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• Fast Charging Is Harmful for Your New Smartphone, Know How
• Netflix Was Pursued by Apple to Continue With In-App Purchases, Emails Reveal
• MIUI 13 Launch Set for June 25, All You Should Know
• Twitter Rolls Out New Feature to Support Full Size Image Preview
• WhatsApp Privacy Policy Deadline, What Will Happen if You Don’t Accept
• Chromebooks Are Seeing Massive Demand, but Not in India, Here’s Why
• BSNL Launches BAVA, an Automated Virtual Assistant for Solving Queries
• Redmi Note 10 Pro 5G Tipped to Launch With Snapdragon 750G
• Telecom Tower Frauds Increasing in India, What You Must Know
• PUBG Battlegrounds Mobile India Officially Announced by Krafton
• BSNL STV 398 Beats Every Short-Term 3GB Daily Data Plan From Jio, Airtel and Vi
• DoT Might Postpone 5G Spectrum Auctions to Next Year
• 5G Network Materials and Components Detailed
• Vodafone Idea Extends New Fiber Broadband Plans to More Circles
• Indian Telecom Users Can Do Without 5G, Need True 4G First

Fast Charging Is Harmful for Your New Smartphone, Know How Posted: 06 May 2021 09:00 AM PDT Fast charging a smartphone has become the newest norm in tech and, why should it not? Nobody likes to sit around and wait for their device to fully charge, and if there is a technology that can do so in under an hour or even in the span of 30-40 mins, is it not perfect? Well, yes and no. Fast charging as a concept is quite interesting and, indeed, it is quite useful for users, especially those who travel frequently or use their phone a lot more than an average user. But, with every feature comes a pro and a con and, if you have read up about fast charging, the one doubt that arises is in regards to the ability to charge the device and whether or not it has an ill effect on the battery. Let us discuss the same today. Battery Health: More Charging, Less Juice The first thing that needs to be discussed when it comes to charging is undoubtedly battery health. For those of you unaware, battery health is a term used to describe the amount of degradation a battery has gone through since its first boot up. It basically refers to the capacity of the battery that is diminished and works on the principle of more charging means less capacity over the years. From the moment a phone is first plugged in to charge, battery degradation begins. The best method to measure the health of the battery is via charging cycles, but when one applies voltage to charge the battery, the overall life is reduced. If you, as a user, check your device's charging speed and the amount of battery life that it provides now and compare it with the performance it will provide in a year's time, you will notice massive changes, be it on a budget phone or a flagship. ` Some of you might think that this is an issue or a flaw, but, in reality, it is how batteries work. This occurs with every battery-operated device, be it a laptop, phone, controller for gaming or the battery inside a toy. Where Does Fast Charging Come Into This Equation? Faster charging, as the term explains itself, is the ability to charge a battery faster. Now, if the battery is degraded every time it is charged, imagine the effects of charging it more rapidly than usual. Whilst some may say that it does not have a profound impact on the overall battery health, I still maintain that fast charging is less than ideal for the user who keeps a device for the long run. Do note, they are not wrong, but the scenario they are talking about is in colder scenarios. In warmer areas, especially in a country like India, faster charging can have adverse effects. Consider you use a 65W charger and do not provide any form of cooling, as in the room lacks proper ventilation or does not have air conditioning; in a bid to charge the device faster, the charger will push the device and its capabilities. This, in turn, will lead to heating. Another issue that will plague users is continuous charging; with faster charging, one needs to control the number of times they charge their device during the day. Even if you have heavy usage, you should try slower charging in some instances to preserve overall life. Charging at 30 or 65W three or four times in a day will result in a short battery much earlier than expected, maybe in a span of 18 months, which is far less than ideal. What Are Some Ways To Avoid Ill Effects Of Fast Charging? Try to charge the device in a cooler area or under a fan. Do not put the phone to charge at night since overheating due to constant provision of voltage might harm the battery. Avoid using the phone whilst it is charging. Try to use slower charging (10-15W) once a while. Do not try to use another company's fast charger; use compatible chargers for best results and to avoid heating.

Netflix Was Pursued by Apple to Continue With In-App Purchases, Emails Reveal Posted: 06 May 2021 08:00 AM PDT According to internal emails (via 9To5Mac) that were revealed during the Epic Games vs Apple lawsuit over the dispute regarding the fees charged by Apple within its App Store, it was revealed that employees at the company were considering providing special treatment to Netflix in a bid to keep the streaming service's subscriptions still on the App Store. What followed saw Netflix remove its subscription offering from the app to avoid the fees charged by Apple. In relation to this, a presentation circulated which contained within it a proposal to advertise Netflix within its retail stores and use a portion of App Store commissions to pay for search ads and even bundle the streaming service with other services offered by the Cupertino based company. Bundles, Ads and More: What Netflix Was Offered The email begins with an explanation of a test that Netflix wanted to conduct in a bid to study the impact of disabling in-app purchases on iOS. The main concern of Netflix, as mentioned by the Director of the App Store Business Management, Carson Oliver, was over the voluntary churn of subscribers through the App Store. The exact figure is not provided, but it seems to suggest that Netflix subscribers from the App Store cancelled the service more than subscribers who joined it via the official site of the OTT platform. Another email from 2018 mentions that Apple employees had created a presentation explaining the importance of in-app purchases, including reminders of things Apple had done for Netflix, such as offering discounts and letting them determine which shows and movies to write about in the App store. Additionally, it also mentions how Apple did all of the promotion for Netflix in the editorial section of the store and calls out that Netflix was featured to a much greater extent than that of others, leading to around 6-7% higher downloads. Within the same presentation, it is also mentioned how Apple is considering floating more benefits to Netflix, some of which were better than what the company publicly offers to other developers. It was stressed, however, that these were part of the 'What We Could Do' section, and they had not been approved. Certain other benefits included the addition of email campaigns meant for promoting Netflix and carving out a portion of subscription fees to advertise the app and even bundle it with certain services.

MIUI 13 Launch Set for June 25, All You Should Know Posted: 06 May 2021 07:01 AM PDT Xiaomi is on a roll when it comes to product launches, with the company recently having launched its Mi 11 series in India, as well as scheduling the launch of the Redmi Note 10s for next week. Today, however, we will be discussing some announcements on the software side of things. Earlier this month, the company announced that it would be pushing MIUI 12.5 to certain devices. Today, it has been revealed that the company is also gearing up to bring the next iteration of its UI, MIUI 13 select devices, as was reported by GSMArena. The MIUI version is due to launch in the second quarter of the year, between April to June and, as per current developments, the launch is scheduled for June 25. This schedule matches what has been followed in the past, with a new version of MIUI each year. What Do We Know About MIUI 13? As of now, we know which devices the MIUI 13 update will be released to, with the report mentioning that it may not come to certain older flashes and popular devices, such as the Mi 9, Mi Mix 3 and devices like the Redmi 8 and 9 series. Devices older than 2019 have been tipped to be omitted, whilst those launched post-2019 will be receiving the next best version of Xiaomi's operating system. Not a lot is known of MIUI 13 as of now, but certain rumours suggest that it might include a new user interface with newer themes and animations. Security-related features are also rumoured to be focused on MIUI 13 after users were worried regarding certain issues plaguing MIUI 12 earlier in 2020. In other Xiaomi related news, the company started rolling out the MIUI 12.5 update, which brings with it some key changes to seven devices via an over the air update. These devices included the Mi 11 series, the Mi 10 series and the Mi 9 SE. As of now, it is limited to China. For those of you wondering, the MIUI 12.5 update brings with it the ability to make use of the smartphone faster and more efficiently without the use of excess resources after lags became common for the animation heavy MIUI 12. The update will also bring with it better gestures, sound and haptics, Super Wallpaper, notification related changes and privacy features, These will include Clipboard protection, Browser and Location and File Storage isolation.

Twitter Rolls Out New Feature to Support Full Size Image Preview Posted: 06 May 2021 06:05 AM PDT Twitter is one of the most powerful social media platforms among the others, and the rest of the world, including us, believe that it’s a platform to raise your voice or address any issue. Many users raised an issue regarding the display image full coverage of Twitter, and taking this seriously; the company has finally made some important changes. Twitter has started rolling out a new feature that will show you full display images without cropping them. The new feature was earlier in the beta testing, and now the stable version has been made available for all Twitter users. Twitter, from its official account, shared a tweet claiming that the social media platform will now show the actual size of the display images. The tweet also demonstrated the cropped images before the update and the new UI after the rollout of the new feature. Earlier image posts didn't support a 16:9 aspect ratio. This is done to make it convenient for the uses to see what's there in the tweet without even opening it. "no bird too tall, no crop too short. Introducing bigger and better images on iOS and Android, now available to everyone," reads the Twitter post. Just in case you don't know, this feature was in the testing phase since March, and the company was developing this along with another feature that will allow users to upload 4K images without deteriorating the quality of the image. The 4K image upload feature was recently introduced by the company, and now finally, the full view image feature has also arrived. How to Enable Upload 4K Un-cropped picture on Twitter First, you need to open the Twitter app on your Android or iOS device. Head to the Setting and select Privacy. Tap on Data Usage. Now you need to choose High-Quality Upload under the image section. You can select from Wi-Fi only or for mobile data and Wi-Fi (depends on your internet speed). Turn on the settings for High-Quality Upload, and you are all set to go. Do share your thoughts about the newly added feature to the popular social media platform in the comment section below.

WhatsApp Privacy Policy Deadline, What Will Happen if You Don’t Accept Posted: 06 May 2021 05:23 AM PDT At the beginning of the year, Facebook-owned WhatsApp brought a series of new changes to the privacy policy. However, it didn't go like how the online instant messaging platform expected it would. The new privacy policy update by the company faced huge criticism and backlash from Indian users. The reason behind the disappointment was the new policy stated that the company would share the user details with the parent company Facebook. The new policy has created a huge buzz on the internet, and the entire country switched to instant online messaging platforms Signal and Telegram. Let’s have a look at what happens if you don’t accept the WhatsApp privacy policy. After receiving huge criticism from the Indian users, the company decided to push the deadline to accept the policy by three months, which is till May 15. At the time of extending the rollout timeline, the company promised to educate the users about the new policies. According to WhatsApp, "We'll be doing much more to make our voice clear going forward." Unfortunately, we haven't noticed any actions taken by the instant messaging platform to educate users about the updated privacy policies. So far, the company has only published a few blogs and published a new ban on the app, informing users that they have to accept the privacy policy until May 15 if they want to continue using the app. This seems to be a threat instead of spreading education about the policy. What Happen if you Disagree with WhatsApp Policies If users do not agree to the new ToS by May 15, then they will lose some functionalities for sure. It might be possible that WhatApp will extend the deadline at the last minute, but no one knows the plan. In the blog post, the company claims that the users will not be able to use the full functionalities of the platform if they don't accept the new policies. Users will be able to receive calls and notifications, but they won't be able to send. Do note that your WhatsApp account will not be deleted unless it remains inactive for more than 120 days. If you want to accept the new policies, then you can click on the pop-up on the home screen and tap on 'Agree'.

Chromebooks Are Seeing Massive Demand, but Not in India, Here’s Why Posted: 06 May 2021 04:44 AM PDT The PC market has seen multiple changes in recent years, from the downfall of Intel to the rise of AMD and higher sales in recent years due to the pandemic, which resulted in work moving online, requiring more computing power for most tasks. Most users are aware of the normal PC or laptop, which uses Microsoft's Windows, with its primary competitor being Apple's Mac running macOS. However, there is a third competitor, which seems to be creeping up to regular laptops, at least on a global scale. This third competitor is Chromebooks, a unique blend of hardware with Google's own software for larger devices. What are Chromebooks, why are they becoming popular and, why does that not reflect in India? Find out below. Chromebooks: Robust Design Meets Fluid UI Chromebooks as a concept are quite interesting. As Google states, it is a new type of computer designed to get things done easier and faster-using Chrome OS, an OS that uses cloud storage and emphasizes security. This, at least on paper, should result in a good device, right? Well, yes and no. While there is no denying that Chromebooks are indeed popular and are seeing a larger market share (find more info below), there are some flaws. Before discussing these flaws, especially from the point of view of an Indian consumer, we must reflect upon the success that Chromebooks have seen in recent times. As per a report by Canalys, the PC market, which includes desktops, notebooks, tablets, Chromebooks etc., saw a 53% growth in Q1 of 2021, with over 122 million units shipped during this period. Out of these devices, Chromebooks saw a 274% growth on a YOY basis. The total number of Chromebooks shipped in Q1 stands at 12 million, with top manufacturers being HP, with 4.3 million units, Lenovo with 3.1 million units, Acer, Samsung and Dell. Out of these companies, HP seemed to have the best quarter for Chromebooks, with the company recording a growth of around 600% on a YOY basis in the total shipments for Chrome OS-based notebooks. Why Is This Success Not Evident In India? Whilst there are some Chromebook users in India, they are not as popular as they are in the US or UK, where they are primary devices for children and teens who go to school as well as any individual who has a lighter than usual workload. These kinds of users are also present in India, but they tend to deviate towards regular Windows laptops and PCs. Here's why. 1. Lack Of Information Regarding Chromebooks The non-techy buyer will be well aware of what a Laptop is, but he will be puzzled about this new kind of laptop that relies on a different OS, one that is not the segment leader. Furthermore, these kinds of buyers prefer the offline or physical market, which is heavily dominated by brands such as Lenovo and Dell, who ask retailers and sellers to put more emphasis on regular laptops, not allowing the user to explore his own options. This is one of the basic issues plaguing the popularity of Chrome OS-based notebooks since hardly any non-techy knows of Google's Chrome OS. 2. Higher Prices: Less For More One of the key reasons for the lack of sales in India is the price itself. In India, HP has many Chromebooks on offer, but pricing is key in a market like India. Most Chromebooks are either slightly more expensive or the same price as a similar Windows PC and, at times, more expensive than laptops that might have more power than the Chromebook due to a prior launch, which might see the laptop getting slightly older. This is not something the market considers, and, to them, the ability to use a device more smoothly for a lower price is not the headlining feature; the price is. The best explanation for the underwhelming performance of Chromebooks in India is summed up by a fellow tech enthusiast "In India, Pricing is a feature."

BSNL Launches BAVA, an Automated Virtual Assistant for Solving Queries Posted: 06 May 2021 04:13 AM PDT Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has just launched an online automated virtual assistant called 'BAVA' that will help the telco's users in solving their queries. The virtual assistant is already live on the website on the telco, which can be accessed by both computer and smartphone users. It will help users with a multitude of telco's services, including getting a 'new connection'. Further, you can also pay your bill through the BSNL's virtual assistant. 'BAVA' is an acronym for 'BSNL Automated Virtual Assistant.' However, the automated assistant will require more work since its 'microphone' option for taking voice commands wasn't working when we tried. BSNL BAVA Works Well When Given Physical Commands You can type 'bill' on the chat window of BAVA, and the virtual assistant from BSNL will ask you to enter your phone number in a particular format displayed on the screen. You can also type in the command 'new phone number' for which BAVA will provide you with appropriate links. So when given physical commands, BSNL's virtual assistant is quite good at understanding them and offers solutions quite fast. Overall, BAVA is as responsive as an average user would want it to be. Further, users can also book themselves a new FTTH or fiber internet connection with the help of BNSL BAVA. One point that we would want BSNL to consider is that the chat window is not at all eye-catching. The UI of the chat window is very dull, and the text is very light in colour, which some users might find hard to read. We expect BNSL to further enhance the BAVA and make it smarter to ensure that it can help customers in a jiffy. At present, the main menu of 'BSNL BAVA' comes with a total of four options for the customers. The first option is 'New Connection', followed by 'Happy to Help', 'Choose Your Plan', and 'Pay Your Bill'. With time, BSNL will further improve the functioning of its virtual assistant. It is a great initiative from the company to ease customer's experience on its website. It will help users navigate through the telco's services in a better way.

Redmi Note 10 Pro 5G Tipped to Launch With Snapdragon 750G Posted: 06 May 2021 02:51 AM PDT Xiaomi is all set to launch the Redmi Note 10 Pro 5G and the smartphone has already started making a headline. We have witnessed a series of leaks and rumours about the handset and it has been speculated that the Redmi Note 10 Pro 5G might launch with the Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset with a 5G modem. In the latest development, it has been reported that the upcoming smartphone is expected to be shipped with the Snapdragon 750G. The handset is also said to launch with a 120Hz refresh rate display. Let's have a closer look at the latest leak. Redmi Note 10 Pro 5G Leak Popular tipster Abhishek Yadav has shared an image of the Redmi Note 10 Pro 5G phone on his official Twitter account. The rendered image suggests that the 5G variant of the Redmi Note 10 Pro is under development and the promo image is available in the Spanish language. It seems that the handset will be the first launch in Spain and the head to other markets. The smartphone that appeared on the render shows a similar design to the regular Redmi Note 10 Pro variant. According to the tipster the Redmi Note 10 Pro 5G might be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G as the promo image also reveals a Qualcomm branding. However, do note that the company is yet to reveal anything about the smartphone officially. It’s recommended to take this information with a pinch of salt. Xiaomi is tipped to launch the 5G variant of the Redmi Note 10 Pro for quite a long time. The handset has also appeared on numerous certification and benchmarking websites. Back in January, it was listed on the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) listing hinting towards an imminent India launch. However, the company launched the 4G variant in March instead of launching the 5G model. Xiaomi launched the Redmi Note 10 5G in the European and the US market starting at USD 199 (Approx Rs 14,700) for the 6GB RAM and 64GB storage. It would be interesting to see at what price the company is going to launch the phone in India. Just to recall the Redmi Note 10 Pro 4G was launched in India at Rs 15,999. It shipped with the Snapdragon 732G chipset, with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage.

Telecom Tower Frauds Increasing in India, What You Must Know Posted: 06 May 2021 02:03 AM PDT A striking aspect of India's development story has been the telecom revolution. The country leapfrogged to mobile telecommunications in a manner and at a pace that has been truly revolutionary. Today, mobile phones are a must-have in Indian society. Much of this has been possible due to the tireless efforts of the telecom industry in bringing the best possible services to its consumers. Over the last few years, telecom networks have rapidly expanded in the country. Today, more than 6.47 lakh (as on April 1, 2021) mobile towers, that familiar symbol of mobile telephony, can be found in the country, with 51,000 being added in the last year itself. This has had a great impact in providing seamless connectivity to consumers across the country. Unfortunately, it has also attracted unwanted attention—this time from telecom tower fraudsters. Money and Mobile towers How do these fraudsters operate? Presenting themselves as agents of Telecom Service Providers, Infrastructure Service Providers or of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), they dupe people by promising benefits like lucrative monthly rents for hosting towers in their premises. These fraudsters often distribute fake pamphlets and make bogus phone calls. The usual benefits on offer include high rentals, free installation of towers and waiver of mandatory municipal taxes. Often gifts of free mobile phones are also offered. Once ensnared, gullible property owners are then asked to deposit money in the accounts of these fraudsters in the name of government taxes, for which fake receipts are promptly provided. These receipts are often in the name of some bogus organization or a telecom service provider, or TRAI itself. Expectedly, once payments are made, the frauds close their operations and move on to target their next set of unsuspecting people. The regulator has issued guidelines for the industry to take steps to raise awareness on the same. The industry is working together on education programmes and awareness campaigns to ensure that people are not duped by these unscrupulous characters. For redressal, the regulator advises victims to get in touch with local law enforcement agencies. TRAI, the regulator, is not directly or indirectly involved in leasing/renting of premises for the installation of mobile towers. Who Is Then Licensed to Install Towers? Infrastructure Providers like Indus Towers Ltd, ATC, Bharti Infratel, etc. along with the Telecom Service Providers such as RJio, Airtel, VIL, BSNL, MTNL, can install towers after clearance from appropriate authorities, which could mean central and state governments, local authorities, bodies, companies or institutions incorporated or established by the central or state governments. It is important that the public is aware of the rules and the due procedures to ensure that they don't fall victims to tower fraudsters. Calls can be made to the National Consumer Helpline from anywhere in India at 14404 or 1800-11-4000. People can also register the complaint at www.consumerhelpline.gov.in. With a little more awareness, we can not only keep fraudsters at bay but also energise the telecom sector, thereby ensuring national growth and development. By – Lt. Gen Dr. SP Kochhar, DG, COAI

PUBG Battlegrounds Mobile India Officially Announced by Krafton Posted: 06 May 2021 01:21 AM PDT PUBG Mobile will officially be coming back to India but with a new name – 'PUBG Battlegrounds Mobile India'. The same has been announced by Krafton, the developer of the game. It will retain the core experience of the game and will put players in an online multiplayer battle to survive till the last. The PUBG Battlegrounds Mobile India will be up soon for pre-registrations in the country. One feature of the game will be that it will be India exclusive only. So only Indian will be able to play the game. Krafton said the game would have India specific in-game events, which will be announced at a later stage. The company has also revealed the logo of the game. Krafton Promises High Privacy With PUBG Battlegrounds Mobile India Krafton said that it would be offering the game to users with high privacy and data security features. The company has promised that it will work with its partners to ensure that the data of the users is kept safe at each stage. Further, the company said that it is completely ready to comply with the data and privacy laws that the Indian government has put in place. The company has also teased about the game on its official YouTube handle called 'Battlegrounds Mobile India'. PUBG Mobile Launch Date The company said that it would start pre-registration very soon. However, there are were no confirmed dates provided by the company about the game's launch. Nonetheless, we can expect the game to be released soon in India, given the official announcement by the company today. This is good news for PUBG Mobile lovers who had to resort to downloading APK files to continue playing the game post its ban in the country. PUBG Mobile was banned in India along with several other Chinese applications last year because of privacy concerns. The developers of the game since then have been trying very hard to get the green signal from the government to relaunch the game in India. Earlier, the developers tried to relaunch the game in India by removing their ties with China's Tencent; but even that didn't work with the government.

BSNL STV 398 Beats Every Short-Term 3GB Daily Data Plan From Jio, Airtel and Vi Posted: 06 May 2021 12:07 AM PDT Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) now and then comes up with very interesting offers for the users. The state-run telco offers value-packed deals to its users across the nation. One such value-packed offering from BSNL is the STV 398. The BSNL STV 398 is arguably the best when compared with every other 3GB daily data plan offered by Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea for the short-term. This is because of one prime reason that we will uncover ahead. BSNL STV 398 Benefits For the unaware, the BSNL STV 398 was launched this year in January. The plan offers users truly unlimited data without any fair usage policy (FUP) limit. Further, there is unlimited voice calling and 100 SMS/day offered to the users. All the benefits will also be applicable on roaming and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) network areas in Mumbai and Delhi. The plan carries a validity of 30 days. This plan doesn't allow users to send SMSes to international numbers, premium numbers, and IN numbers. If the user makes an outgoing call to any of these numbers, the telco will charge the user with a standard fee applicable on such calls. Last month, BSNL had increased the availability of this plan for the users till July 8, 2021. How is BSNL STV 398 Better Than Other Operators' Short-Term 3GB Daily Data Offering? Reliance Jio charges Rs 349 for offering 3GB daily data to the users for 28 days. Bharti Airtel's 3GB daily data plan for 28 days costs Rs 398, the same price as that of BSNL STV 398. Vodafone Idea (Vi), on the other hand, offers 4GB daily data to the users for Rs 299 for 28 days. First of all, note that BSNL's STV 398 is the only voucher amongst all of the ones mentioned above that comes with a validity of complete 30 days; all the other vouchers carry a validity of 28 days. Further, BSNL offers its plan for the same price as that of Airtel's plan but with no FUP restrictions on data. If the value is to be considered, even Vi's offering is excellent since it is by far the cheapest on the table. But no one can beat BSNL's STV 398 on the account that it offers truly unlimited data to the users.

DoT Might Postpone 5G Spectrum Auctions to Next Year Posted: 05 May 2021 10:50 PM PDT The 5G spectrum auction was expected to take place in the last quarter of CY2021. But now, the government might push it to the first quarter in 2022. The delay in the auction's timeline is because of the ongoing pandemic in the country. The government is currently busy ensuring that the networks and telecom services are completely stable. According to an ET Telecom report, a senior government official said that India is very likely to postpone the 5G auctions that is supposed to happen at the end of the year to early next year. The official further said that this is so that government can right now focus all of its energy and resources on ensuring that networks are stable at the time of the pandemic. 5G Trials Can Take Some Time to Finish The telcos will be testing and trying to develop local use cases of 5G with the spectrum offered by the government. These tests are only starting and will go up to at least 6 months. Further, the trial period can even be extended depending on the progress that the company is making. If that happens, the 5G spectrum auctions will naturally be pushed ahead since the telcos will still be testing the technology and won't be ready for commercial deployment. Now it is very likely that the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) might push the 5G auctions to the first quarter of 2022, i.e., January to March 2022. The government will also be putting the coveted 700 MHz spectrum in the auctions, and it is expected to come with a lower reserve price. DoT further needs to release an updated National Frequency Allocation Policy (NFAP) detailing the frequency bands that the telcos can use for rolling out 5G in India. Thus, the telecom department will need to sit down with the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to decide the reserve price for the new frequency bands, if any. The telcos want the government to offer the E band (71-76 GHz and 81-86 GHz) and V band (57-64 GHz) on the auctions so that lightning 5G speeds can be delivered and also so that affordable rollout of 5G in the country is possible.

5G Network Materials and Components Detailed Posted: 05 May 2021 09:30 PM PDT Unless you have been living under a rock for the past year, you know that the 5G network is the next big thing in the cellular network space. It is going to be the fastest and most reliable network known to mankind in the coming years. The improvement in terms of numbers and experience definitely makes 5G worth all the hype it is receiving today. If you think your current 4G networks are fast, imagine a 20 times higher peak speed, 10 times decrease in latency and a significant increase in coverage that 5G footprint has to offer. 5G networks will open doors for applications in virtual reality, augmented reality, remote services and solutions, automation in driving and various other processes. However, to enable 5G and all of its glorious applications, electronic manufactures are on their toes to develop high-level components on which the 5G network infrastructure would be built. These components would have to overcome a number of challenges like delivering high performance at low power and survive high thermal temperatures in smaller encapsulated material sizes. Here's a list of the high-level components being used to build 5G. 5G Antenna In simple terms, an antenna is an electronic device used in converting electric power into radio waves. There are different kinds of antenna available in the market like microstrip, monopole and dipole antennas, MIMO and patch antennas. Antennas used in 5G technology are expected to provide greater capacity and have a wider wireless spectrum. These 5G antennas are made out of advanced ceramic materials that include a mix of materials like silicon dioxide, yttrium oxide, and barium carbonate. These raw materials taken in an appropriate ratio and then synthesized to provide desirable outputs. Antenna Radome To protect antennas from harsh weather conditions like rain and ice, a protective enclosure is used called a radome. These radome shells are made out of a combination of different kinds of plastic. Apart from protecting the antennas, radome has additional benefits as well, like saving up on maintenance costs and reduced fabrication. 5G Microwave Circuits Microwave circuits are built using super-conducting and ceramic materials as they can supply current and voltage, provide better stability, enhanced frequency and nominal temperatures. 5G networks use mmWave (millimetre wave) spectrum for an increased wireless data transfer. Absorbers are used to control the electromagnetic interference in mmWave. These absorbers are added to the microwave circuits to counter the effects of radiated signals on the performance of the circuit. Power Amplifier Power amplifiers are used to enhance the power level of a given input signal. Power amplifiers used in 5G networks are made of semiconductor gallium nitride and polybutylene PBT-package power amplifier for 28GHz. These power amplifiers can operate at higher frequencies even with low power rates. Indium phosphide (InP) is used as an alternative in providing enhanced performance at higher frequencies while consuming lower power. 5G Cables Even though 5G networks are meant to be a wireless network for us, their infrastructure still requires the use of high-quality cables. Cat 6A 5G SxTP cables are designed specifically to provide applications with both indoors and outdoors. These cables are high-density tinned copper braids that can support voice and data. These copper wires are sealed using heat-conducting, flame retarding, foaming and sealing materials. According to the required weight percentage, the sealing material comprises liquid silicone rubber-based glue, a heat-conducting powder, and a foaming and auxiliary agent. Circuit Board Substrates In 5G network circuit board substrates, materials like alkali-free glass fibre cloth and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) are used. Some other materials that can be used in circuit board substrates are polyether ether ketone (PEEK), modified epoxy, polyphenol ether (PPE), phenolic resins, glass and flexible ceramics. These substrate materials are expected to have not only shallow values of dielectric constant (Dk), a dissipation factor (Df) and moisture absorption but also be cheap and have low manufacturing costs. There are various other materials that are necessary for the core and strong foundation of the 5G network. In this article, we have covered some of the major materials that are necessary for the process.

Vodafone Idea Extends New Fiber Broadband Plans to More Circles Posted: 05 May 2021 08:03 PM PDT Vodafone Idea (Vi) is getting aggressive with its broadband business in the country. The telco has just launched new fiber plans through its subsidiary You Broadband for 4 more places. Vi had already announced new broadband plans for Chennai, Bangalore, Vijaywada, Kakinada, and Ahmedabad. Now the company is all set to offer new fiber broadband plans in these locations – Navi Mumbai, Thane, Powai, and Mumbai. All of the locations are getting different plans with different speeds. However, the company has stayed consistent with offering standard priced plans to the users in different areas/locations. Let's take a look at the plans on offer at all of these locations. Vodafone Idea You Broadband New Plans For Mumbai Vodafone Idea has launched a total of three new plans for the Mumbai circle, which come with 100 Mbps, 150 Mbps, and 200 Mbps speed. All of the plans offer users 3.5TB or 3,500GB FUP data. Check out all the plans for Mumbai on the table below. Speed/Validity (Days) 30 Days  90 Days (+5 bonus days)  180 Days (+10 bonus days)  360 Days (+30 bonus days) 100 Mbps Rs 826* Rs 2,478* Rs 4,956* Rs 9,912* 150 Mbps Rs 944* Rs 2,832* Rs 5,664* Rs 11,328* 200 Mbps Rs 1,062* Rs 3,186* Rs 6,372* Rs 12,744* * Note that all the prices mentioned in the table above are inclusive of taxes. Vodafone Idea You Broadband New Plans For Navi Mumbai Again, the user is offered 3.5TB of data with all the plans. You Broadband will be offering a total of five new plans in Navi Mumbai, which will come with 40 Mbps, 60 Mbps, 100 Mbps, 150 Mbps, and 200 Mbps speeds. Check out all the plans for Navi Mumbai on the table below. Speed/Validity (Days) 30 Days  90 Days (+5 bonus days)  180 Days (+10 bonus days)  360 Days (+30 bonus days) 40 Mbps  Rs 590* Rs 1,770* Rs 3,540* Rs 7,080* 60 Mbps Rs 679* Rs 2,036* Rs 4,071* Rs 8,142* 100 Mbps Rs 826* Rs 2,478* Rs 4,956* Rs 9,912* 150 Mbps Rs 944* Rs 2,832* Rs 5,664* Rs 11,328* 200 Mbps Rs 1,062* Rs 3,186* Rs 6,372* Rs 12,744* * Note that all the prices mentioned in the table above are inclusive of taxes. Vodafone Idea You Broadband New Plans For Powai Vi is offering four new broadband plans in Powai with 75 Mbps, 100 Mbps, 150 Mbps, and 200 Mbps speeds. All of the plans carry 3.5TB FUP data. Check out all the new You Broadband plans for Powai on the table below. Speed/Validity (Days) 30 Days  90 Days (+5 bonus days)  180 Days (+10 bonus days)  360 Days (+30 bonus days) 75 Mbps Rs 797* Rs 2,390* Rs 4,779* Rs 9,558* 100 Mbps Rs 826* Rs 2,478* Rs 4,956* Rs 9,912* 150 Mbps Rs 944* Rs 2,832* Rs 5,664* Rs 11,328* 200 Mbps Rs 1,062* Rs 3,186* Rs 6,372* Rs 12,744* * Note that all the prices mentioned in the table above are inclusive of taxes. Vodafone Idea You Broadband New Plans For Thane You Broadband will be offering a total of five new plans in Thane that will come with 30 Mbps, 40 Mbps, 60 Mbps, 100 Mbps, and 200 Mbps speeds. Further, all of the plans carry 3.5TB of FUP data. Check out all the You Broadband plans for Thane below. Speed/Validity (Days) 30 Days  90 Days (+5 bonus days)  180 Days (+10 bonus days)  360 Days (+30 bonus days) 30 Mbps Rs 472* Rs 1,416* Rs 2,832* Rs 5,664* 40 Mbps  Rs 590* Rs 1,770* Rs 3,540* Rs 7,080* 60 Mbps Rs 708* Rs 2,214* Rs 4,248* Rs 8,496* 100 Mbps Rs 826* Rs 2,478* Rs 4,956* Rs 9,912* 200 Mbps Rs 1,062* Rs 3,186* Rs 6,372* Rs 12,744* *Note that all the prices mentioned in the table above are inclusive of taxes.

Indian Telecom Users Can Do Without 5G, Need True 4G First Posted: 05 May 2021 06:25 PM PDT Indian telecom operators need to be at the forefront with their 4G offerings. While one operator (BSNL) in the country almost has a non-existent 4G subscriber base, the other one (Vodafone Idea) is losing subscribers quite fast. Since 5G is going to be the next big thing, the telcos and consumers both are focusing more on 5G than 4G. The truth of the matter is, Indian telecom users can do without 5G networks if they get true 4G speeds wherever they are. The telecom service providers (TSPs) need to work on multiple areas if they want to offer better 4G services to their users. Focusing on 5G for offering better speeds isn't the answer. Government Should Support Operators Such as Vodafone Idea Firstly, the government needs to show its support towards the operators if it wants the Indian consumers to be able to experience the true potential of 4G. More financial pressure should not be forced upon cash strapped telcos such as Vodafone Idea (Vi). The government could have relaxed the Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) dues for the entire industry by some percentage instead of burdening the telcos with thousands of crores as a liability at a time when there is a serious need for Capex spends on networks and spectrum. If Vi had the money to invest in expanding its 4G network coverage, the telco would see really great positives in the medium-term. Due to losing subscribers primarily because of low network coverage, users are hopping on to the networks of Jio and Airtel that promise a better coverage than Vi. In turn, the 4G networks of Jio and Airtel are getting congested. The newly added spectrum resource should allow both Jio and Airtel to increase their network capacity; however, we would still be away from true 4G. Telcos Need to Maintain Network Quality The operators need to invest and re-invest heavily on their 4G networks to expand reach and capacity throughout India. Without that, users will be stuck with average quality 4G networks and will keep waiting for 5G to come. 5G will be capable of offering the kind of speeds that most of the users don't really need. In reality, 5G will initially be advantageous for Internet-of-Things (IoT), Industry applications 4.0, and other such related things. Any average user in India can do almost everything with his/her 4G network if they get true 4G speeds. India Still Lacks True 4G Sadly, even after several years, Indians haven't been able to feel what true 4G is like. This is because of the government, the telcos, and no smart planning for big cities. A day before yesterday, we said that Vodafone Idea and BSNL's comeback in the market could truly change how Indians consume 4G; and we stand by the statement. 5G plans would be unnecessary for most of the consumers in terms of benefits and will also be very expensive than 4G plans. Thus, all the operators in the country should push to offer a true 4G network experience to the customers instead of rushing to release 5G services. With all the four operators in the 4G game, users would get more options, and the market would evolve into a better place for the customers.

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