenir and AWS would aid the entity in building 5G network and messaging platforms in a true cloud-native manner, harnessing the speed and agility that AWS offers along with Mavnier's experience in deploying and operating cloud-native network functions. The entire customer base will be able to take full advantage of the potential of 5G. Bejoy Pankajakshan, who is the Chief Strategy Officer of Mavnier, stated that working with AWS will enable Mavenir to bring new customer-focused 5G use cases and 5G deployments to the market with unique capabilities.

COAI Believes 5G Will Empower IoT, AI, AR and More Such Technologies Posted: 28 May 2021 03:43 AM PDT It seems that Indian Telecom operators like Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea are depending on AI (Artificial Intelligence) and Internet of Things (IoT) backed by 5G-centric services to boost sectors like agriculture and healthcare. It would be interesting to witness the growth of 5G connectivity in the Indian healthcare and agriculture sector to improve the infrastructure. Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has a lot to say about this. Let’s have a closer look at the latest report. Cellular Operators Association of India Thoughts About AI and IoT In a statement, S.P. Kochhar, director general, Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), told ET Telecom that IoT as a technology is growing in India for the last couple of years, and now it has gained a stronghold in the Indian market. IoT devices are capable of growing in the 5G era. Further, he added that Artificial Intelligence could be used as a big tool to improve the agriculture sector of India. Delhi-based COAI represents major telecom operators and multinational cutting edge innovation vendors like Nokia, Ericsson, Huawei, ZTE, Cisco, Ciena and Juniper in India. According to the previous reports, Indian Telcos were demanding a 5G trial with dedicated spectrum to research and develop India-specific 5G use cases. According to the operators, this will help them to launch the next-generation services and also lure enterprise customers. A report from Motilal Oswal Financial Services Limited suggests that the metropolitans and large cities will witness the 5G development first. Further, the report claims that the capital expenditure for the 5G launch on metro cities and A-grade cities is expected to be between Rs 78,800 crore to Rs 1.3 lakh crore. COAI suggests that government policies and interventions might help in boosting up the 5G powered IoT adoption in the country. According to Kochhar, IoT can help in bringing significant transformation in the healthcare sector, especially when the country is fighting against pandemics like COVID-19. 5G IoT technology can help in hospital drug and waste management, real-time heart monitoring and diagnostics. He also believes that technologies like Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) in the classroom can help in redefining the entire education system and skills of the students. Reliance Jio, in collaboration with Samsung, is already working on virtual classrooms. The companies have also demonstrated HD content streaming. On the other hand, Airtel is working with Ericsson to bring aerial drones for surveillance and security.

Vodafone Idea the Best in Providing Group Video Calling Experience: Opensignal Posted: 28 May 2021 02:09 AM PDT Vodafone Idea (Vi), even though it lacks points in the network coverage department, makes up for it by providing excellent download and upload speeds to the users. The telecom operator has been investing heavily in improving its 4G networks to enhance the data experience of its users. According to an Opensignal report on the Group Video Calling Experience, Vi provides the best group video calling experience to users in India. Vodafone Idea is much ahead of Reliance Jio and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) in providing the best group video calling experience, while Bharti Airtel remains marginally behind. Vodafone Idea's Better Upload Speeds' the Reason According to an Opensignal report on the mobile network experience released on March 2021, Vi was ahead of every other operator in providing the best upload speeds. This is the obvious reason why Vi's networks' offers the best group video calling experience to the users. Not only this, but according to Ookla, Vi also offered the best downloading speeds throughout India for the last three consecutive quarters. All this is the result of the refarming of the 3G spectrum to be used for 4G services throughout India. As per Opensignal, this is how the telecom operators of India were rated on a points basis for providing the best group video calling experience – 1) Vodafone Idea – 59.2, 2) Bharti Airtel – 55.1, 3) Reliance Jio – 41.4, and D) BSNL – 22.5. The report released by Opensignal focused on the Asia Pacific region. Out of 21 markets chosen for the test, India stood at the 12th position in providing the best group video calling experience to the users. Japan stood at the first position in the same list followed by Singapore and Japan in the second and third positions respectively. The report highlighted that if the experience of a single user gets disturbed in a group video call, it results in a poor experience for everyone that is part of the call. Compared to the other two private operators, Jio's score on the test is significantly poor, which is something the telco will have to consider in the coming days. Jio is deploying additional spectrum purchased in the recently held auctions throughout India, which might improve the download and upload speed experience for the users in the coming days. If only Vi can improve the network coverage, it will become unbeatable and will succeed Jio and Airtel in providing the best network experience to the users.

Poco F3 GT Might be the Next Revolution in the Indian Smartphone Market Posted: 28 May 2021 12:42 AM PDT Poco is known for launching highly 'value' and 'feature' packed smartphones around the world. The company was a spin-off brand of Xiaomi, but it became independent last year in January. However, that hasn't stopped Poco from launching rebranded Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones. Now, Poco is expected to launch the rebranded version of the Redmi K40 Gaming Edition smartphone in India. The Indian variant of the device is expected to be called the Poco F3 GT. Much recently, Anuj Sharma, a top executive from Poco, revealed a short video on Twitter confirming the launch of the Poco F3 GT in India. The company hasn't said that the Poco F3 GT would be the rebranded Redmi K40 Gaming Edition, but the leaks online and the market expectations all point in that direction only. Poco F3 GT Will be Powered by MediaTek Dimensity 1200 SoC Another thing that's confirmed from the video released by Sharma is that the Poco F3 GT will be powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 1200 SoC. Other details about the device are unconfirmed at the moment. However, the Redmi K40 Gaming Edition has already launched for the China market. If the Poco F3 GT is indeed the rebadged version of Redmi K40 Gaming Edition, we can take a guess at what the device might come with. The Poco F3 GT might come with a 6.67-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with support for a 120Hz refresh rate and a touch sampling rate of 480Hz. Further, the display comes with support for HDR10+ for allowing an enhanced video streaming experience. The device might rack up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. For fulfilling the gaming needs, it might pack a 5065mAh battery with support for 67W fast charging, as seen on the Redmi K40 Gaming Edition smartphone. In the optics department, the device might feature a triple-camera setup at the rear. The primary sensor is expected to be a 64MP lens paired with an 8MP ultra-wide-angle sensor and a 2MP macro sensor. For clicking selfies, there might be a 16MP sensor at the front. The device is expected to be running on MIUI 12.5 based on Android 11 out of the box. The pricing of the device remains unknown at the moment. But since it is a Poco device, we don't expect it to be priced more than anything in the midrange segment.

Vodafone’s Aggressive 5G Plans for International Markets Posted: 27 May 2021 11:59 PM PDT Vodafone has extensive 5G reach in the UK and other select European nations. The operator's 5G business in Germany is all set to take off to new heights. In a release, Vodafone Germany said that it will be undertaking 7,000 telecom projects in the current financial year alone. Out of the 7,000 projects, 3,000 projects will be for 5G connectivity that will help the company extend its 5G network's reach to over 30 million people in the country by the end of this year. Vodafone Germany's 5G business has accelerated beyond the company's expectations. The telco said that its 5G networks in Germany already reach more than 25 million people. Vodafone had plans of hitting the 20 million people mark by the end of 2021, but the telco has already reached the 25 million milestone and we are only in the first half of 2021. Vodafone's 5G Network Available to Every Third German in the Country Hannes Ametsreiter, CEO of Vodafone Germany said that the company's 5G network is growing faster than expectations. He gloated on the fact that Vodafone's 5G network is now available to every third German in the country. Ametsreiter said that Vodafone has already switched on more than 10,000 5G antennas at more than 3,000 locations of the country. One of the biggest announcements that Ametsreiter made was the company's plans of switching off 3G networks in Germany. The Vodafone Germany CEO said that switching off the 3G networks would help in freeing up more space for LTE. This would allow Vodafone Germany to increase the capacity of its networks. It will further result in the company being able to cope up with high loads and stress on the networks during peak hours of data usage. Ametsreiter further said that Vodafone will focus on the dead spots of Germany in the new financial year. This means that the telco doesn't just want to improve the network speeds and capacity, but is also looking to improve network coverage throughout Germany. Post the closure of 3G networks, the frequencies used for 3G services will now be reallocated for LTE which will further help the telco in providing an excellent network experience to its users. It is worth noting that Vodafone Germany has live 5G SA networks which it launched last month in partnership with Nokia, Ericsson, Oppo, and Qualcomm.

Spectrum for 5G Trials Allocated to the Telcos, mmWave Band Included Posted: 27 May 2021 11:19 PM PDT The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has finally allocated the spectrum to the telcos for conducting 5G trials. The telecom department has approved spectrum in the coveted 700 MHz, 3.5 GHz, and the premium 26 GHz band (mmWave). According to an ET Telecom report, all the Indian operators, including Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea (Vi), and Reliance Jio, can now go ahead with their chosen partners and start with the trials using the spectrum offered by the government. Spectrum That's Allocated to the Telcos for 5G Trials The DoT's Wireless Planning & Coordination (WPC) wing has allocated 10, 800, and 100 units of the 700 MHz, 26 GHz, and 3.5 GHz spectrum to the telcos for the 5G trials. One of the biggest positives from this announcement is the inclusion of spectrum in the mmWave band (26 GHz) for 5G in India. All the operators have been asking the DoT to update the National Frequency Allocation Policy (NFAP) for quite some time. The telcos wanted the department to include the mmWave bands to ensure the affordable rollout of 5G. Since the government has provided them with the mmWave bands for the trials, it is highly likely that DoT will also include the premium airwaves in the updated NFAP policy. Looking at the timeline of the trials, commercial 5G rollout in India might not happen until early 2022. This is because the telcos will at least take 6 months to conduct trials in different parts of the country. Then, they will have to wait for the DoT to come up with the dates for the 5G spectrum auctions. Even after all that, PAN-India rollout of 5G networks will take at least 3 years. Initially, it will be the metro cities that will get to experience the soft-launch of 5G networks. As expected, the Chinese vendors have been kept out of the trials by the government. This seals the near-term future for the Chinese companies, including Huawei and ZTE, in India. Now, the only thing that the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) needs to do is set the prices for the 5G spectrum. The auctions might also include the 600 MHz band, which has not been auctioned before.

DoT Wants to Regulate Social Media Apps Like Telecom Operators Posted: 27 May 2021 09:46 PM PDT The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) wants social media applications such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Skype to be brought under a licensing regime. As per an ET Telecom report, the government has approached the Home Ministry for its views on the same. According to a senior government official aware of the matter, these applications require some sort of licensing for ensuring that all the data of the Indians is stored within the country. Further, the aim of the regulations would be to force these companies to provide information to law enforcement agencies in the same manner Indian telecom operators do. TRAI Doesn't Believe in Regulation of OTT Communication Apps While the DoT is pushing for the regulation of social media applications, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) believes that it is best not to regulate over-the-top (OTT) communication apps. The government official said that these apps need to be brought under the licensing regime because it is in the interests of national security. Basically, the government wants the social media apps to be regulated in the same manner Indian operators are regulated. However, this might create a ruckus in the country, and the same was mentioned by Twitter as well. Twitter responded to the enforcement of the government's IT Act as taking away the right of free speech from the citizens. The micro-blogging platform said that it would restrict people from sharing their thoughts and opinions freely. However, the government isn't very patient this time around. The centre has asked Twitter to comply with the rules and not beat around the bush. As per the government, these new rules would only be there to keep the people protected, and it won't take away their right to free speech. With the regulations in place, the government wants the data to be stored within India so that it can be accessed whenever required. As of now, the concerned companies keep the data outside the borders of the country, so whenever the data is requested from them, they excuse by saying that they cannot provide any information to the government because the data is not locally stored. The telecom operators have also argued that if the service provided by these apps are the same, why are they not regulated?

Finding the Right Broadband Router for Smooth Online Gaming Posted: 27 May 2021 09:30 PM PDT Online gaming and streaming have picked up a rapid momentum in popularity amongst youngsters as a professional career option. If gaming is your passion, you probably understand the importance of a smooth and lag-free gaming experience. A smooth online gaming experience is not only contributed by a fast internet but also the right choice of router. You may be subscribed to the best and fastest internet plans offered to you by your Internet Service Provider, but if you are not using the right router, you may not be enjoying a flawless gaming experience. Your regular router and a gaming router differ from each other by their Quality of Service (QoS) features. Although all broadband routers have QoS features when you choose the best gaming router, the QoS feature prioritises the incoming traffic for your game over other activities that might be happening on the internet, like a movie being downloaded at the same time. This prioritisation of internet traffic boosts gaming performance and reduces lag and buffer considerably. Here are some features you need to keep in mind while choosing a gaming laptop. Presence of an Ethernet Port When it comes to gaming, a wired Ethernet connection should always be preferred over a wireless connection through Wi-Fi. Using a wired broadband connection ensures that you get a lag-free experience while gaming. Thus, while choosing a gaming router, ensure that the router has an Ethernet port that can handle speeds up to 25MBPS. Dual-Band Support Available A single internet connection can deliver various frequencies to your router. With 5G coming soon on a massive scale, many internet service providers have started offering a bandwidth of 5GHz. This is in addition to the 2.4GHz frequency that's normally delivered. While choosing a gaming router, make sure your Wi-Fi AC router has dual-band support so you can connect to the 5GHz bandwidth for faster speed. One drawback of doing so would be a subsequent reduction in range. High-frequency bandwidth have a limited range, so it would be best if the gaming setup is situated in the same room as your router. High-bandwidth Range Many of the gaming routers available in the market also come with tri-band wireless networking support. This means that you can have two 5GHz bands reaching your router along with the standard 2.4GHz band. This will ensure that your gaming experience is not only smooth and free of any lags but also that the second 5Gzhz band can provide faster downloads, uninterrupted video streaming, and a more vivid gaming experience. Gaming Router's Cost Viability Yes, a gaming router will prioritise your gaming experience over anything else, but the other features it offers are also equipped in high-end broadband routers these days. If your internet connection is for your home, a gaming router will deliver a good experience only to the gamer in the house. On the other hand, a high-end broadband router will get you all the features of a gaming router and also ensure that everyone in the house has a great overall internet experience.

How To Check Whether Your Phone Supports Carrier Aggregation Posted: 27 May 2021 08:00 PM PDT Carrier Aggregation is a feature that has gotten more people talking, especially considering how 5G is taking a long time to arrive in the Indian market. Recently, talks regarding CA have been at an all-time high, since Reliance Jio has purchased a few spectrums that allow for wider coverage of Carrier Aggregation. If you were wondering as to what CA is and, how to check whether or not your device supports CA, worry not, since this article will list out the essentials of what you need to know about Carrier Aggregation and how to check whether your mobile phone has support for the same. What Is Carrier Aggregation Without going too in-depth, the basic premise is that Carrier Aggregation allows for faster speeds by multiplying the number of LTE connections between the cell network and the phone. What this means is that, instead of having just one LTE connection binding the network and your phone, an LTE modem supporting CA, when paired with a compatible network can bond multiple LTE connections and act as they are one. The key pros of having carrier aggregation are 1. Faster and more reliable network connection 2. Lower ping whilst gaming 3. Reduced buffering during content playback 4. Minimal battery drain How To Check Whether Your Phone Supports CA Now that you are aware of what Carrier Aggregation is, you might be wondering as to whether or not your device supports the same. Here are two ways to check whether your device has support for CA. 1. Status Bar Indication The first of the two methods is the simpler one, since, if your device supports CA, it should display a + symbol on top of the network bar or beside it. Consider that you use a Jio sim, it should show up as 4G+ rather than 4G, and, if it does, your device has support for Carrier Aggregation. Another method of the same variety is by going into developer settings and checking whether CA support is present, but the status bar indication is a dead giveaway of whether or not the device has carrier aggregation. 2. Using NetMonster The second method is by using NetMonster, an application that tells you all the necessary details about your network connection. Follow the steps below to get the process started. 1. Install the NetMonster application via the play store. 2. Accept all the permissions that the app asks for. 3. Once done, you will see the bands on offer towards the top of the application. 4. If you see either a 4G+ or LTE-A symbol, your device supports Carrier Aggregation. Furthermore, in case you see that there is a single band, it could indicate three possible scenarios, namely, the lack of carrier aggregation, the lack of carrier aggregation supported networks or lack of support for the aggregated brand.

Vodafone Idea or Reliance Jio, Which Operator’s Rs 555 Plan is Worth It? Posted: 27 May 2021 06:30 PM PDT Vodafone Idea (Vi) undeniably offers better-prepaid plans than other operators because of the extra offers such as the 'Binge all Night' and 'Weekend Data Rollover'. However, there's one plan from Reliance Jio that might be better than the prepaid offering of Vi. The plan that we are talking about is the Rs 555 prepaid plan. Both the companies offer this plan with almost the same benefits, but there are small things that make the whole difference between the two plans. If you are wondering about which prepaid plan you should go with, here's what you should know. Vodafone Idea Rs 555 Prepaid Plan The Rs 555 prepaid plan from Vodafone Idea (Vi) comes with 1.5GB daily data for 77 days. Users also get truly unlimited voice calling and 100 SMS/day benefit. There is one over-the-top (OTT) benefit of Vi Movies & TV that comes along with the plan. Users also get the 'Binge all Night' and 'Weekend Data Rollover' offer clubbed with the plan. This is all there is to the Rs 555 prepaid plan from Vodafone Idea. Let's take a look at the plan from Reliance Jio now. Reliance Jio Rs 555 Prepaid Plan The Rs 555 prepaid plan from Reliance Jio also offers 1.5GB of daily data to the users. However, Jio offers it for a longer validity of 84 days. The other benefits of the plan include unlimited voice calling and 100 SMS/day. There are other benefits included with the plan, including JioTV, JioCinema, JioSecurity, JioNews, and JioCloud. This is all that the user gets with the Rs 555 prepaid plan from Reliance Jio. So which plan is better? Verdict There are very small differences between the plans. But these differences make the whole case for why a user should or should not purchase them. If you are someone who wants a plan with longer validity, the plan from Reliance Jio makes more sense. However, if you want more data with your plan, Vi's offering is a better option. For those of you who don't understand how Vi's plan comes with more data than the plan from Reliance Jio, you need to understand the 'Weekend Data Rollover' and 'Binge all Night' offer. The Weekend Data Rollover offer from the company allows users to consume all the leftover fair-usage-policy (FUP) data from the weekdays on the weekends. Further, the 'Binge all Night' offer from the company enables a user to stream, download, basically use as much data as he/she wants between 12 AM and 6 AM every day without affecting the FUP data for the day. So the 'Binge all Night' offer from the company is basically free data offered to the users without any FUP limit between a specific time zone. In terms of coverage, as per Opensignal, Jio's network is better, and in terms of speed, as per Ookla, Vodafone Idea's network has been better than all the other operators. This is also something that you should keep in mind before you choose a prepaid plan.

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