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• Verizon Showcases 5G Connected Bots at MWC 2021
• The Latest and Greatest Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 Plus Is Now Official
• Finance Minister Allocates Additional Rs 19,041 Crore to BharatNet Project
• Key Differences Between Mbps and MBps You Should Know
• Telcos Can Revamp Prepaid Plans On These Lines to Make Them More Attractive
• Swisscom Opts for AWS to Focus on Cloud Native 5G, Digital Transformation
• iPhone 13 Is Okay, but iPhone 14 Might Be the Game Changer
• Lenovo Yoga Tab 13 Launched With Portable Monitor Feature
• 5G Deals with Verizon and Telefonica Broadened by IBM
• Mavenir Helps Axiata Launch Its First Open vRAN With TIP Evenstar 4G Radio
• SMS Rates for Foreign Businesses Are Going Up
• Bharti Airtel Upgrades Network Services in UP East
• Tecno Spark Go 2021 Landing Page Official, Launch Set for July 1
• Tata Sky Binge+ Set-Top Box Gets New Update
• OneWeb, BT To Work on Rural Connectivity Solutions
• Big U.S. Firms Have Disregarded Indian Law: Piyush Goyal
• BSNL, Airtel, Jio and Vi Most Expensive Data Vouchers

Verizon Showcases 5G Connected Bots at MWC 2021 Posted: 28 Jun 2021 08:49 AM PDT Telecom giant Verizon on Monday during the Mobile World Conference showcased two of its robots on the stage, with the company stating that both bots were using 5G connectivity and mobile edge computing to communicate with one another. In case you were perplexed, edge computing refers to the use of AR (Augmented Reality) and ML (Machine Learning) so as to analyse data gathered and needs fast data transfers, something only high-speed 5G networking can offer. Verizon’s Chief Strategy Officer, Rima Qureishi stated that when you have more than one robot on the floor, the user runs into a problem, as these are still just machines, and they can’t naturally communicate with one another, but, 5G will make it possible for robots to connect with other robots and devices of all kinds in a way that simply wasn’t possible before. These connected and smart robots are crucial in areas like factory floors that are efficient via automation, with remote monitoring reducing overall cost and requirement of infrastructure. During the demo, Qureishi summoned two robots, one dog-like robot dubbed Gigi and a second box-like robot called Mekeal, with the former showcasing 5G and the latter mobile edge computing or MEC. What Did Qureishi Mention In Regards Verizon’s Plans In order to train these robots so as to make them aware of their environment beyond two-dimensional route that cannot recognise elements other than origin and destination points, Qureishi stating that engineers had jumped in front of them and the robots went in other directions. Qureishi said that she was happy to report that neither engineers nor robots were harmed in the process. Verizon has also been working on connected drones that could be used and deployed at locations that are hit by natural disasters. This would avoid putting a human in any kind of danger, with the control being done by a remote operator living miles away, via the use of live video and thermal imagery. Via 4G networks, the drone had also been able to fly around US fire zones without on-site personnel and was able to send close to real-time data to staff present approximately 4000 miles away. This has supposedly been one-upped by 5G, with Qureishi mentioning that the drones could not stream panoramic video to more recipients who could focus on a particular aspect.

The Latest and Greatest Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 Plus Is Now Official Posted: 28 Jun 2021 08:03 AM PDT Qualcomm is the leading mobile chipset manufacturer, owing to its Snapdragon series of chips that are featured on most, if not all major smartphones from the top brands, especially in the flagship segment, which is catered to via the company’s 800 series of chips. The Snapdragon 888 was this year’s latest and greatest chipset, but, like always, its successor is here and it’s even better than what the 888 had to offer. This is quite interesting, considering how, at the time of its launch, the Snapdragon 888 was tipped to take the fight to the A-series of chipsets from Apple and whilst it came close, it did not defeat it in any sense, this might change soon. The popular chipset manufacturer on Monday launched the Snapdragon 888 Plus SoC during the Mobile World Congress showcase, with the chip acting as the flagship chipset from the company. Smartphones featuring the best of the best chipset will be launched later this year, with Qualcomm stating that the Plus variant comes with increased CPU performance and is paired with the Cortex-X1-CPU which is now clocked to 2.995 GHz. What Do We Know About Qualcomm’s Latest Flagship Chip Qualcomm has further mentioned that the new chip will feature in high-end devices from Q3 2021, with the chipset featuring two major performance gains, the first of which is the aforementioned boost in the SoC’s core CPU, which is hiked up from the 888’s 2.84GHz clocking. Qualcomm also mentioned that the new flagship processor will come with improved AI performance, since it sports the new 6th Gen Qualcomm AI Engine which is capable of providing 20% better performance, resulting in 32 TOPS or Total Operations Per Second in contrast to 26 TOPS on SD888. The performance features found on the SD888 are also present on the Plus variant. This essentially means that the 5nm SD888+ gets the exact X60 5G Modem and Adreno 60 GPU. Other features of the SoC consist of support for Bluetooth 5.2, FastConnect 6900, triple ISP camera capabilities as well as Snapdragon’s Elite Gaming. In terms of supported manufacturers, the likes of Asus, Motorola, Xiaomi, Honor and Vivo will be the first in line to adopt the new SoC, with proper rollouts commencing from Q3 of 2021. Two confirmed devices to feature it include Asus’s ROG Phone and Honor’s Magic3 series of smartphones. Xiaomi and Vivo will also be launching flagship smartphones in the global market featuring the new 888 Plus SoC, which should compel the manufacturers to start offering the same, sooner or later.

Finance Minister Allocates Additional Rs 19,041 Crore to BharatNet Project Posted: 28 Jun 2021 06:59 AM PDT The Indian Government on Monday announced that it had allocated an additional Rs 19.041-crore in order to divert efforts towards the expansion as well as upgradation of BharatNet, which is a nationwide initiative aimed at connecting over 6 lakh villages with the optic fibre-based network so as to ensure the delivery of Internet services. Out of the targeted 2.5 lakh gram panchayats or village blocks, spanning over 6 lakh villages, approximately 1,56,223 blocks have been covered as of May 31, according to the latest data released by the government. The additional outlay will now be used to connect the balance. The Rs. 19,041 crores for broadband to connect each village via BharatNet’s public-private partnership model has been highlighted as a part of the Digital India program, as per a presentation that was presented by India’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. With this additional sum, the total amount for the BharatNet project has reached Rs. 61,109 crores which include the previously approved amount of Rs 42,068 crores back in 2017. The finance ministry's additional funding comes after Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi’s announcement on August 15, 2020, which outlines the need to connect every inhabited village in 1000 days. What Do We Know About BharatNet’s Plans BharatNet, which was originally set up during the Manmohan Singh-led UPA-II government in October of 2011, has been subject to multiple challenges leading to the missing of deadlines quite regularly. The deadline that was set to connect all the 2.5 lakh village blocks in the country so as to provide 100 Mbps data connectivity has been extended several times, with the current deadline of August 2021 expected to be extended like before. Do note that earlier this year, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology (IT) had pulled up the DoT or Department of Telecommunications in relation to the delay caused in preparation of a cabinet note for the rollout of a PPP or public-private partnership for the rural broadband initiative that had been set. The Finance Minister had stated that 1,56,223 gram panchayats were now service-ready. The rest have to be extended to the same facility so an additional Rs 19,041 crore has been provided so as to meet the 1,000 days target. This is a totally new amount that is being announced,  taking the BharatNet project total cost to Rs 61,109 crore. We (the Govt) should be able to complete the work with this amount.

Key Differences Between Mbps and MBps You Should Know Posted: 28 Jun 2021 06:16 AM PDT Technology and the internet seem very easy to understand from a broader level, but there is much more than what meets the eye. Technology is something that is used by everyone in some form or another bringing a constant need for simplifying things. There are various acronyms in the tech space that make it easier for an average consumer to understand. Using acronyms, however, becomes tricky when there exists a very slight difference between two acronyms that donate two different things. Such is the case with Mbps and MBps. Mbps Is a Unit of Internet Speed, MBps Denotes Size of a File Downloaded Per Second. While Mbps stands for megabits per second, spelt with a small letter 'b', MBps with the capital letter 'B' stands for megabytes per second. Megabits per second is a unit of measurement for download and upload speeds. On the other hand, Megabytes per second denotes the speed at which a file is downloaded or uploaded. In simpler terms, Mbps is used to specify internet connection speeds, and MBps is used to know the quantity of a file is downloaded/uploaded per second. When you go hunting for internet service, an Internet Service Provider will promote their internet speed in terms of Mbps. This means the number of bits transferred per second over an internet connection. Higher Mbps would mean faster internet, keeping all other factors constant. MBps denotes file size downloaded per second. When you upload or download a file, the speed you see is MBps, denoting how much of the file is being downloaded or uploaded in a second. The Relation Between Mbps and MBps Can Be Quantified There is a ratio between bits and bytes that can help you establish a quantitative relationship between the two terms. In numerical terms, eight megabits equal 1 megabyte. If you want to determine how many bytes you are capable of downloading or uploading per second, take your Mbps and divide it by eight, which will give you your MBps. Vice Versa, if you want to determine how long a file will take to download or upload, you can divide your file size by MBps. Mbps is a comparatively more critical unit to understand as it gives an idea of what you can feasibly do online. For example, if you have an internet speed of 5 Mbps and below, you can consider using it for browsing websites, sending emails and using social media platforms.

Telcos Can Revamp Prepaid Plans On These Lines to Make Them More Attractive Posted: 28 Jun 2021 05:00 AM PDT Prepaid plans are the backbone of the telecom industry. Even though the postpaid plans get more revenue to the telecom companies owing to their high earning status, most people in India rely on prepaid plans for their day-to-day calling and data needs. These prepaid plans last went through an accelerated evolution when Reliance Jio bundled data and calling in a single plan and reduced the per GB data price by quite a margin. Following suit, the other telecom operators did the same. However, half a decade later, the prepaid plans of Reliance Jio, Vodafone Idea, and Bharti Airtel differ a little bit and are starting to diverge. We list out some of the things which should be present in all portfolios for the sake of not only the best experience of the customers but for better commercials of the companies as well. A Daily Data Add-On Plan The daily data add-on plan became popular courtesy of the IPL and Cricket based plans introduced first by Reliance Jio. Under these plans, the telcos offers usually 1.5 GB data per day in addition to the daily limit of the data available to them under the traditional plans. These plans do not come with any calling facility and serve as data add-on. Instead of data add-on plans which get you all the data at once and have generally less economic per-data pricing, these are a better choice for someone who wants more data on a daily basis for some days. Data Rollover & Weekend Binge This is something that Vodafone Idea seems to be doing right with some of its plans. A lot of data goes into waste for people who cannot use it on weekdays. As a result, even if people have to use 3GB data for a single day in a week, they get a recharge of 3GB daily data. The presence of data rollover and Weekend Binge like services will help the customers avoid this. These unique services can also help the telecom operators in preparing the customers for a slight price hike in the coming days because they will eventually have to shell out something in lieu of asking for more from the customers. OTT Bundling It's high time that prepaid plans start giving out more subscription-based services to the customers. Long gone are the times when there used to be a handful of streaming services. On the lower end of the pricing spectrum, the plans can be bundled with some OTT content, whereas the higher end plans have already started to come with Disney+, Hotstar, Amazon Prime, and other subscriptions. The addition of these services should not be seen as a stepback in decreasing ARPU, but on the other hand, people who get hooked on these services are likely to come back for more and ask for more data from the telecom companies. ISD Calling There are very few plans in the prepaid portfolio that offer proper ISD calling, as a result, users have to go out of their way to pay for different ISD plans. This can be reduced by making the prepaid portfolio more foreign-friendly especially for travellers. Different sets of plans can be curated depending on how many services – calling or SMS, happen on the international network. Making these changes will surely serve as a milestone for the second stage evolution of the prepaid plans.

Swisscom Opts for AWS to Focus on Cloud Native 5G, Digital Transformation Posted: 28 Jun 2021 04:10 AM PDT Swisscom on Monday announced that it had plans to switch over to the cloud platform that is offered by Amazon Web Services or AWS for the company’s series of applications that help its enterprise in matters of contact centre, analytics, resource planning, operational support system. The telecom operator from Switzerland, along with AWS stated in a joint statement that they looked forward to migrating Swisscom’s 5G network that is built on the current-gen infrastructure to a new, better and standalone 5G network that would be powered by Amazon’s AWS  cloud platform. In case you were wondering, standalone networks allow for higher capacity and faster speeds which in turn make it possible to apply new 5G use cases including key usability areas such as remote, high-fidelity medical consultations or driverless cars that do not need any physical input in a constant manner. Telefonica had already been working with AWS in Brazil to make sure that it can deploy a standalone 5G core network, with AWS having been in touch with multiple such telecom operators, some of which include Dish, Verizon and Vodafone. What Do the Two Companies Have to Say? Adolfo Hernandez, the Vice President of Global Telco Business at AWS stated in an interview that it was fundamentally a good idea for tech operators to move to the cloud, as it’s going to give them low cost, agility and innovation. AWS is also looking forward to the commencement of data centres in Zurich, which would allow Swisscom to process customer data within the country and ensure real-time service delivery, complete with low latency. Swisscom is also planning to explore new customer experiences via machine learning (ML) and AI-based features from AWS for its online services and TV-related services. Hernandez further mentioned that the initial work would be centred around enterprise IT, and then both companies would be working with Ericsson so as to explore how one can build the 5G core network on the cloud. Christoph Aeschlimann, the CTIO of Swisscom mentioned that AWS contributes to the technological foundation and agility that are needed to unlock new growth potential by transforming its IT services and delivering robust 5G communications that meet the needs of the company’s enterprise and consumer customers. Swisscom expects 5G to open the door for a host of specialized services and having AWS by its side, with the company’s proven infrastructure and unparalleled suite of cloud technologies, will help Swisscom innovate and grow at a rapid pace. Leveraging AWS, the company is able to quickly build and run the applications that underpin the organization with low latency, reliability, and scalability, while meeting security and compliance requirements, added Mr Aeschlimann.

iPhone 13 Is Okay, but iPhone 14 Might Be the Game Changer Posted: 28 Jun 2021 03:12 AM PDT Everyone’s excited about Apple's iPhone 13 series that's going to launch later in the year. But it is the iPhone 14 which might be a game-changer for Apple's market share. While the iPhone 13 is expected to come with an LTPO display and a smaller notch, and a much better camera system, it is the iPhone 14 that will truly change the game if Ming-Chi Kuo's report is correct. Apple's known for launching high-end smartphones in the market with some really distinguishable features. One thing that's always stayed consistent with iPhones is the increasing trend of prices that the devices have launched in. The iPhone 13 is expected to launch at a little higher price than the current iPhone 12 series was launched for. But with the iPhone 14, Apple might change this and launch the lowest-priced 6.7-inch screen flagship iPhone device. Apple iPhone 14 Will Be the Cheapest; Thus You Might Want to Hold Off With iPhone 13 As per a report from Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple's iPhone 14 might be the lowest-priced iPhone that has launched with a 6.7-inch display. The expected price of the iPhone 14 Max (expected to don the 6.7-inch) display will be priced at $900. In comparison, the current iPhone 12 Pro Max that also has a 6.7-inch screen starts at $1,099. This would mean that the iPhone 14 (6.1-inch screen) might be priced under $800, which would be a big thing. Further, Apple is expected to launch all the iPhone 14 models with LTPO displays which will help the iPhones in supporting up to 120Hz refresh rate without eating up the battery life of the devices. According to Kuo, Apple might launch the iPhone 14 models with under-display Touch ID, and the wide-angle camera is expected to be a big 48MP sensor. If Apple really goes the route that Kuo has suggested, the market share of Apple in the smartphone industry might see a significant bump. The overall sales with the iPhone 14 series might also be much more than Apple has ever registered with any of the iPhone series ever. The Apple iPhone 14 series is expected to launch in late-2022. The iPhone 13 is expected to be launched in September or October this year.

Lenovo Yoga Tab 13 Launched With Portable Monitor Feature Posted: 28 Jun 2021 02:10 AM PDT Lenovo has developed an extensive range of laptops and tablets that cater to the need of users. The entity rolls out several tablets and laptops that are equipped with high-end specifications. In the latest offering, Lenovo has launched the Yoga Tab 13. The new Lenovo Yoga Tab 13 is dubbed to have high-end specifications that would cater to the work and entertainment needs of users. Lenovo Yoga Tab series has been liked by users because of its sleek design, modest pricing and reliability. Lenovo has also marked that it plans to launch an array of new tabs, including a smaller Yoga Tab 11 later this summer. Lenovo Yoga Tab 13: Specifications and Features The Lenovo Yoga Tab 13 is dubbed as the global version of the Yoga Pad Pro, which was launched by Lenovo last year in the Chinese market. Since Yoga Pad Pro was heavily praised for the specifications and features, Lenovo designed the Yoga Tab 13 with similar high-end features. One of the best features of the Lenovo Yoga Tab 13 is the attached stainless steel stand which can rotate `180-degrees from the back of the tab. Lenovo users can also stand it up or hang it from a wall depending upon their requirement. The newly launched tab can also function as an external display for a laptop. Another unique feature of the Lenovo Yoga Tab 13 is the Precision Pen 2 compatibility. With the compatibility, Lenovo Yoga Tab 13 users can draw or take notes while it's propped up. The tab also features an 8MP camera with background noise reduction for effective video calls. Talking about the battery life, Lenovo claims that the Yoga Tab 13 users can enjoy up to 12 hours of battery life. Also, the 1080p screen of the tablet can reach up to 400 nits of brightness. Lenovo has also claimed that all the new tablets, including the Yoga Tab 13, will support Google's new Entertainment space that will allow users to access music, videos, books from different apps in a single hub. Coming to the price of the new offering, Lenovo Yoga Tab 13 will be available in the 13-inch variant with a price tag of $679. Currently, Lenovo has not announced any introductory offers.

5G Deals with Verizon and Telefonica Broadened by IBM Posted: 28 Jun 2021 01:30 AM PDT The next-generation mobile network technology, that is, 5G, is booming all over the world at its own pace. Apart from the mobile network itself, many big technology companies offer 5G related services to telecom operators. Telecom operators like Verizon and Telefonica will be offered new services by IBM under its plan to broaden 5G deals, ranging from running 5G over a cloud platform to using artificial intelligence. 5G Networks Are Built Faster On Cloud Platform Technology giants like Amazon and Microsoft are already competing against each other for a share of 5G revenue by offering next-generation software tools to telecom operators. IBM, the newest competitor in this space, will use the technology it had obtained when it acquired Red Hat, which is a software firm. IBM's technology will assist telecom operators to run their networks leveraging cloud services. This will also help telecom operators to sell products tailored to customers. IBM announced its plans to broaden 5G deals on Monday but did not disclose any financial terms about its tie-ups which broadened the company's existing partnership with the two firms. 5G is bringing a revolution in the way we seek technology. The need for physical equipment to perform network functions will cease to exist and will be replaced by a cloud platform that uses the software. Telecom operators will be able to build 5G networks faster using IBM's cloud platform. The cloud platform will also reduce costs significantly and will allow telecom operators to sell customised services. IBM and Telefonica Collaborated to Create a Virtual Assistant The scope of broadened 5G deals by IBM also includes using artificial intelligence. A virtual assistant was created in a collaborative effort by IBM and Spain's Telefonica. The two companies believe that the virtual assistant will remove friction points, such as long wait times, by automating the handling of frequently asked questions and tasks such as billing. IBM's General Manager for Communications Business, Steve Canepa, has issued a statement saying that IBM sees this as an existential moment for telecom operators with 5G who are looking to gain more control on their platforms. He further added that telecom operators are rethinking their network as a digital world rather than a structured physical model.

Mavenir Helps Axiata Launch Its First Open vRAN With TIP Evenstar 4G Radio Posted: 28 Jun 2021 01:00 AM PDT Mavenir and Axiata Group Berhad partnered to show the seamless integration of Open vRAN in a real-life environment. The companies leveraged MAVair O-RAN based solution for the O-RAN. What's worth noting about this solution is the first time commercial use of the Evenstar 4G RRU that is manufactured by the Telecom Infra Project with a 7.2 O-RAN interfaces and Open RAN fully virtualised. The deployment has taken place in three places – Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Indonesia. Note that Axiata has selected some sites from the legacy vendors and replaced them with the new MAVair Open vRAN solution. The sites are connected with non-ideal backhaul (microwave links), and in some special cases with satellite connectivity as well, being the first-ever in Open vRAN solutions in the world. For the unaware, the MAVair family from Mavenir includes the flexible Open RAN approach where the evolved RAN architecture, designed with cloud-native virtualisation techniques, enables the RAN to adapt and be flexible based on the usage and coverage – leveraging virtualised disaggregated network components, with open standard interfaces, and offering all the latest network features – at the same time allowing customisation and innovation wherever necessary. End-User to Benefit from Enhanced Performance According to a release from Mavenir, the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) achieved by integrating the existing coverage suggest that the end-users will receive much better network services. An enhanced mobile broadband experience along with next-generation voice calling services will be supported by the new solution. The MAVair Open vRAN is capable of performing in any kind of environment, from urban and rural, with a very flexible architecture and also adapt to the current environment providing an ideal solution for new generation applications such as Radio Intelligent Controller to increase capacity and optimise the software and radio resources. Mavenir's virtualised RAN (vRAN) platform will allow the utilisation of Open Virtualised RAN technology and help its objective of moving towards a fully automated network architecture of the future. Axiata has plans of deploying the commercial Open RAN network with the help of Mavenir's solutions by the end of 2021.

SMS Rates for Foreign Businesses Are Going Up Posted: 28 Jun 2021 12:30 AM PDT India telecom operators have hiked the price of corporate SMS services. With the new development, all the overseas entities will be nearly charged $0.030 per message, which is almost 20 times higher than the price of domestic operators. As reported by ET Telecom, the decision might push foreign companies to look out for alternatives means of communications that would not burn their pockets. Some of the executives aware of the matter stated that foreign entities might resort to alternatives such as emails, in-app notifications, WhatsApp Business Messaging. Even though the entities will look out for alternatives, telecom operators will earn more revenue because of mission-critical messages. International Entreprises Have The Capacity to Absorb Price Hike Some of the renowned entities that will be under the new price hike regulation are Amazon, Uber, Facebook, Google, foreign banks and more. The price increase is expected that to reduce the traffic. Since most of the foreign banks have top tier customers who are regular users of Whatsapp Business and email, the entities will look forward to switching the communication platform. However, as marked by an unknown telecom operator, international enterprises have the capacity to absorb price hike. The Indian market still offers the lowest rates in the world. The separate rates rolled out by telecom operators for domestic and international entities are concerning for the international players. The enterprises are disliking the fact of being labelled as international despite having complete Indian operations. Telecom Operators are Eyeing High ARPU Entreprises Customers The competition among telecom operators in the Indian market is rigid and stuff. Since there are ample service providers in the market offering lucrative plans and offers, it is difficult for telcos to increase rates. However, telecom operators are planning to redevelop their retail tariff plans with slashed data limits at increased prices. To increase the ARPU, telcos are bumping up the validity period and closing high ARPU enterprise customers. Gopal Vittal, CEO of Airtel, stated that the telco has doubled down on its enterprise business by revamping its product portfolio and channels. Back in December 2020, Airtel nearly bagged 31% enterprise market share.

Bharti Airtel Upgrades Network Services in UP East Posted: 27 Jun 2021 11:58 PM PDT Bharti Airtel has just deployed additional spectrum in the Uttar Pradesh (East) circle. With this move, the telco's network services in the region are expected to get a good boost. The second-largest telco in the country has deployed 28.2 MHz of additional spectrum in the circle. The additional spectrum has been deployed across several frequency bands. With the recent move, Airtel now has the largest spectrum bank in the circle. Bharti Airtel Has Deployed 28.2 MHz of Additional Spectrum in UP East Bharti Airtel has deployed 28.2 MHz of additional spectrum in the UP East circle. The additional spectrum has been deployed in bands including 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, and 2300 MHz. Along with the additional spectrum, Bharti Airtel has deployed advanced connectivity tools to enhance the network performance for the users. Bharti Airtel has deployed 5 MHz of spectrum in the 900 MHz band, 3.2 MHz of spectrum in the 1800 MHz band, and 20 MHz of spectrum in the 2300 MHz band. With the additional spectrum and the additional tools deployed by Bharti Airtel in the UP East, the telco will be able to increase the data capacity of its networks and will allow users a faster and a seamless internet experience even during peak hours. Further, the telco will be able to cover a wider area in the region and will boost the connectivity for travellers on the highways and the rail routes. Most of all, with the additional spectrum, the telco will be able to enhance connectivity indoors for the users. Bharti Airtel now has 72.2 MHz of spectrum in the UP East circle, which is by far the most by any telco in the region. The 72.2 MHz of spectrum is spread across several frequency bands, including 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, and 2300 MHz. In the release note, Bharti Airtel said that with such dynamic and impressive spectrum holdings in the region, the telco is in a very good position to start offering 5G services as well. It is worth noting that Bharti Airtel has already started testing 5G networks in India. The race between Jio and Airtel to launch 5G is on, and it will be interesting to see who comes on top.

Tecno Spark Go 2021 Landing Page Official, Launch Set for July 1 Posted: 27 Jun 2021 11:12 PM PDT Tecno as a brand has been away from the limelight, due to the brand catering only to the budget segment. It had unveiled the Tecno Spark Go 2020 in September of the same year, with the device having amounted to decent sales amidst the budget crowd, with the main aim to focus on tier-2 and tier-3 cities. Today, Tecno announced that it would be launching the Tecno Spark Go 2021 edition in India on July 1st. The device will be sold exclusively via Amazon and, ahead of the launch, the e-commerce site decided to make the micro landing page for the handset, revealing the design and key specifications of the device. According to the details on offer via the site, we can deduce that the Tecno Spark Go 2021 will make use of a water-drop notch display, come packed with a dual-camera setup and a massive 5000 mAh battery. Tecno Spark 2021: Specifications According to the aforementioned Amazon listing, the handset will be on offer in three different colour variants. It will feature a 6.52-inch HD+ panel without any mention of a high refresh rate panel, which would seem out of place in a budget device. The processor, RAM and storage variants remain unknown as of now. The optics however have been revealed via the post, with the Spark Go 2 featuring a dual-camera setup to the rear complete with a 13MP primary sensor and a secondary sensor that is unknown. To the front, there is a selfie snapper accompanied by a LED flash. For software, the device will boot Android 11 out of the box. The handset, as mentioned earlier, will be reliant on a 5000 mAh battery and house a proper fingerprint sensor. Connectivity-wise, it will offer dual 4G VoLTE support and come with dual-SIM support, Wi-FI 802.11 b/g/n/ac, GPS, a 3.5mm audio jack, Bluetooth and a USB Type-C based charging port. The detailed specifications, pricing and availability for this upcoming budget device should be revealed upon launch, on July 1 at 12 PM IST. We should get to learn the detailed specifications, pricing, and availability information of the Tecno Spark Go 2021 when it launches in India on July 1st. Interestingly, the Tecno Spark Go 2020 at the time of its launch was on offer for Rs 6,499 for the base 2+32GB variant, which was also the lone variant on offer, with two colour variants, namely Ice Jadeite and Aqua Blue, so we might see a rendition of this hue and nearly identical pricing, and, at best a minor price hike.

Tata Sky Binge+ Set-Top Box Gets New Update Posted: 27 Jun 2021 10:48 PM PDT Tata Sky Binge+ is the Android Set-Top Box (STB) offering from Tata Sky. It is one of the best Android STBs in the country as it comes coupled with free Binge service for the first month and a free subscription of the Amazon Prime Video. The STB recently received a new software update. The version of the new update is unknown but there have been plenty of changes made to the system of the STB. Let's take a look at all that's new. Tata Sky Binge+ STB Update Changelog The first major change that has come to the STB's performance is in sound. The audio channel output has been fixed for the users. Further, the display can be switched from SDR to HDR as per the user's wish. The Android Security Patch has been updated to March 2021. Also, users can now reboot device preferences. These are all the major changes brought to the Binge+ STB. For the unaware, the Tata Sky Binge+ STB allows users to seamlessly watch both satellite and over-the-top (OTT) content with a push of a single button. The Tata Sky Binge+ is available for users at Rs 2,499. It comes with support for 4K content, Bluetooth, Google Voice Assistant, and Chromecast. The free Tata Sky Binge service for one month brings users free OTT subscriptions of Disney+ Hotstar Premium, ZEE5, Sony LIV, Voot Select, CuriosityStream, Eros Now, SunNXT, ShermarooMe, and Hungama Play. There is a free subscription of Amazon Prime Video for three months offered as well. The Tata Sky Binge+ can be purchased through the official website of Tata Sky. You can also give a missed call on 07411774117 if you are interested in purchasing the STB. It is worth noting that even the Airtel Xstream Box recently got a software update. The Android STB from Airtel is also running on the March 2021 Security Patch. Users of the smart STB can further choose between the various sound options for audio output quality. After the update, the Voice Assistant is performing better than it used to. The Airtel Xstream Box is also available at a similar rate of Rs 2,499 for the new customers. Existing customers get separate deals from the company.

OneWeb, BT To Work on Rural Connectivity Solutions Posted: 27 Jun 2021 09:54 PM PDT OneWeb, the Bharti backed satellite communications company, has partnered with BT, one of the leading communications services companies globally, to bring connectivity to the rural areas of the UK. Both the companies will be working on solutions to bring internet connectivity in the hardest parts of the UK where no mobile networks reach. For the same, OneWeb and BT have announced that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This initiative from OneWeb and BT will ensure that UK's economic recovery and development post-COVID can be done at a rapid pace. OneWeb and BT Each Bring Something Unique to the Table OneWeb's network has a unique ability to serve communities that are hard to reach, and the partnership with BT will focus on how satellite technology might support improved mobile resilience, capacity, backhaul and coverage, including Fixed Wireless Access, in challenging geographic locations. As part of the discussions, OneWeb and BT will consider opportunities to deliver OneWeb's connectivity services from Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to communities and businesses around the UK. Further, this will help the companies in identifying new opportunities globally if their technology and work result in success. OneWeb is seeing increasing demand from customers and continues to execute the deployment of its network at a rapid pace. The satellite communications company has announced recent distribution partner signings across multiple industries and territories above the 50th Parallel with communication companies, including the PDI, AST Group, and ACS, among others. Neil Masterson, Chief Operating Officer (CEO) of OneWeb, said that this newly formed partnership between the companies is a sign of progress in the advancement of the overall telecom infrastructure in the UK. Masterson further said that OneWeb's network would be able to bridge the digital divides in the country. Philip Jansen, CEO of BT, said the partnership between the companies and the support of the government would ensure connectivity can reach every nook and corner of the country. This is a great sign for the connectivity industry around the world. The satellite broadband players can help the mobile operators enhance connectivity and expand coverage to the areas where there is no existing network.

Big U.S. Firms Have Disregarded Indian Law: Piyush Goyal Posted: 27 Jun 2021 08:46 PM PDT Piyush Goyal, India's Railway and Commerce minister, has found the big U.S. firms to be a little arrogant. While Goyal didn't take any names, he was referring to the companies such as Amazon and Walmart owned Flipkart. India's Commerce minister further said that these companies had disregarded Indian law not once but on multiple occasions. According to a Reuters report, Goyal said these large companies have easy access to low-cost capital because of which they can 'indulge' in predatory pricing practices. This results in the poor sales and performance of the local small businesses which sell the same products which are listed on Amazon. These Companies Have Flouted Indian Laws on Several Occasions: Prasad Prasad said he had multiple interactions with the large U.S. firms, and he noticed a little arrogance from the companies. It is worth noting that Prasad didn't reveal or say the specific laws that these companies have broken, neither did he name the companies. However, the timing of his comments seems to be in support of the small Indian businesses which have accused large online retail giants such as Amazon and Flipkart of being disregarding the Indian laws. Both Amazon and Flipkart have said that the allegations against them by the traders are completely false. Goyal further said these companies have indulged in 'forum shopping' in the courts and have not complied with the investigation that was launched by the Competition Commission of India (CCI). As per Goyal, if these companies haven't done anything wrong and are not hiding anything, they should have complied with the investigation of the CCI. Both Amazon and Flipkart have appealed against CCI's wish to restart an enquiry of their business practices. It is worth noting that a judge had already dismissed the companies' original pleas earlier this month. Further, in a letter to the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, the Confederation of All India Traders, have even accused the online retail giants of treating India the same way as that of a 'Banana Republic' which has weak laws. The industry body has asked the Indian government to ensure that the proposed e-commerce rules shouldn't be diluted regardless of what the big companies in the field want.

BSNL, Airtel, Jio and Vi Most Expensive Data Vouchers Posted: 27 Jun 2021 06:30 PM PDT The need for data vouchers increased as 4G came to the scene and the cost of each GB data fell dramatically. All the telecom operators including Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio, and Vodafone Idea (Vi) offer their users unlimited 4G data plans with daily caps on the data they can consume. To consume more than what their fair-usage-policy limit allows them, users can buy data vouchers. Today, we are compiling the most expensive 4G data vouchers from each company and see the benefits they come with. BSNL Most Expensive Data Voucher BSNL's most expensive 4G data voucher costs Rs 398. It is a very unique voucher that comes with a standalone validity of 30 days (1 month) and offers users truly unlimited data without any FUP restrictions at all. Despite being a data voucher, users get unlimited voice calling and 100 SMS/day with this plan. At the end of the day, it is a little unfair to call this plan a data voucher since it offers benefits like that of an unlimited benefits prepaid plan. Bharti Airtel Most Expensive Data Voucher Bharti Airtel offers only one data voucher and it is quite expensive as well. The voucher comes for Rs 401 and gives users 30GB of total data for 28 days. There's an additional over-the-top (OTT) subscription of Disney+ Hotstar VIP given to the users for 1 year. This plan doesn't come with any other benefits. Vodafone Idea Most Expensive Data Voucher Vodafone Idea offers its most expensive data voucher for Rs 501. With this voucher, users get 75GB of data for a standalone validity of 56 days. There is an OTT subscription of Disney+ Hotstar VIP for 1 year. Users don't get any other benefits with this plan. Reliance Jio Most Expensive Data Voucher Reliance Jio offers its most expensive data voucher for Rs 1,208, however, this voucher wouldn't qualify as a traditional data voucher that the other telcos offer. So instead, we will take the company's Rs 499 data voucher. This voucher comes for 56 days and offers users 1.5GB of daily data. The additional benefit included with the plan is a free subscription of Disney+ Hotstar VIP for one year. There are other benefits including JioTV, JioNews, JioCinema, JioSecurity, and JioCloud. Note that BSNL is the only company that offers voice calling and 100 SMS/day benefit with its most expensive data voucher. However, it is quite expensive given it only comes for 30 days meaning you will have to spend almost Rs 400 every 30 days to get the benefits again. It is the same case with Airtel's data voucher!

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