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• Skylo and BSNL Boosting Digital India Vision: Prasanna S Iyengar
• What Are Some of the Common Problems a User Faces While Using a VPN
• 5G in India Faces Strong Challenges but There Is Also a Way Out
• In-Display Fingerprint Sensor vs Side Mounted Fingerprint Sensor: Which One Should You Choose
• Excitel Broadband Plan Perfect for Gaming and Streaming
• Realme Dizo GoPods, Dizo Watch and Dizo GoPods D Leaked Ahead of Global Release
• iQOO’s Upcoming Device Featuring Snapdragon 768G to Be Sold via Amazon India
• Realme Smart TV 4K Specifications and Price Leaked Ahead of Launch
• WhatsApp Takes a U-Turn From Its Decision
• Bharti Airtel Will Offer a Better Network Experience to Users in Assam
• BSNL 4G, All We Know So Far
• OneWeb Launches 36 Satellites, Confirms Initiation of Commercial Service In 2021
• Here’s How Using a VPN Affects Your Internet Speed
• Spectra Broadband Dominates Rs 999 Plan From Jio and Airtel

Skylo and BSNL Boosting Digital India Vision: Prasanna S Iyengar Posted: 30 May 2021 08:30 AM PDT Prasanna S Iyengar, Director of Product Management, Skylo Technologies shared some insights about the company’s satellite-based NB IoT technology. Iyengar further told us about the company’s partnership with BSNL and how it is helping India boost its digital vision. Q) Tell us about Skylo and its satellite-based NB IoT technology. Skylo is the world's most affordable end-to-end IoT solution to connect machines and sensors to deliver data insights. Existing communication networks were designed and built to connect people, but machines, devices, and sensors operate even in regions with poor population density and hence underwhelming or absent network coverage. Skylo's technology innovations make it possible to offer ubiquitous and highly reliable connectivity to this hitherto unserved market. Skylo uses satellite communication, a traditionally expensive option, to carry the specific kinds of data these sensors & machines send in a highly efficient and affordable manner. Skylo is enabling traditionally unconnected use cases and assisting the government in increasing safety through effective disaster management and driving economic development & job creation. Imagine humble fishing boats that now can send SOS signals and report their catch while at sea; smart farming equipment that notifies farmers of a soil's nutritional needs on a real-time basis; trucks that provide early warnings before overheating and causing a critical delay in delivery; or instant alerts using sensors for natural disasters such as fres and floods. This immediate and continuous data insight is possible using Skylo technology – geostationary satellites to bring reliable connectivity, Skylo 'Hub' "hotspot", and an immersive Skylo Platform, making deploying IoT simple and affordable for millions. Today, the company serves customers across the public and private sectors in industries that include logistics, agriculture, maritime, healthcare, and others. Q) Is the technology being implemented by Indian fishermen and farmers? How is it benefitting them? Skylo helps fishermen, boat owners and the agencies that serve them get real-time information about fleet location, ensure safety at sea, monitoring & effective utilization of fuel, higher earnings through real-time reporting of fish catch from deep-sea and in many other ways. Skylo, in partnership with BSNL, delivers pan-India network coverage, including India's territorial waters and exclusive economic zone. The coverage is comprehensive without a dark patch – from Kashmir or Ladakh to Kanyakumari and from Gujarat to the North East. Some states, for example, have already tested & deployed the Skylo-powered BSNL transponder with its two-way data communication capability directly over satellite and proven its usage in the deep sea. Such solutions are also delivering more accurate insights for farms and farmers across India – insights on soil health, automated control of irrigation and driving efficient usage of water & fertilizer. As technology adoption gathers momentum, we are likely to witness large scale adoption of the best technologies available to fishermen and farmers alike. Q) In this ongoing pandemic, how can your technology support the Government in tracking vaccines and the supply of oxygen? At Skylo, we recognised early on that technology such as the Internet of Things  (IoT) would be a key component in any successful global response to the Covid-19 pandemic, and more so in an Indian context. One of the early signs of the key role it would play became evident when public health officials and governments began to recognise how it could hold the key to India's plans for secure and efficient COVID-19 vaccine delivery. An efficient supply chain for vaccines must include full traceability and monitoring of temperature and inventory levels of the vaccine throughout the supply chain. This has proven to be true for critical oxygen supplies as well. Even as India steps on the pedal and increases the pace and scale of what is arguably the world's largest vaccination drive, its logistics industry is under great pressure. This is where Skylo is working with key stakeholders in this industry. While GPS technologies are playing a major role in ensuring the "chain of custody" of the vaccines, it is our end-to-end connectivity that offers an effective way to drive and monitor that entire process. Data that's recorded from sensors installed with the cargo and in the vehicle itself is communicated through the Skylo hub on the vehicle and satellite-based, narrowband Skylo Network to a cloud data platform. Our platform is then able to deliver this information & insights at every point of the chain of custody for key users of the data. This is key because Skylo's always-on solution means it is able to monitor and maintain the correct refrigeration level, temperature, making up for lack of sunlight, warmth or otherwise of precious vaccines or even scarce oxygen throughout its transit route, even when there is no cellular coverage for voice or data engagement. Skylo's solution, which sits on narrow-band, satellite-based IoT connectivity, offers a secure, reliable, and cost-effective platform for large-scale deployment of vehicle sensors and satellite connectivity, delivering real-time actionable intelligence to healthcare decision-makers, doctors and key frontline workers, governments, fleet owners and drivers, and law enforcement agencies across India. Q) Please tell us more about your partnership with BSNL and Beetel In February 2021, Skylo and Beetel partnered to rapidly scale the adoption of end-to-end Internet of Things (IoT) solutions to connect the billions of machines and remote assets in hundreds of industries across India. As part of this partnership, Beetel extends Skylo's sales, customer support, and product fulfilment capabilities. A few months back, in December 2020, Skylo partnered with BSNL to connect billions of sensors and machines in maritime, agriculture, railway, logistics, and disaster management. Together, Skylo and BSNL are advancing Prime Minister Modi's vision of a true Digital India by connecting millions of sensors and machines from space so that business owners anywhere can understand, manage, and predict what is happening in order to make smart and timely decisions. The network is accessible across the sub-continent and is being rolled out with select customers in government and private sectors. Q) So far, how much investment has the company received? Skylo emerged from stealth in January 2020 with its $103M Series  B round led by  SoftBank Group and existing investors Boeing Horizon X, DCM, Innovation Endeavors, and Moore Strategic Ventures. Skylo has raised a total of $116M to achieve its vision of building a global fabric for machine data connectivity.

What Are Some of the Common Problems a User Faces While Using a VPN Posted: 30 May 2021 05:18 AM PDT We recently covered an in-depth article on how a VPN slows down your connection, listing down as to what a VPN is, how it functions and, how it can throttle your connection in order to provide additional security. This might have sent you down the rabbit hole of questions that a VPN poses, with one of the key ones being addressed in today’s article. When one makes use of a VPN, it always advertises enhanced security, better privacy and, at times, the ability to access content that is either region locked or banned in a certain location. We covered how using a VPN can throttle your connection, which, according to us is not really a con, since it is the result of better security. However, with every tech feature and product, there are sets of pros and cons, with the pros usually outweighing the cons. We thought of covering some common issues that a user might face when using a VPN, in order to keep you ready in case you download a VPN and are unaware of the issues that might plague you in the long run. What Are Some Common Issues Faced By VPN Users in India? The use of a VPN is usually advised when you are say travelling or in a shady location. Using a VPN would provide an additional layer of security, which is especially useful in a scenario where consider you are connected to a free Wi-Fi network and do not trust that it can handle your data. But, that does not mean that a VPN is all pomp and frill since it has its own set of limitations, some of which might bother you more than you would expect it to. 1. Slower Connection: This is something that was discussed in detail yesterday, but, for a minor recap, using a VPN means encrypting all of your online activity, but, this comes with the price of a slower connection. This is not a bug, rather it is the amount of time it takes to encrypt your data. If you have the patience this should not bother you, but, if you are in a bit of a hurry, it might get on your nerves, especially in the case of content streaming, since you would not want to wait around for the movie to buffer on for eternity. 2. Stronger Anti-VPN Software: Major streaming services such as Amazon Prime or Netflix have started becoming aware of the VPN debacle and they are trying to combat the same by using a VPN blocker. Why is this an issue you ask? Well, Netflix has certain content that is either banned or region-restricted and, if a user can get through that, it does not bode well for the platform. There are some VPNs that can get through these blockers, but this a worry nonetheless, so, check whether or not your VPN supports content playback because it would be a bummer to splurge on a good VPN only to find out that it does not let you access the content you wished to see. 3. Connection Drops: The final major issue that you might face whilst using a VPN is that of frequent connection drops. With a reliable VPN service this should not be an issue, but, it might occur from time to time even for the most premium and well-rated VPNs. The main issue is regarding the encryption drop, since, once that occurs, your IP address gets exposed and, if you are being private, that will defeat the purpose. Certain VPNs come with a feature to shut down internet access once the connection drops, which is the best option to protect your IP address in case of a drop. All this begs the question of whether or not a VPN should be used. The simple answer, Yes. There are some issues, key of which have been listed here, but, the use case and overall pros outweigh the cons and, they do by a decent margin. So, in case you do need that extra privacy, a VPN is your best bet.

5G in India Faces Strong Challenges but There Is Also a Way Out Posted: 30 May 2021 01:30 AM PDT As the countries ruggedly try to come out with resilience off the COVID bloodbath, the technocrats around the world are already busy planning for a post-pandemic world. While blockchain and IoT have taken a lot of headspace in people's minds, 5G happens to be the true game-changer that will revolutionise how we look at technology and its use cases by quite a margin. The fifth-generation network technology has been named to be a harbinger of changes across the world. In India itself, the tech is supposed to generate a value of 1 Trillion by 2035. But India has a very unique position and its own set of problems when it comes to the adoption of 5G. The important facet of the 5G game in the country is not just one-sided. There's a tug of war going on in the telecom industry from many parties, which is blowing the deployment of 5G into smithereens. In such a dilemma, it's important to understand the underlying forces operating for and against the deployment of 5G under the surface and how a delayed deployment might have a surprisingly large ripple effect on India, tipping the balance in favour of animous forces. The Telcos Positions There is already a rush of phones in the market which boast of having the latest 5G modems and compatibility. While the tech enthusiasts might reel over the specifications, the telecom industry looks at these developments with raised eyebrows because the fact remains that the 5G deployment in India has a long road ahead of it. The grimmest reality of the telecom industry still happens to be the strapped finances of the suffering telecom operators. The March auctions happen to be the prime witness of this fact, in which a measly 37% of all slots saw takers, while the rest of it remains unfettered. The infamous 700 MHz block still remains the highly prized possession of DoT but is seeing disinterest precisely because of its pricing. Airtel's deployment of 5 MHz of spectrum in the 1800 MHz band in Tamil Nadu is perhaps the most notable and recent development towards the usage of these much-revered natural resources. But even then, Vi and Reliance Jio Infocomm have decided to work on the infrastructure side rather than gathering and deploying spectrum. The fact again rests that the existing bands which the telco possess are enough to get them started on the 5G track but barely make the cut for a wide-spread service. The telcos deem it fit to hibernate for now in terms of expenses on the spectrum and for the right reasons as more important financial issues plague their balance sheets. The 5Gi Controversy In November 2020, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) had approved India’s Mobile Radio Interface Technology (RIT) called 5Gi. However, the industry stands opposed to the newly titled 5Gi standards alleging that it further complicates the compatibility of the 5G tech. The name in question is the 3GPP world standard which is to be adhered to by the telco industry currently. However, the ITU has remarked that the 5Gi would be a game-changer in the rural deployment of the network. In such precarious times, a call for being on the same page seems imminent with the industry pressure mounting. Differing standards, whether they are on the software or hardware side, complicate matters unnecessarily for an industry that is already on its knees and is barely managing to get rolling with 5G. The focus of the stakeholders should be on reducing the costs for the telecom operators and not enhancing them in the initial days. Complying with 5Gi might seem like a forward step for the network technology and might make for good wordplay, but the standard might also leave a lot of loopholes in the technology even before it attains a reliable image. The Government Position When it comes to the support from the DoT in terms of the 5G rollout, the most contentious point is the pricing of the spectrum. Bharti Airtel and Vi majorly have been proponents of lower prices, asking for a reduction of the 3,300-3,600 MHz price and 700 MHz bands by at least 50%. Not only this, but a payment moratorium and a cut in upfront payment also show up on the list of demands which telcos have chartered for the DoT. With the expectations of a K-shaped recovery in the economy, even the government is maximising its chances of raking in more revenue. To pave up its fiscal deficit, the auction sales and disinvestment of PSUs seem to be the most legitimate means to attain that goal. The present government's goal of Rs 2.5 lakh crore disinvestment seems to be dragging in the dirt, which is why all eyes are turned towards the very precious spectrum auction. This is also the reason for DoT's reluctance towards non-reduction of the spectrum prices. The present situation certainly calls for a wide-horizon view of the 5G technology, and every approach towards the launch and deployment of the tech should be seen with a long-term lens and not a myopic vision. The price reduction in the spectrum should be made fast, and Trai's recommendations should be considerate of the industry realities and the telco balance sheets. The Hardware Dilemma While the industry and DoT are wrapped in their own tug of war, the third force in this game seems to be the hardware companies like Ericsson, Nokia and Huawei, which are certainly a big stakeholder in the 5G deployment. Looking at the USA perspective, the banning of Huawei might be a diplomatic move for the west, but for India, it will not just be that. In an ailing industry like ours, the need of the hour is more competition to drive down prices and ensure efficiency for the telecom operators. Hence, it might be in the interest of the telecom industry to allow more hardware manufacturers into the market. Lastly, I would like to say that while India will largely be a buyer of the technology in the initial days but combined with high demand and an expansive user base, the tide might turn in our favour on a long enough timeline. Techno-diplomatic alliances with other countries like France, Japan and Russia will further boost our capabilities and will likely balance out concerns about the Chinese domination of the market. The use-cases of healthcare combined with 5G will be a formidable force in the times to come as government's try to invigoratively reform health services across the world, and that's why India's presence in the world 5G game is all the more necessary.

In-Display Fingerprint Sensor vs Side Mounted Fingerprint Sensor: Which One Should You Choose Posted: 29 May 2021 09:30 PM PDT Fingerprint sensors have become increasingly common in recent times and, to their advantage, they have proven to be quite useful tools, providing additional security to users who might not want to input their password or pin code every time they go to access their device. In recent times, however, the fingerprint sensor has gone through some major and drastic changes. The key amongst these changes is in relation to the shape and design of the fingerprint sensor. Earlier, there was just one kind of fingerprint sensor, a circular one that could be accessed either to the front of the display, much like the older iPhones or the ones to back, rather common on Android offerings. These days, two kinds of fingerprint sensors have caught the world by storm. The first one is located inside the display, with the second one located on the side of your smartphone. Which one is easier to use and, more importantly, which one should you choose? Read on to find out. Pros and Cons of Side-Mounted Fingerprint Sensors To better understand the differences between the in-display fingerprint sensor and the side-mounted fingerprint sensor, one must list out the pros and cons of both, in order to make the sound decision of which one is better for the concerned user. 1. The first pro to using a side-mounted fingerprint sensor is in relation to ease of use. The user will always be holding the phone by the side, and the finger will rest close to, if not on the area where the sensor is located. This makes it easy to use even if the device is placed flat on a table. 2. Side-mounted fingerprint sensors are also quicker than any other alternative, be it rear-mounted fingerprint sensors or in-display sensors with a pseudo fake effect in place since, when trying to pick up the device, you already touch the side and by the time the phone reaches closer, the device is already open, seeming like there was no fingerprint sensor in the first place. There are some cons though, one of them being slightly less security due to a smaller surface area when compared to those present on the rear, meaning that only a portion of your finger is being scanned. The second issue is in relation to smartphone cases, as some of them might be thicker than usual, rendering the sensors useless at times. Pros and Cons of an In-Display Fingerprint Sensor Now, coming to the in-display fingerprint sensor. They are the more advanced sort of fingerprint sensors, having come into existence a couple of years ago. 1. The first pro of an in-display fingerprint sensor is also the positioning, since, much like the side-mounted one, it is quite easy to use, with the ease of use when the device lays flat being second to none. The size of these sensors is also quite decent, meaning that coverage is not an issue, something that was a concern with the side-mounted one. 2. Another pro is in relation to the advancement. People love to be at the forefront of change and the in-display fingerprint sensor provided them with the opportunity. You could use a fingerprint sensor that is placed under the display, lying flush with the display, not requiring any additional chin or drop-off area. The cons here do outweigh the pros, since fingerprint sensors under the display are much slower than the side-mounted fingerprint sensors, especially in budget devices. Even the best of the best sensors will lack the pace that the side-mounted one can offer. Another issue is accuracy, since, if the in-display fingerprint sensor is the one that uses light to shine the part of your fingerprint, it can be easily replicated. Ultra-sonic fingerprint sensors are a  bit better, so that is a good thing. Overall, if you wish to flex your device or just want a flashy feature, the in-display fingerprint sensor could be meant for you, but, for the user who chooses overall use case and function over form, the side-mounted fingerprint sensor should be your choice.

Excitel Broadband Plan Perfect for Gaming and Streaming Posted: 29 May 2021 06:30 PM PDT Excitel is one of the best internet service providers (ISPs) in India. This is because the company offers high-speed plans at very reasonable rates. If you are someone who likes to indulge in online gaming and streaming, you need a very reliable broadband connection to do so. Excitel is an ISP that can provide you with that reliable broadband connection. However, the company offers multiple broadband plans. But to play games online and stream, you need one plan that can sustain the data demand. There's a broadband plan from Excitel that starts at Rs 899 per month, which can help you do this. Let's take a look at that plan. Excitel Broadband Plan That's for Gaming and Streaming Excitel offers a 300 Mbps broadband plan. The company has especially marked this plan for gamers on its website. But this plan also comes coupled with over-the-top (OTT) benefits, and that is why it is also good for people who have streaming needs. The amazing thing about this 300 Mbps broadband plan is that it doesn't come with any fair usage policy (FUP) restrictions on the amount of data a user can consume in a month. Excitel offers all of its broadband plans with truly unlimited data, which is a good thing for a consumer who has multiple devices connected to the same Wi-Fi network eating up data. On top of all this, the company also offers its 300 Mbps broadband plan for a very low price. The 300 Mbps broadband plan from Excitel starts at Rs 899 per month. Note that Jio's and Airtel's broadband plans that cost Rs 999 per month don't even offer 300 Mbps. Users who purchase the 300 Mbps plan for 12 months directly can get it for as low as Rs 499 per month. Further, users who purchase the plan for a minimum of 3 months will also get OTT benefits. The OTT benefits included with the plan will be ZEE5 Premium, Voot Select, ShemarooMe, and Eros Now. Users won't have to pay anything for the installation charges of the connection. However, the company charges a Rs 2,000 deposit from the customer against the router. But the good thing is that this Rs 2,000 security deposit is completely refundable if the user returns the router to the company in good condition. With 300 Mbps speeds and truly unlimited data and OTT benefits, users will get the perfect base for online streaming and gaming. Not only this, but users can also use this plan to work from home and learn from home during the lockdowns amidst the ongoing pandemic.

Realme Dizo GoPods, Dizo Watch and Dizo GoPods D Leaked Ahead of Global Release Posted: 29 May 2021 08:30 AM PDT Earlier this week, popular smartphone maker Realme announced its upcoming tech-lifestyle sub-brand called Dizo. During the announcement, Realme mentioned that it plans to launch various products across different categories under the sub-brand, key of which are smart entertainment, smart home, smart care and accessories. Despite this, ahead of the official announcement, the official store has appeared on the e-commerce site Shopee Vietnam, revealing certain Dizo products like the Dizo Watch, Dizo GoPods and the Dizo GoPods D. All three products, at least from the looks of it, seem to be rebranded Realme devices. What Do We Know About The Upcoming Dizo Products First of all, the device that was leaked initially was the Dizo Watch, a rebranded Realme Watch 2, launched in Malaysia earlier in April. Key dimensions and features are expected to be similar to the Realme Watch 2, meaning that the watch will feature a  1.4-inch colour touchscreen LCD panel with a resolution of 320×320. In terms of colour options, the device comes in Carbon Grey and Silver. Miscellaneous features include an IP68 rating and up to 12 days of battery life, courtesy of a 315 mAh battery. The smartwatch can be paired to the Realme Link App to access different sorts of wallpapers. Key features for the watch include music control, stopwatch, call notification, message reminder and alarm reminder. Lift wrist to wake screen is also mentioned. In terms of pricing, the Dizo Watch is priced at 490,000 Vietnamese dong or Rs. 4,687. The second product is the Dizo GoPods, which is quite similar to the Realme Buds Air 2, with the GoPods D being similar to the Realme Buds Q2 when it comes to specifications and features. The Dizo GoPods will come with Active Noise Cancellation up to 25db. In terms of power, it will be powered by Realme's  R2 chip, with 25 hours of music playback on offer. It also comes with a 88ms low latency mode which is useful for gaming. The second earbud, dubbed GoPods D is the rebranded version of the Realme Buds Q2. It comes with sizeable 10mm bass boost drivers with support for a 110ms low latency gaming mode. The Dizo GoPods D also pack a 400mAh battery, with a total weight of  39grams. In terms of pricing, going by their rebrands, the Dizo GoPods is priced at 2,690,000 Vietnamese dongs or Rs. 8,460 with the GoPods D having been priced at  790,000 Vietnamese dongs or Rs 2,480.

iQOO’s Upcoming Device Featuring Snapdragon 768G to Be Sold via Amazon India Posted: 29 May 2021 07:32 AM PDT iQOO, the relatively new smartphone brand which launched its first product in India in the form of the iQOO 3 in 2020 seems to be gearing up for the next launch, after recently having launched the iQOO 7 series in the country a couple of months ago. Now, it has been confirmed that the device maker will be launching a device with the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 768G powering the same in India. As per certain reports, this device could be the iQOO Z3 5G smartphone that was launched in China in the month of March. For those of you unaware, a recent leak that surfaced earlier this week indicated that the company was preparing to bring its Z-series of devices to the Indian market, with a release scheduled in mid-June as per certain leaks. Today, the company announced that the device would be an Amazon exclusive, meaning that if you are going to purchase the device when it does launch, you can do so by purchasing it via the e-commerce giant Amazon. This confirmation came via a tweet from iQOO’s official social media handle. What Else Do We Know About The iQOO Z3 5G Since the iQOO Z3 5G has already been launched in China, we know what to expect from the device. The iQOO Z3 makes use of a 6.58-inch FHD+ display of the LCD variety with 120Hz refresh rate support. The display on iQOO’s upcoming handset is also HDR10+ certified, which should bode well for content consumption. In terms of performance, the iQOO Z3 is powered by the octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 768G processor which is built on a 7nm process, with graphics duties being handled by the Adreno 620 GPU which is integrated with the chip. When it comes to storage, the handset offers up to 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM coupled with up to 256 GB of 2.2 storage. In China, the device comes with Android 11 based iQOO UI 1.0 out of the box, but reports are stating that one should expect it to run on Android 11 based FunTouchOS in India. Coming to the optics side of things, the handset features a triple rear camera setup complete with an LED flash. The primary sensor is a 64MP Samsung ISOCELL GW3 sensor coupled with an 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens as well as a 2MP macro lens. Towards the front, the handset makes use of a 16MP selfie snapper. Miscellaneous features include a  4400mAh battery with support for 55W fast charging via the USB Type-C port. For security, the device features a side-mounted fingerprint sensor and comes with a 3.5mm audio jack. In terms of the pricing, certain leaks and rumours suggest it could be priced under Rs 25,000 in India.

Realme Smart TV 4K Specifications and Price Leaked Ahead of Launch Posted: 29 May 2021 06:30 AM PDT Realme, the popular Chinese smartphone brand that took the Indian market by storm back in 2018, entered the TV segment in 2020, in a segment which is led by the likes of Samsung and Sony, with Xiaomi at the top for the budget segment. The company recently sent out media invites for its upcoming Realme TV launch, and now, it has been revealed that the TV will be showcased in two different models. The Realme Smart TV 4K will be available in two sizes, namely 43-inches and 50-inches. RealmeTimes, in collaboration with Gadgetsdata, has revealed the key specification of the upcoming Realme Smart TV 4K. The famed leakster mentions that the TV will run on Android 10 and make use of a MediaTek SoC. For those of you unaware, Realme currently offers three TVs in India, the first of which is the Realme Smart TV offered in two sizes, 32-inch and 43-inch, with the final TV being the Realme Smart TV SLED 4K, priced at Rs 43,999 in the country. What Else Do We Know About The Upcoming Realme Smart TV 4K Gadgetsdata has claimed that the upcoming Realme Smart TV series will run on a quad-core Mediatek SoC. The TV will offer a resolution of 4K, as is evident by the naming scheme with a viewing angle of 178 degrees along with 1 billion colours. The TV will also include a built-in Chroma Boost Picture Engine, which will help optimise overall colour production. Furthermore, the TV will also pack 24W quad stereo speakers along with Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision technology, complete with DTS HD tech. Connectivity or I/O options include the likes of two USB ports, three HDMI ports, an AV out, one Ethernet port as well as a Tuner port. Bluetooth 5.0 and dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4 and 5Ghz) are also supported. Both TVs will run on Android 10, with the 43-inch model supposedly weighing 9.5kgs with a net weight of 6.5 kgs. The 50-inch variant meanwhile offers a gross weight of 13.1 kg with a net weight of 9.2kgs. Power consumption is rated at 100W and 200W for the 43-inch and 50-inch variants, respectively. In terms of pricing, the leakster reports that the upcoming Realme TVs will be priced in the Rs 28,000 to 30,ooo range in India for the smaller variant, with the 50-inch model slotting in at around Rs 33,000 to Rs 35,000 in the country. Do take this with a pinch of salt, as no official hints have been dropped regarding the same.

WhatsApp Takes a U-Turn From Its Decision Posted: 29 May 2021 04:49 AM PDT On a positive note for its Indian customers, WhatsApp has said that it is not going to limit any functionality of the app for the users who don't accept the new privacy policy. A lot of controversies came to life when the social media giant announced that even though it won't be enforcing the privacy policy on May 15, it will be limiting the functionalities of the application for the users who fail to accept the new policy. But according to an IANS report, WhatsApp has taken a u-turn from that decision and will be allowing users to access the complete features of the app even if they haven't accepted the new privacy policy. WhatsApp to Keep Reminding Users to Accept the Privacy Policy In a statement to The Next Web, WhatsApp said that it won't be limiting the functionalities of the application for the users who don't accept the new privacy policy. Instead, for now, the company will keep reminding the users about accepting the policy. WhatsApp has too big a business to risk losing in India. From India alone, the social media giant has more than 400 million users. In other news, WhatsApp has also filed a case in the Delhi High Court against the new IT rules formed by the government. The government wants the social media applications which have more than 50 lakh users to share the information of the user for any particular message or text that raises questions of national security. The new rules came into force on May 25, 2021. Social media applications such as WhatsApp and more have been warned that if they don't follow the rules, there will be strict actions. As of this morning, according to a report from NDTV, all the social media applications except Twitter have shared the necessary details with the government. The microblogging platform had asked the government some more time before it can follow the rules. But the centre has asked Twitter to not play around and adhere to the rules. Users who are worried about the app being banned in India don't need to worry a lot since nowhere in the IT rules is it mentioned that not following the rules will get the platform banned. However, there will be heavy consequences if the government deems it so.

Bharti Airtel Will Offer a Better Network Experience to Users in Assam Posted: 29 May 2021 02:15 AM PDT Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio have been on a spree of deploying additional spectrum purchased in the recent auctions to different states/circles of India. Now the second-largest telecom operator of India, Bharti Airtel has deployed more spectrum in Assam. With the deployment of additional spectrum in the state, users will see enhanced network performance. Further, with the move, Airtel now has the largest spectrum holding in Assam. Bharti Airtel Adds 10 MHz of Spectrum in Assam Bharti Airtel has added 10 MHz of spectrum in Assam in the 2300 MHz frequency band. With the deployment of additional spectrum, Airtel now holds a total of 73.45 MHz of spectrum across various bands including the 2300/2100/900/800 bands in the state. No other telecom operator has this much spectrum availability in the state meaning Bharti Airtel is positioned to offer the best services to the customers in the region. Airtel customers will further see enhanced network services, connectivity, and data speeds in Assam. Not only this, but the telecom operator has also strengthened its position to offer 5G services in the state with a strong spectrum portfolio in the region. Let's take a look at more circles where Airtel recently deployed additional spectrum. Bharti Airtel Deployed Spectrum in All These States Recently Yesterday, the telco had announced about the deployment of 10 MHz of spectrum in the 2300 MHz band in Gujarat. It took the total spectrum holdings for the telco to 70 MHz across several bands in the state. Further, the telco also deployed additional spectrum in Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. In Kerala, Airtel deployed 15 MHz of spectrum (5 MHz in 1800 MHz band and 10 MHz in 2300 MHz band). In Karnataka, the telco deployed 11.2 MHz of the spectrum all in the 1800 MHz band. Lastly, in Tamil Nadu, Bharti Airtel deployed only 5 MHz of spectrum in the 1800 MHz band. With the recent deployments, the telco is showing that it is also focusing on other parts of India and not just the Southern part of the country. Bharti Airtel is strengthening its position with the spectrum portfolio so that it can leverage it to provide seamless 5G services as soon as it can.

BSNL 4G, All We Know So Far Posted: 29 May 2021 01:03 AM PDT Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is expected to roll out 4G networks across India by the end of 2022 if things remain good and timely. The state-run telco has faced many roadblocks whenever it tried to roll out 4G networks. In fact, BSNL had to scrap its initial 4G tender because of the interference from some institutions/bodies arguing that the telco is not prioritising Indian vendors for the network rollout. But now, it seems like if things go smoothly, BSNL will finally be able to roll out 4G networks PAN-India. Here's all you should know about the developments on the matter. BSNL Hybrid 4G Plans Since the telco was being questioned over its approach on prioritising foreign vendors over the Indian companies for the 4G rollout, BSNL has come up with a clever workaround for the same. The state-run telco has proposed a hybrid 4G tender which will include both the Indian and foreign companies. BSNL doesn't have the time to wait for the Indian companies to come up with the Proof of Concept (PoC). Thus the telco proposed to divide the tender into two parts. The first part consisting of 50,000 sites, would be reserved for the Indian vendors and the other 57,000 parts for the foreign vendors. This way, BSNL can start working with the foreign vendors on the 57,000 sites, and until then, the Indian companies can work on generating the PoC. However, the state-run telco has assured that if any Indian company can generate PoC on time, it can also be a part of the 57,000 sites reserved for foreign vendors. BSNL Needs 4G to Survive BSNL needs 4G desperately to survive, and there are no two sides to this statement. The state-run telco is only running today because of the revival packages and the support from the government. If the telco didn't have the support of the government, it would have been out of business by now. But the worst part is, if BSNL doesn't rollout of 4G fast, it would mean the government would have to use more of taxpayers' money to keep the company alive. This is not good for the country or its economy. One positive for the telco is that it has already received a nod from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Empowered Technology Group (ETG) for its hybrid 4G plans. The telco had also reached out to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) earlier for the same. But since the announcement of the hybrid 4G tender and the request for approval from various groups/institutions, the developments about the matter have gone cold. There have been no announcements from the telco about its 4G plans in recent days, which points towards another delay. If BSNL doesn't step on the gas and move fast, it would be catastrophic for the telecom industry and the economy of the country as well.

OneWeb Launches 36 Satellites, Confirms Initiation of Commercial Service In 2021 Posted: 28 May 2021 09:36 PM PDT OneWeb, the popular Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite communications company which is backed by the Bharti group confirmed on Saturday that it had successfully launched 36 satellites by Arianespace from the Vostochny Cosmodrome. In the words of the company, this launch brings OneWeb closer to completing its ambition of ‘Five to 50’ and the start of commercial service by the end of 2021. With this successful launch, the total number of OneWeb’s in-orbit constellations now stands at 218 satellites. All of them will combine to form a part of OneWeb’s 648 LEO satellite fleet that will aim to provide high-speed, low-latency global connectivity. As of now, there is one launch left until the company has the satellites that it needs to enable its connectivity solution to reach all regions that are north of 50 degrees latitude by June of 2021. What Do We Know About The Launch The lift-off, which is one of the many recent ones to have taken place occurred on May 28 at 18:38 BST. OneWeb has stated that its satellites separated from the rocket and were then dispensed into nine batches over a duration of 3 hours and 52 minutes with signal acquisition having been confirmed on all 36 satellites. This launch also plays a key role for the company as it represents the fourth of five planned launch programmes meant to fulfil the ‘Five to 50’ service that will enable OneWeb to offer connectivity across the UK, Alaska, Northern Europe, Canada, Greenland and the Arctic Seas. The service is expected to be switched on before the end of 2021, with the aim of making it globally available in 2022. OneWeb’s CEO, Mr Neil Masterson stated that today's successful launch was another execution milestone that puts OneWeb one launch away from delivering high speed, low latency connectivity to places such as Alaska, Canada, Greenland, UK, and Northern Europe. Today OneWeb celebrates and thanks its Florida team for all of their hard work and dedication that has allowed them to deliver more than 200 satellites to orbit. Collaboration and teamwork are vital when it comes to OneWeb's mission to succeed. The company is grateful to all of its partners around the world who joined the company on our mission to deliver global connectivity, starting with everywhere 50 degrees north. For those of you unaware, OneWeb’s satellites are built by OneWeb Satellites, a company that is a joint venture between OneWeb and Airbus located on Merritt Island, Florida, capable of producing two satellites each day via an innovative production-line process. Due to this advanced capability, the company is able to rapidly and reliably build its first-gen fleet meant to be in orbit by mid-2022. James Hinds, the CEO of OneWeb Satellites was quite ecstatic stating that today's successful launch has highlighted the great industrial partnership that OneWeb Satellites have with OneWeb and Airbus. With more than 200 satellites built in the factory, the company is extremely proud of the team's high-quality, rapidly produced satellites.

Here’s How Using a VPN Affects Your Internet Speed Posted: 28 May 2021 09:30 PM PDT Virtual Private Networks or VPNs have recently gained a lot of popularity and, why should they not. Most users of VPNs make use of the same to access region-locked content or certain kinds of content that might be banned or inaccessible in a certain region. Given the popularity of this tool, one must have some questions about the same, right? Well, you were right if you said yes since there are certain doubts regarding VPNs, the key of which is whether or not it throttles internet speeds and affects the overall net speeds in different scenarios. This question will be addressed here, so if you were perplexed, worry not. Before we begin, though, the first thing that needs to be discussed is what exactly a VPN is, followed by whether or not it truly affects internet speeds. What is a VPN? For those of you wondering, a VPN or a virtual private network is basically an internet security service that provides users access to the internet as though they were connected to a private network, with the key difference being encrypted internet communications and anonymity during activities. Most people make use of VPNs to add an extra layer of privacy and security whilst browsing the web, which, in this day and age, might be the best thing to do. Now that you know what a VPN is, the next topic to be discussed is latency. What Does Latency Refer To? Latency refers to the amount of time that it takes between a user induced action and a resulting response; basically, it is the delay that can be seen when a user clicks a certain link to the point where the link completely opens up. Now, this is all you need to know about latency, but you might be wondering as to why the topic of latency was brought up in the first place. Well, latency is increased by a fair bit when a VPN is in use, resulting in throttled internet speeds. How Do VPNs Increase Overall Latency? There are three major ways via which VPNs increase the overall latency that occurs during an internet search or whilst playing certain content. 1. The first of these ways is increased travel time for requests and responses by the user. Consider a user lives in India and uses a US-based VPN service, so, when the user searches for something, the data travels to the US, the data will then be decrypted and forwarded to a web server which will then send a response back to the VPN provider. This will result in an overall delay. 2. Higher server loads also play a key part, especially for more popular VPN services, since in usual circumstances, a VPN is under pressure and, consider a user connects to the VPN when say 2000 other users are using the service, the overall delay will keep on increasing, not just for the concerned user but for all users that make use of the particular service. 3. Finally, as mentioned earlier, a VPN requires encryption since it provides an additional layer of data and, encrypting this data requires additional time, with the most secure VPNs taking the highest amount of time as they leave no stone unturned. Are VPNs Always Slower? No, it will shock you to know that during certain instances, VPNs not only match regular speeds they also increase speeds. The most common of these services is an OTT platform that might be throttled by the ISP of your choice, say Netflix or HBO or Amazon Prime. Using a VPN can counter this throttling and lead to faster speeds as it would confuse the ISP about where you are located, and these throttles are usually based on a regional basis.

Spectra Broadband Dominates Rs 999 Plan From Jio and Airtel Posted: 28 May 2021 06:30 PM PDT With the rising demand for fiber broadband all across the country, multiple new companies and internet service providers (ISPs) have come to the field trying to offer 'unique plans to the customers. One such company is Spectra. It is a fiber broadband service provider that offers internet plans with speeds of up to 5 Gbps. The company is better known for providing services in Bengaluru, Delhi, Gurugram, and Noida. One thing that's really cool about Spectra's offerings is its economical plans. One such plan comes for Rs 999. Compared to the Jio's and Airtel's Rs 999 plan, this plan from Spectra offers more speed and data. Let's dive into the details of this plan. Spectra Broadband Rs 999 Plan The Rs 999 broadband plan from Spectra offers users unlimited data. The company has mentioned that there is no fair-usage-policy (FUP) limit on the data of this plan meaning users get truly unlimited data. Further, the speed offered to the users with this plan is 250 Mbps. The company also offers a free dual-band Wi-Fi router capable of supporting gigabit speeds. The speed is symmetrical for both downloading and uploading. Let's take a look at the total cost of the plan for the user who is buying it for the first time. On top of the Rs 999 per month for the plan, new customers will also have to pay Rs 1,000 for installation charge. With 18% (Rs 360) tax on the total amount (Rs 999 + Rs 1,000), users will have to pay a total of Rs 4,359. If you are wondering how the Rs 2,000 jump from the amount that it should have been, well the Rs 2,000 is a refundable security deposit that the company will charge the users for providing the dual-band Wi-Fi router. How Does Spectra's Rs 999 Broadband Plan Compares With Jio's and Airtel's Offerings? The Rs 999 broadband plan from Reliance Jio (JioFiber) and Bharti Airtel (Airtel Xstream Fiber) offers users with 150 Mbps and 200 Mbps speeds which is lower than Spectra's offering of 250 Mbps speed. Further, both Jio and Airtel provide users with 3.3TB data while Spectra offers users truly unlimited data. However, there's one downside of purchasing Spectra's plan and that is no over-the-top (OTT) benefits. For some users, OTT benefits don't make a huge difference, however, for some, it is very important. So if you are someone who needs OTT subscriptions with his/her broadband plans, Jio's plan is the better option amongst the three mentioned above. Another thing that users get with Jio's and Airtel's plan is free voice calling benefit. Spectra doesn't offer any such benefit to its users.

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