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• The Pricey Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold Is Now Available in India
• The Next Infinix Device Might Revolutionise the Indian Market
• HPL Electrics to Install 4G and 5G Smart Meters in National Capital
• Ligado Networks Get 3GPP Approval for 5G Deployment in L-band Spectrum
• Huawei and ZTE Appoint Nodal Officers Seeking Access to Trusted Portal
• NEC Corporation 5G xHaul Transformation Services Launched
• Bharti Airtel Now Offering More Data, Validity With Prepaid Plans
• Vodafone Idea Giving Rs 75 Worth of Voice Calling, Data for Free
• Xiaomi to Bring Mi 11 Lite 5G Variant in India on a Condition
• Xiaomi Mi Watch Revolve Active Comes With LifeQ Health Algorithm
• Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite, a Super Light and Slim Smartphone Is Here for You
• New Social Media Rules FAQ to be Released Soon
• OnePlus and Oppo Merger Isn’t Surprising
• Ways to Leverage Broadband Connection to Set Up an Online Business
• Government Panel Recommends Use of Satellite Television to Bridge Learning Gap
• Airtel Xstream Fiber Plans Better than BSNL’s Plans

The Pricey Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold Is Now Available in India Posted: 22 Jun 2021 07:23 AM PDT Lenovo on Tuesday announced that it was expanding its ThinkPad series of laptops, with the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold. The device arrives in India as the company’s first foldable PC. In case you did not know, it was initially launched at CES in 2020. This offering by Lenovo will allow for the device to be used as a laptop at certain times via a bundled keyboard. The laptop/tablet comes with a torque hinge design which allows the display to bend, with the ability to use the X1 Fold in a tablet-like form factor. The ThinkPad X1 Fold comes with an OLED display, and relies on an Intel Core i5 processor, aided with the latest 11th Gen Intel UHD  graphics. The laptop ships with 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM and up to 1TB PCIe-NVMe M.2 SSD storage. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold: Specifications In terms of the specifications of the Thinkpad X1 Fold, the laptop features a 13.3-inch OLED display with a resolution of 2K or 2048 × 1536. The display panel comes with a touch screen support and a peak brightness of 300 nits with an aspect ratio of 4:3. As mentioned earlier, this new offering comes with the Intel Core i5-L16G7 processor, which is coupled with 11th Gen Intel UHD integrated graphics. The ThinkPad X1 Fold features 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM and has storage options of up to 1TB of PCIe-NVMe  SSD storage, with the device booting on Windows 10 Pro for the software side of things. As stated earlier, the device comes with a durable multilink torque hinge design. The hinge has been tested against 12 military-grade certification methods and a whopping 27 procedures of MIL-STD 810H standards. The company has claimed that the PC has been subject to additional testing to make sure that the display can handle the stresses of being opened and closed repeatedly, time and again. Talking about I/O and connectivity, the ThinkPad X1 Fold features Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth v5.1 and two USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2 ports. It also comes with optional 4G LTE and 5G support. The ThinkPad X1 Fold weighs just 999 grams and makes use of a 50Wh battery. In terms of pricing, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold has been priced at Rs 3,29,000 in India. It can be purchased online via Lenovo's official Indian website. The ThinkPad X1 Fold comes with a Lenovo Easel Stand and a Bluetooth Mini Fold Keyboard inside the box.

The Next Infinix Device Might Revolutionise the Indian Market Posted: 22 Jun 2021 07:15 AM PDT It is quite rare to see proper advancements in the mobile segment but, now, it seems that Infinix, a company that is not known for making great strides is preparing to shake up the market, for better or for worse. In case you missed it, a few weeks ago, a report from XDA developers had revealed that Infinix was working on a smartphone with 160W fast charging support. The publication had also revealed the images of the supposed 160W charger, post which it had detailed the render of the upcoming handset. The publication had shown the device with a dual-camera setup, complete with a USB Type-C port, stereo speakers, as well as a 3D glass display with a punch-hole camera. Till now, the official name had been a mystery, but, on Tuesday it was revealed that the official marketing name of the product, under which it will be launched is set to be Infinix Zero X. In case you missed it, Infinix had earlier launched its Zero 8 series of devices in the country, with the belief that this device could be called the Infinix Zero 10. What Do We Know About the Infinix Zero X However, now reports are claiming it to be called the Infinix Zero X. In terms of the specifications, the device might make use of a  curved OLED display. The handset is also stated to come with an in-display fingerprint sensor. For charging, the Infinix Zero X will depend on 160W fast charging. To add to this, the phone is also supposedly stated to offer 50W wireless charging support. For optics, the device could feature a 108 MP primary rear camera. Other details such as display size, hardware, and battery capacity information remain unknown as of now. Additionally, it is worth noting that the launch date is yet to be revealed, but we should know more in the coming days when the smartphone is listed on a benchmark or certification site. Other Infinix related news is related to the Infinix Note 10 series of devices. The Infinix Note 10 Pro and Note feature a 6.5-inch FHD+ display. The Note 10 is powered by the Helio G85 chipset, whilst the pro model comes with the Helio G95 SoC. On the software side of things, both these devices offer Android 11 out of the box. The Note 10 features a 48MP triple-camera setup, with the Pro variant featuring a 64MP quad-camera array.

HPL Electrics to Install 4G and 5G Smart Meters in National Capital Posted: 22 Jun 2021 06:22 AM PDT Smart meters are quite useful in today’s day and age, considering how they help for smart metering and aid in the avoidance of reduction in performance from any foreign entity or obstruction, as, if something like this is detected, they usually send out a prompt, hence the name smart meter. On Tuesday, HPL Electric and Power mentioned that it had finally received the approval and production clearance that it had been waiting for, from a leading private distribution company when it comes to topics relating to the implementation of narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) based smart meters in parts of India’s national capital. The new range of meters feature both 4G and 5G compatibility, offering a dedicated channel when it comes to smart metering and the avoidance of any reduction in matters regarding performance from interference or obstruction due to any congestion or blockage on the public network. The meters have been developed in-house at HPL’s R&D facility at Gurugram. The initiative comes in the form of the world’s largest electricity smart metering programme currently in the works in India, primarily focused at cutting distribution losses. What Do We Know About HPL Electric and Power’s Plans The country further plans to replace approximately 25 crore conventional meters to help raise the annual revenues of electricity distribution companies that might be facing debt. In case you were wondering, HPL has the largest overall market share when it comes to electricity energy meters in India, with the fifth largest share in terms of LED lamps. When it comes to the residual effects of the announcement, HPL Electric & Power shares rose by 5.45% to Rs 61 after the company announced that it had received approval and production clearance from a leading private distribution company when it comes to the implementation of Narrow-Band IoT based smart meters in parts of Delhi. Gautam Seth, the joint MD of HPL Electric & Power stated that NB-IoT was a new and cost-effective technology in the 4G and 5G spectrum with fast deployment quality. With this new technology, the interference and problems that arise due to public network congestion will not hamper the performance of a smart meter anymore as data will smoothly flow through a dedicated channel. Overall, the company’s consolidated net profit has risen 25% to a net Rs 8.39 crore after a 0.06% decline in net sales to Rs 243.99 crore in Q3 FY21 in comparison to Q3 FY20.

Ligado Networks Get 3GPP Approval for 5G Deployment in L-band Spectrum Posted: 22 Jun 2021 05:50 AM PDT The American multinational entity Ligado Networks has recently marked that it has been granted approvals from the 3GPP on specifications that will push the deployment of 5G in its L-band spectrum. As per the official statement rolled by Ligado Networks, the 3GPP approved a fresh 5G New Radio band n24 and improvements to its LTE band 24. Not only this but, the update and approval list include a new 5G NR Supplement Uplink (SUL) band called n99 and NR carrier aggregation (CA) and SUL band combinations for n24 and n99 with CBRS. The list further includes C-Band and Education Broadband Service/Broadband Radio Service (EBS/BRS) spectrum. Approval of SUL Band n99 to Help Facilitate Deployments of L-Band Spectrum Ligado Networks expressed its opinions on the approval and marked that the approval of SUL band n99 and band combinations will aid the entity in deploying the L-Band spectrum with other mid-band airwaves like C-band CBRS and EBS spectrum bands. Ligado is planning to utilise the L-band spectrum to support 5G mobile private networks for ample verticals. The company, which has already raised nearly $4 billion to support the plans, has already developed multiple 5G base station and chipset vendors. Ligado Networks is also working with Rakuten Mobile to deploy lab and field trials over the next 12 months. Tracing back to April, the FCC voted for Ligado Networks allowing them to L-band spectrum at 1.6 GHz to provide a low-power terrestrial network focused on supporting private 5G and industrial internet of things services. 3GPP Approval to Accelerate Commerical Ecosystem Activities for Ligado Networks Doug Smith, who is the CEO of Ligado, stated that the approvals from 3GPP are a milestone for the entity. The green light by 3GPP will provide all the facilities that Ligado would need to accelerate commercial ecosystem activities. Also, it will help expand Ligado's roster of partners to deploy the crucial spectrum for US businesses and consumers. Ligado CTO Maqbool Aliani stated that receiving these 3GPP approvals is a springboard to deploy the L-band in the US 5G networks. He also expressed his excitement to have continued support from several industry-leading vendors.

Huawei and ZTE Appoint Nodal Officers Seeking Access to Trusted Portal Posted: 22 Jun 2021 05:35 AM PDT As we earlier reported that Chinese telecom gear makers Huawei and ZTE were barred from the government portal that would have a list of all the trusted telecom operators; the gear makers have now appointed respective nodal officers to connect with the telcos and National Cyber Security Coordinator (NCSC) to provide information regarding telecom equipment that telcos may agree to purchase from. The information was rolled out by industry executives, which marked that Chinese gear makers are following the process to have approval to the government portal. Nokia, Ericsson, Cisco and HFCL have Received Access Chinese telecom gear makers Huawei and ZTE are struggling to gain access to the trusted portal curated by the Government of India. However, both entities are leaving no stone unturned to enter into the portal and provide equipment in the Indian market. The rivals of Huawei and ZTE, which are Nokia, Ericsson, Cisco, HFCL and other telecom operators, have already received access to the portal during the beta phase. As reported by ET Telecom, there are ample domestic and international entities that are yet to receive access to the portal. As per an unknown person who is familiar with the matter, Huawei is following the process which has been laid by the authority. Under the national security directive, Huawei has not been banned, and the government has no intention to do it. Also, the nodal officers appointed by Huawei and ZTE are working with its telco partners. The Trusted Portal Mandate Telcos to Use Equipment From Trusted Sources Only Since there has been a lot of noise around the privacy concerns and threats linked with Chinese telecom gear makers equipment, nations around the globe have been barring Chinese gear makers from their soil. Back on Tuesday, the Indian government launched a trusted telecom portal under the Cyber wing of the National Security Secretariat, which mandates telecom service provider to use telecom equipment from authentic sources only. The newly launched platform will ask for the original hardware and software details of the telecom equipment manufactured by gear makers. Also, the authority would be able to track the progress of approval of their applications.

NEC Corporation 5G xHaul Transformation Services Launched Posted: 22 Jun 2021 03:59 AM PDT NEC Corporation has launched 5G xHaul transformation services with the opening of 5G transport network Centres of Excellence (CoE) in Europe and Middle East Africa and the Latin America region. The new offering by NEC Corporation has been launched with the idealogy of foreseeing inflated demand to enhance network operators for the diversified used cases of 5G. Also, to unlock the full power of the next-generation network, the transformation of xHaul networks is the foundational basis and crucial for Communication Service Providers (CSPs). Not only this but the transformation is required in all domains of the network ranging from core to radio access and the edge. NEC Professional Services are Based on Award-Winning Partnerships Since every CSP has a unique and diverse architecture and requirements that need specific strategies, NEC has launched dynamic services that are based on a bubble of award-winning partnerships, customised services and unique offerings that would blend with the business requirements of CSPs. From the stage of analysation to planning and deployment operations, the professional services of NEC will support the full lifecycle of CSPs networks. Apart from optimisation of total cost operations, the services of NEC also includes validation and pre-integration of a multi-vendor environment. With the course of services, NEC strives for a seamless transformation for xHaul, which will enable the operators to accommodate dynamic network performance demands in the 5G ecosystem. NEC Serves as a Premier Network Integrator The newly established Centre of Excellence (CoE) will hold prime importance in this xHaul transformation services by centralising the domain expertise structured on decades of experience and engagement in the transport network, globally and regionally. Apart from developing the 5G xHaul transformation services, NEC has also established a universal lab facility to aid the CoEs in preparing a customer-centric ecosystem and support solution deployment. Mayuko Tatewaki, who is the General Manager Service Provider Solutions Division, NEC Corporation, stated that NEC serves as a premier network integrator to provide customised services that blend with the unique requirement of customers. He also stated that the launch of 5G xHaul transformation services and CoEs would accelerate the deployment of services offering to help CSPs improve their networks.

Bharti Airtel Now Offering More Data, Validity With Prepaid Plans Posted: 22 Jun 2021 02:19 AM PDT When Reliance Jio introduced new prepaid plans with no daily data consumption limits, it was very predictable that Bharti Airtel won't sit quietly. A few days back, Airtel announced its Rs 456 prepaid plan for the users. This plan is a new offering from the company, which too doesn't come with any daily data consumption limit. Now, Airtel has changed the benefits of its multiple prepaid plans. The telco has changed the validity period of one of its plans and the data benefit of the other. Let's take a look at which plans we are talking about and what benefits they come with now. Bharti Airtel Rs 349 Plan Now Comes With More Data Bharti Airtel used to offer 2GB of daily data to the users with the Rs 349 prepaid plan. But now, that benefit has been bumped up to 2.5GB of data. The other benefits of the plan remain the same, meaning it comes for 28 days along with truly unlimited voice calling and 100 SMS/day. Further, it still is the only plan from the telco that comes with a free subscription of Amazon Prime Video. There are other Airtel Thanks benefits included. It is worth noting that earlier, users got a total of 56GB of data with the plan. But with the change in benefits, users will get a total of 70GB of data. Bharti Airtel Rs 299 Plan Now Comes for Longer Validity Bharti Airtel's Rs 299 plan now comes with a longer validity of 30 days. The other benefits of the plan include unlimited voice calling, 30GB FUP data, 100 SMS/day and other Airtel Thanks benefits. Users also get a free trial of the Amazon Prime Video Mobile Edition for one month. Now this plan is good for users who don't want a 28 days unlimited data benefits plan. However, it is worth noting that with the Rs 299 plan, the telco is offering each GB of data for Rs 10. It is a significant jump in the cost of the data, but it is expected with plans such as this since Reliance Jio has also done the same. It is expected that Airtel will launch more such plans, and users might soon see a 90 days validity plan from the telco.

Vodafone Idea Giving Rs 75 Worth of Voice Calling, Data for Free Posted: 22 Jun 2021 02:11 AM PDT Vodafone Idea (Vi) has just announced a new offer for its users who come under the low-income category. The company is offering these users another round of benefits which will give them Rs 75 worth of data and voice calling benefits for free. This is to ensure that everyone and anyone from the low-income category who are returning to cities from their home towns has proper connectivity with India's fastest 4G network. Let's take a look at the offer in detail. Vodafone Idea Announces 'Unlock 2.0' Offer Vodafone Idea has announced the 'Unlock 2.0' offer for its low-income customers. The offer will give the users Rs 75 worth of voice calling and data benefits for free. The benefits will include 50 minutes of voice calling and 50MB of data. But note that the voice calling benefit will only work if the Vi user is calling another Vi user. It won't work if the user is trying to call a user consuming network services from any other telecom operator. All the benefits will stay valid for a period of 15 days. Vi users can claim this benefit in a simple way. Users can simply dial the toll-free IVR 121153 or use the USSD Code *444*75# from a Vi registered number. After that, the user will receive an SMS in his/her inbox with a set of steps. The user will just need to follow the steps and then visit the nearest retailer, who will then help him/her with an eligibility check for the offer and activate the benefits. This makes sense since, without verification, even people who don't need the free data and voice calling benefits will claim the offer. With this offer, Vodafone Idea wants to ensure that low-income people who couldn't recharge their SIM cards during the lockdowns can return to the cities for work and stay connected to their loved ones without any trouble. It is worth noting that this is not the first time that Vodafone Idea is coming out with such an offer. Even during the lockdown period, Vi had announced a special offer for the low-income citizens of the nation to help them stay connected during the time of the pandemic.

Xiaomi to Bring Mi 11 Lite 5G Variant in India on a Condition Posted: 22 Jun 2021 01:09 AM PDT Xiaomi has just unveiled the Mi 11 Lite in India. A thing worth noting here is that it is just the 4G variant of the device that the Chinese smartphone manufacturer has launched in the country. But there's also a 5G variant of the device that's selling in the China market. The company didn't bring in the 5G variant of the smartphone to India because of inadequate demand for 5G devices. But during the event, Xiaomi announced that it is open to bringing the 5G variant of the smartphone to India, but on one condition. Xiaomi To Wait for Increase Demand of 5G Smartphones While there are multiple 5G smartphones already selling in the Indian market, Xiaomi has refrained from bringing the Mi 11 Lite 5G here because of the low demand for 5G devices. The company said that it would bring the 5G variant of the Mi 11 Lite to India if it sees the demand for 5G smartphones increasing. For the unaware, the 4G variant of the smartphone launched in India is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 732G SoC and the 5G variant of the smartphone will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 780G SoC. The 5G variant of the smartphone won't be different in any other specifications but would just support additional 5G bands for connectivity. But for the users who are interested in buying the 4G variant of the Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 4G, its pre-sales will start in India from June 25, 12 PM, via Flipkart, the official website of Xiaomi, and retail outlets of the company. The 4G variant of the smartphone is available in two variants with 6GB+128GB and 8GB+128GB priced at Rs 21,999 and Rs 23,999, respectively. But both the devices are further available for an early bird discount of Rs 1,500, and the users can get another Rs 1,500 discount using an HDFC Bank card. Looking at the current market situation in India, it is highly unlikely that Xiaomi will launch the Mi 11 Lite 5G in India anytime soon. However, since the 5G networks won't even be live for at least 3 years from now in complete India, there's no even pressing need for a 5G smartphone.

Xiaomi Mi Watch Revolve Active Comes With LifeQ Health Algorithm Posted: 22 Jun 2021 12:41 AM PDT The demand for smartwatches has increased significantly in India. To cater to that demand, Xiaomi has today launched the Mi Watch Revolve Active in India. It has a large display and is made for people who love fitness. It comes in with almost every useful feature a user would expect in a smartwatch that's priced under Rs 10,000. One thing that Xiaomi has almost always gotten right is the pricing of its products in India. The company understands how price sensitive the Indian market is. Thus its products are always priced in the right bracket, and it is the same with the Xiaomi Mi Watch Revolve Active. Before we dive into the pricing of the smartwatch, let's take a look at its specifications and features. Xiaomi Mi Watch Revolve Active Specifications/Features The Xiaomi Mi Watch Revolve Active comes with a 1.39-inch AMOLED display which would feel almost right on an average person's wrist. There are plenty of health features included in the smartwatch, including the SpO2 sensor that can monitor your blood oxygen levels. To keep users' activities and runs correctly mapped and measured, the Xiaomi Mi Watch Revolve Active comes with built-in GPS/Glonass too. The smartwatch can also measure users VO2 Max as well. If you are someone who is worried about ruining your smartwatch with water, well, leave your worries behind with the Mi Watch Revolve Active. It comes with a 5 ATM water-resistance certification. As mentioned above, the smartwatch is made for people who love fitness. Thus, there are over 117 sports modes that the Xiaomi Mi Watch Revolve Active can support. Further, the smartwatch can also track the stress levels of the user. But there are more features present inside the smartwatch that make it a lucrative product. The Mi Watch Revolve Active can also support Alexa and help the user in rejecting and accepting calls without the need of touching the smartphone. The best thing is, it will let the user choose between different straps to keep updating their look. Xiaomi Mi Watch Revolve Active Price The Xiaomi Mi Watch Revolve Active has launched for Rs 9,999 in India. It will be available for Rs 8,999 only under the early bird offer, and further will be discounted by an additional Rs 750 with the help of an HDFC Bank card. It will be available on Amazon and Xiaomi's official website.

Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite, a Super Light and Slim Smartphone Is Here for You Posted: 22 Jun 2021 12:17 AM PDT Xiaomi has launched the Mi 11 Lite in India and it is a smartphone that's nothing short of an excellent art piece. It is only 6.8mm thick which makes it the slimmest smartphone in the market. On top of this, Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite is also the lightest 6-inch display smartphone in the market weighing only 157 grams. The smartphone comes with a Flat Flexible OLED display which helps Xiaomi in keeping the device as slim as possible. Let's take a complete look at the specifications of the Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite that has launched in India. Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite Specifications The Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite comes with a triple camera sensor at the rear where the primary sensor is a 64MP lens. The other two sensors comprise an ultra-wide-angle lens and a telemacro sensor. The device comes with an extensive suite of photos and videos editing modes. As per the company, the device comes with 23 director modes for helping users edit what they capture. The smartphone can shoot video at 4K with Electronic Image Stabilisation (EIS) at 30fps. There are also built-in cinematic filters for users to change the overall image/video that is captured. Further, the Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite comes with a new Vlog mode which will allow users to save videos from different days and timeline into a single draft so that the videos can be edited later. The Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite in India will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 732G SoC coupled with up to 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. The device comes with a 4,250mAh battery with support for 33W fast charging. It will run on MIUI 12 based on Android 11 out of the box. Users can also expand the storage up to 512GB with the help of an external microSD card. The device also comes with an IP53 rating which will protect it from accidental water splashes and dust. Further, the Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite comes with a 90Hz refresh rate and 240Hz touch sampling rate support display. Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite Price The Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite has launched in two different variants in India. The first variant comes with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage and the second variant comes with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. The base variant will be available for Rs 21,999 and the superior variant will be available for Rs 23,999. The device will be available for users in three colours – Jazz Blue, Viny Black, and Tuscany Coral. Users can buy the device from Flipkart, Mi's official website, and the retail outlets of the company. Both the smartphones will also be available for a Rs 1,500 discount under the early bird offer taking their price down to Rs 20,499 and Rs 22,499 only. Users can also avail up to Rs 1,500 additional discount using an HDFC Bank card.

New Social Media Rules FAQ to be Released Soon Posted: 21 Jun 2021 11:28 PM PDT The government of India came out with new rules for social media platforms earlier this year. The rules came into effect starting the last week of the previous month. To help users and the stakeholders understand the rules in a better manner, the Indian government is going to come out with Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and answer them. According to a PTI report, the IT Ministry is currently working on the FAQs and will release the questions and answers in a matter of 2 weeks. There would be around 10 to 20 questions in the FAQs for people to understand. New IT Rules Force Social Media Companies to Appoint Grievance Officers The sole reason why the new IT rules were enforced was to make social media platforms accountable for all the wrong kind of content that's being spread online. For the same, companies such as Facebook and Twitter were asked to comply with the new rules and appoint the required officers. The new IT rules applied to any platform/company that had more than 50 lakh users. As per the new rules, the companies needed to appoint a grievance officer, a nodal officer, and a chief compliance officer. All of the officers should be mandatorily from the Indian landscape and their registered offices should also be in India. With the enforcement of new rules, the social media platforms are asked to take down any content within 24 to 36 hours if it has been flagged as wrong for the platform (nudity/pornography). It is worth noting that Twitter has still not complied with the new IT rules when companies such as Facebook already have. Due to non-compliance with the rules, Twitter has lost its 'safe harbour' in India. This means that now the company will be legally liable for whatever content that's on its platform. So if users of Twitter post any unlawful content, the platform will have to answer for it. The IT ministry isn't happy with Twitter appointing a grievance officer that's not from India. Twitter had said that it needed more time to comply with the rules. More importantly, Twitter believes that the new IT rules are a threat to the privacy and right of speech.

OnePlus and Oppo Merger Isn’t Surprising Posted: 21 Jun 2021 09:44 PM PDT For the unaware, OnePlus was started by Carl Pie and Pete Lau. It is interesting to note that both Pie and Lau used to work at Oppo before starting OnePlus. Further, smartphone brands including OnePlus, Oppo, Realme, and Vivo are owned by a Guangdong-based conglomerate called BBK Electronics. So all of these companies have been sharing resources, supply channels, products internally. But here's the reason that OnePlus and Oppo merger doesn't surprise us. OnePlus Has Been Releasing Oppo Inspired Smartphones Forever If you were unaware of this, know that OnePlus has been releasing Oppo inspired smartphones forever. The company started this with the OnePlus One, which looked a lot like the Oppo Find 7a. The hardware used by both the companies on their respective smartphones was almost the same. The differentiation came from the software that OnePlus (Cyanogen OS) and Oppo (Color OS) used. It was the same thing with the OnePlus 5 and Oppo R11. Both the companies offered similar looking products because the hardware used was similar. But with their software, brand image, and customer targeting, OnePlus and Oppo seemed like truly different companies. Later, the OnePlus 6T looked a lot like the Oppo R17. Also, if you have seen the OnePlus Nord N100, you will realise it looks exactly like the Oppo A53. Is it Surprising? You shouldn't be surprised. Many Chinese smartphone brands keep rebranding other companies smartphones and launch them with their software and marketing approach. OnePlus Now a Sub-Brand of Oppo A few days back, a memo leaked from OnePlus suggested that OnePlus is now a sub-brand of Oppo. But there's nothing to worry about, OnePlus fans. Pete Lau, the co-founder of OnePlus, said that both the companies would keep operating independently. Lau said that this move would allow OnePlus to get the resources of Oppo and roll out faster software updates. There's no doubt that OnePlus was struggling with its updates. Time and again, the company has become the target of the community because of rolling out updates with bugs. Hopefully, the OnePlus brand 'Never Settles' and keeps coming out with amazing smartphones people expect it to.

Ways to Leverage Broadband Connection to Set Up an Online Business Posted: 21 Jun 2021 09:30 PM PDT The internet has been a great platform to eradicate barriers of locations across the globe. Using the internet, you can connect to anyone, anywhere, at any time. Apart from communication, reaching a wider audience is also beneficial for businesses. You can start your online business from home and cater to a worldwide customer base with a broadband connection. Starting an online business is easy, scalable, and requires minimum capital investment. There are various tools and ways in which you can start your online business, which usually begins with creating an online presence, creating a customer base and then advertising online. Create an Online Presence Traditionally, businesses were limited to brick and mortar stores where customers would walk in and buy goods or service. With the internet, the need for constructing a physical store has been replaced by creating an online presence. This is the first step towards starting your online business, as this is where you will conduct your business. An online presence can be created by creating websites and business profiles or pages on various social media platforms over the internet. Your website or business profile will be the go-to place for any customer who is interested in your product. Your business profile should have information about you, your business, your product and everything related to it. Think of your online presence as your store. Creating a Customer Base Creating an online presence is easy. What's difficult is generating traffic on your platforms. The first step towards creating a customer base is creating content representing your brand, business, and product. Content should be relatable for the audience and should generate demand for the product. It is quite common to see things trending over the internet over time. Using such trending themes to create content relating to your business would surely attract a decent audience. Creating Targeted Online Advertisements Most social media platforms these days offer businesses an option to advertise their product to audiences that are not limited to their own followers. Using online advertisements, a business can reach a wider audience. Creating online advertisements is simple and can be extremely specific when it comes to targeting a particular set of audience. You can choose to target your advertisements to customers with particular preferences and interests to ensure returns on your investment.

Government Panel Recommends Use of Satellite Television to Bridge Learning Gap Posted: 21 Jun 2021 08:32 PM PDT As per a PTI report, a parliamentary panel late on Monday had suggested the use of satellite television to the top officials part of the education ministry and CBSE in order to bridge the learning gap caused due to COVID-19 and the resulting closure of schools. It has also been mentioned that the panel has decided to call officials from ISRO or the Indian Space Research Organisation Organisation at its next scheduled meeting. This comes at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has forced schools to move to a medium of online teaching, taking into view the risks that are caused by calling students to schools at a time when social distancing is key. This has been successful, but only to some extent, as many children lack proper internet access and/or a smartphone or tablet that can be used to attend the classes. The officials who were part of the meeting included top officials from the National Council of Educational Research and Training or NCERT,  the Central Board of Secondary Education or CBSE and the education ministry who were summoned before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, which is chaired by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP, Shri Vinay Sahasrabuddhe. What Did the Meeting Reveal? The agenda of the meeting was to supposedly discuss plans for bridging the learning gap caused due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The members of the panel, complete with Sahasrabuddhe, stated that all efforts should be made to bridge the learning gap of students and suggested the use of satellite television with prime examples such as Doordarshan DTH. The reason for this suggestion was that a satellite TV such as Doordarshan DTH has more penetration in comparison to smartphones and does not require an internet facility, as per the sources. Sahasrabuddhe also emphasised that specific, subject-wise classes can be broadcast on different or separate Doordarshan channels, complete in regional languages so that they can be watched by many students in remote areas. The members of the panel mentioned that this model has been adopted by states such as Gujarat and Odisha and other states may also do the same. Furthermore, it was decided, as mentioned earlier that apart from the officials from the education ministry, officials from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and several states will be summoned at the next meeting of the panel to discuss the use of satellite television in terms of bridging the learning gap for students.

Airtel Xstream Fiber Plans Better than BSNL’s Plans Posted: 21 Jun 2021 06:32 PM PDT Bharti Airtel and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) are two of the top companies in India when it comes to providing fiber broadband services in India. Both the companies have been a part of the Indian ecosystem for a long-time and thus understand the market and its expectations fairly well. Because of this, both Airtel and BSNL offer fiber broadband plans to the users which are almost priced the same. Regardless of that, Airtel's plans are better than BSNL's plans; and this is the reason why! Airtel Xstream Fiber Broadband Plans Airtel Xstream Fiber offers very few but carefully curated broadband plans to its customers. The company starts from an entry-level 40 Mbps plan which costs Rs 499 per month, and offers up to 1 Gbps speed plan that is priced at Rs 3,999 per month. One good thing that you will notice with Airtel Xstream Fiber's broadband plans is that users get over-the-top (OTT) benefits with all of the plans. Some of the plans offer more OTT benefits, and some offer less, but there is something for the user with every plan. Leaving the first two plans that cost Rs 499 (40 Mbps) and Rs 799 (100 Mbps), users get the OTT benefits of Disney+ Hotstar VIP and Amazon Prime Video along with other Airtel Thanks benefits with every plan. With the base plans, there are only complimentary Airtel Thanks benefits. Further, regardless of the plan the user chooses, he/she will get 3,333GB (3.3TB) data for the month. Also, if the customers opt for at least 3 months plans, the installation charge is waived off, and there is a security deposit for the router as well. BSNL Bharat Fibre Broadband Plans BSNL Bharat Fibre broadband plans start at Rs 449 per month and go up to Rs 1,499 per month. The base plan offers users 30 Mbps speed, and the most expensive plan of the company offers 300 Mbps speed to the users. The OTT benefit is only offered with the Rs 999 and Rs 1,499 plan. Every plan from the company comes with 3.3TB or 3,300GB data for the month, but with the Rs 1,499 plan, users get up to 4TB or 4,000GB data from the company. The OTT benefit offered with the two plans is of Disney+ Hotstar Premium, which notably none of the other companies offers to their users. One thing that both Airtel and BSNL offer their users is a free voice calling connection. But Airtel's plan is still ahead of BSNL's plan simply because of the value it provides, and then there's no installation costs as well with the long-term plans. Further, Airtel Xstream Fiber customers can also opt for the Xstream Box for refundable security of Rs 1,500 only. The subtle differences between the plans and their benefits make Airtel's broadband plans slightly better in value as compared to BSNL's broadband plans.

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