${latestitem Title}

---

• Facebook Just Suspended Donald Trump Until 2023
• Reliance Jio Users in Odisha Will See Better 4G Speeds From Now
• Vodafone Idea Has the Fastest Network in This State
• Vodafone Touts 5G Capacity Boost in Open RAN Demo
• Google Update to Let Users Opt Out of Advertisement Tracking
• Indian Telecom Operators Much More Aggressively Reducing Dependency on Huawei
• Nokia, Optus Give Australia Its First Integrated 5G Antenna
• BSNL Now Offering More Data With Rs 499 Plan
• MacBook Pro New Models Spotted on Regulatory Database, WWDC Launch Tipped
• Xiaomi Has Increased the Price of Redmi Note 10 Pro Now
• Free Internet for 3 Months Message on WhatsApp is Fake, PIB Alerts
• Battlegrounds Mobile India Announces That UAZ Will Be Included in the Game
• Samsung Galaxy S21 FE Might be Another Hit in the Making
• Nokia and HFCL Look to Gain from Telecom PLI Scheme
• Indian Telecom Financial Health Grave, Needs Help: COAI
• Broadband Connections Common Problems and How to Fix Them
• Reliance Jio About to Make India Very Happy
• Google Pixel Buds A-Series Reignite Hope of Fans
• BSNL and Airtel Similar Broadband Plans
• Consumers Ready to Pay More for 5G Plans With Bundled Digital Services: Report

Facebook Just Suspended Donald Trump Until 2023 Posted: 04 Jun 2021 12:30 PM PDT One of the biggest social media platforms around the world, Facebook, has just banned the account of Donal Trump on its platform for 2 more years. As per a Reuters report, the suspension will stay in place until at least 2023. The platform might extend the suspension even further, but there's no clear word on it. Facebook has faced a lot of anger and fire from people who think the platform treats world leaders and politicians differently than the other users. However, the suspension of Donald Trump, the former president of the United States of America (USA), sends a strong signal to the whole world. Facebook Won't Take Issues Like Trump Created Lightly For the unaware, Facebook had suspended the account of Donald Trump back in January 2021. This move was taken by the company in the wake of Trump's actions that resulted in severe chaos in the U.S. In a blog post, the company has said that it won't take issues such as this lightly. Be it a world leader or a common person; the platform will treat each of its users with the same guidelines and policies. The suspension of Donal Trump won't be there for an indefinite period. Facebook will keep Trump's account suspended until the time it feels that it is right to let him use his account again. Trump's actions on social media were not right at all, and the whole world wanted his account to be taken down from several platforms. With the role of social media growing in today's world, political leaders and other influential people have started using it to spread agendas. This is why moves such as this are very important for the social media platforms like Facebook to send a message to everyone that regardless of who you are, if you don't follow the rules and policies of the platform, your account will be banned or suspended. It is worth noting that Donald Trump has become the first big political leader in the world to be blocked by Facebook. The social media platform has never blocked a political leader of the magnitude of a president, head of state, or a prime minister ever. Facebook might extend the suspension of Trump's account even further than 2023.

Reliance Jio Users in Odisha Will See Better 4G Speeds From Now Posted: 04 Jun 2021 08:07 AM PDT One of India’s top telcos, Reliance Jio, with the intention of enhancing subscriber experience in the state of Odisha revealed on Friday that it had successfully completed deployment of an additional 20 MHz spectrum which had been acquired in the recent spectrum auctions. Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd or RJIL announced back in March that it had successfully acquired the right to use spectrum in the 22 circles across India in between the recently concluded spectrum auctions that had been conducted by the Department of Telecommunications or DoT. The company had acquired additional spectrums in bands such as 800, 1800MHz and 2300MHz. In the state of Odisha, Jio had acquired an additional 20 MHz spectrum consisting of 5 MHz of 800MHz band, 5 MHz of 1800MHz band as well as 10 MHz of 2300 MHz band in the recent spectrum auction as per a company statement. What Has Jio Done in Odisha Now, Jio has gone ahead to deploy all of the three spectrums across 10,000+ network sites that are spread across the state. Post this, the total bandwidth available with Jio for usage in the state of Odisha will be 60 MHz including 10 MHz each in the 800 and 1800 MHz, as well as 40MHz in the 2300 MHz band. The company believes that spectrum augmentation of this magnitude will definitely allow it to enhance the network and user experience manifold for the entire Jio subscriber base in Odisha. This is also a timely addition, considering the pandemic situation and curtailed movements, lockdowns as students and professionals will be able to seamlessly carry out their tasks from the safety of their homes. The enhanced connectivity, speed and experience will be of great help to the health sector and frontline workers as well who are working relentlessly to try and contain this pandemic. The company claims to have over 1.4 crore mobile subscribers in the state, alongside over 41 per cent of mobile subscribers in Odisha, the company also leads with over 50 per cent market share in gross revenue within the state as per a statement. Furthermore, with increasing demand for 4G towers, Jio Odisha will be further expanding its 4G network in 2021, connecting several unconnected regions. As of now, Jio has over 10,000 true 4G network sites in the state, which is the largest 4G footprint within the same. In case you missed it, Reliance Jio got hold of a total of 488.35MHz spectrum in 800MHz, 1800MHz and 2300MHz bands spread over 22 circles in the recent spectrum auction at a cost of Rs.57,123 crores for a span of 20 years.

Vodafone Idea Has the Fastest Network in This State Posted: 04 Jun 2021 06:56 AM PDT GIGAnet from Vi, which is Kerela’s largest 4G telecom network was recently revealed to be the fastest 4G network both in Kerala and across India for three consecutive quarters, as per data by Ookla, the global leader in mobile testing applications, data and analysis. In contrast to other operators, Vi has delivered the fastest 4G speeds during July 2020-March 2021 quarters, making the telco the only operator capable of delivering 4G speeds at the fastest rates consistently for three consecutive quarters. In the region of Kerala, GIGAnet, a subsidiary of Vi topped the speed charts when it came to average download speeds in cities like Kochi, Ernakulam, Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur, Kozhikode, Kollam. The fastest network verification was based on analysis by Ookla® of Speedtest Intelligence® data for average 4G download speeds in India and certain regions in Q3 2020 – Q1 2021. The verifications come at a time when telecom networks in India have seen a surge in data usage given the higher use case due to the ongoing pandemic and the resulting work-from-home scenario. The largest and most diverse spectrum holding in Kerela, as per Vi has kept it well-positioned to serve the connectivity needs of its users. Vi India’s Network Speeds Come With Additional Benefits Mr S. Murali, the Cluster Business Head of Kerela and Tamil Nadu, Vodafone Idea Limited stated that Vi as a company is committed to keeping its customers in Kerala connected via the best 4G network, with a range of services beyond just voice and data. Vi has the largest spectrum deployment in the state and the highest amount of the most efficient 900 MHz band spectrum,  which in turn ensures better voice and data experience in indoors scenarios. In order to provide customers better connectivity and results with the network on offer, Vi is also offering a  bouquet of content that can cater to the interests of different customer categories. Vi data customers can browse and download a variety of content from various OTT applications as well as Vi Movies and TV App. Furthermore, heavy data users on the Vi network can boast of enjoying high-speed data without any limits from 12 am to 6 am. This benefit is available to all Vi prepaid customers on Unlimited plans that cost Rs 249 or above. Customers also have the benefit of weekend data rollover on all Unlimited packs of Rs 249 and above, which lets users carry forward their unutilized data from their daily quota during the week and using it during the weekend.

Vodafone Touts 5G Capacity Boost in Open RAN Demo Posted: 04 Jun 2021 06:00 AM PDT In a first of its kind, Vodafone conducted a demonstration of 5G Multi-User MIMO (MU-MIMO) running on a RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC) platform in the open RAN test site. During the demo, Vodafone advertised a 5G capacity boost in a multi-vendor environment. The demo ran on software from Cohere Technologies on a pre-standards Open RAN-aligned platform from VMware. The lab test also marked the involvement of technology companies like Capgemini Engineering, Intel, and Telecom Infra Project (TIP). Many Ecosystem Partners Contributed to the Technology Behind the Test The demo was a joint effort by players in the ecosystem that have successfully demonstrated that when multiple users are using the same site, a powerful new Open Radio Access Network (RAN) platform can boost the capacity of 5G.In the trial, Cohere's Spectrum Multiplier MU-MIMO scheduler showcased that users will benefit up to 2X capacity when the technique is commercially deployed in a low-band network, for example – 700 MHz, compared to traditional MIMO. According to Vodafone, if the software was extended to Massive MIMO in the mid-band spectrum, the capacity could even boost to 4X or 5X. An O-RAN aligned RIC platform by VMware supported open APIs for 3rd party applications and implemented the open interface. Cohere's application was the first use case integrated by VMware's RIC platform. The required baseband radio functions to execute MU-MIMO related actions was included in Capgemini's software. Intel's FlexRAN software delivered the 5G New Radio (NR) physical layer and contributed to the COTS hardware that hosted VMware's RIC platform and Capgemini's baseband. Open RAN Is the Future of Networking Mobile base stations can be built with Open RAN using hardware and software from multiple vendors. Since it is driven by software, it is easier and cheaper to extend mobile networks and upgrade them without replacing the hardware. In this regard, the Head of Open RAN at Vodafone, Francisco Martín, has said that the role that the new powerful RIC platform plays in defining Open RAN as the future of networking is validated by this initiative. Open RAN will boost capacities for customers, reduce the need for expensive hardware costs by a third and will also cut down energy consumption. The introduction of new and innovative services will be encouraged by these time and cost savings, he further added.

Google Update to Let Users Opt Out of Advertisement Tracking Posted: 04 Jun 2021 05:45 AM PDT Apple is known to provide privacy to its customers by giving them opt-out options to restrict their activity from being tracked on apple devices. Google is following Apple's footsteps in providing privacy to its users. In an upcoming update by google that is said to launch towards the end of 2021, the company will allow its users to opt-out of being tracked by advertisers through apps installed in their devices. The update will roll out in a phased manner through a new version of the Google Play Services. The update will initially be focused on devices running on Android 12, but Google has announced its plans to bring the update to a larger audience. Advertisers Will Receive a String of Zeroes Instead of Any Particular Value After the imminent update's implementation, users will be able to restrict tracking by opting out of personalisations. Every android device has a unique advertising ID associated with it. Advertisers use this advertising ID to track users and serve targeted ads based on the users' interests. Google has stated that any attempts to access the advertising ID identifier will receive a string of zeroes instead of the actual ID. iPhone maker, Apple, calls its version of this move the App Tracking Transparency. Apple has announced this last year with the actual rollout starting in April 2021 with the iOS 14.5 update. Google to Provide Notifications for Opt-Out Preferences Apple's way of providing users with this option was by showing pop-up messages on each app that lets the users decide if they want their activity to be tracked or not. Google will, however, take a combined approach for its platform. It will provide notifications for opt-out preferences to help advertisers and developer with compliance efforts. Although Android users already have an option to opt-out of personalised ads that can be enabled by going through Settings>Google>Ads. At this moment, this feature does not completely restrict advertisers from tracking your activity. Google said that this Google Play Services update would reach devices that are not on Android 12 by early 2022. The company also added that apps targeting Android 12 would be required to declare a Google Play services normal permission in the manifest file.

Indian Telecom Operators Much More Aggressively Reducing Dependency on Huawei Posted: 04 Jun 2021 05:13 AM PDT Indian telecom operators are "much more aggressively" trying to "reduce their dependence" on Huawei, says Gary Smith, chief executive officer at Ciena, a networking systems, services and software company. Smith in the second quarter earnings call on Thursday said that the company has "seen a lot of activity around the major carriers" in India "wishing" to reduce their dependence on Huawei. Further, Smith said that the company has "won more than our fair share of those deals" but that Ciena has "not yet deployed" its orders due to the COVID related challenges in India. European Telecom Operators Taking Time to Move Away from Huawei The Ciena CEO said that the Indian telecom operators are "probably more aggressive" as compared to the telecom operators in "other parts of the world" in trying to reduce their dependence on Huawei. "The main region to date has been Europe where you’re seeing a slow migration or a reduction in dependency upon while it largely being run initially out of the RAN business where they’re seeing it first, and then getting to the core infrastructure," Smith said in the second quarter earnings call. "So that’s taking time, and that’s a dynamic that I think is well understood and talked about." In the long term, Jim Moylan, the chief financial officer at Ciena in the second quarter earnings call said the "Huawei dynamic is positive" for the company. However, the Ciena CFO said that the company has "always been" cautious about "how fast" the European telecom operators can "move away from Huawei" as "it's just going to take a while." "They're not going to rip and replace in Europe," Moylan said. "That's not going to happen." Meanwhile, ET Telecom on Thursday citing "people familiar with the matter" said that Vodafone Idea, the third largest operator in India placed an "add-on network order with Huawei." The publication said that the additional order placed by Vodafone Idea is worth Rs 400 crores to 450 crores and that the order was placed "just before March 10." It has to be noted that in a notice on March 10 2021, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) made an amendment to the telecom license agreement, mandating the operators to procure telecom equipment from "trusted sources." The DoT in its notice highlighted that the amendment to the telecom license agreement will be effective from June 15, 2021. Ciena on Thursday announced its second quarter 2021 financial results with the company recording US$833.9 million (Rs 6089 crores) in revenue for the quarter ended May 1, 2021. In the previous year quarter, Ciena reported US$894.1 million (Rs 6528 crores) in revenue, translating to an 6.7% year-over-year (YoY) decrease. The company reported US$103.1 million (Rs 752 crores) as net income in its second quarter of the 2021 fiscal year as compared to US$91.7 million (Rs 6695 crores) in the prior year quarter. Smith in the earnings call said that the revenue from India for the company "still grew sequentially" and also YoY. The Ciena CEO said that the company in India "began to see activity" in early 2021, with the company winning "some new deals" and that these orders were "beginning to be deployed." "What happened in the last few months has really slowed all of that down," Smith said. "We would say from the experience that we’re seeing currently, is [that] it seems to be stabilizing and in fact, improving." Underlying Dynamics And Demand "Strong" In India In the recent past, Smith said there were economical and "some regulatory issues" in India and that it had been a "challenge" in the past "two or three years." "But the underlying dynamics and demand, I think, are strong," Smith said. "I think the order activity and RFP (request for proposal) activity continues to be strong as they do their plans, and we’re winning more than our fair share of that." The Ciena CEO said that the company will "continue to expect India" to record growth YoY in its current fiscal year with "any near-term challenges mitigated by our general geographic diversification." "Overall, there remains strong underlying secular demand for bandwidth and automation that drives our business," Smith said.

Nokia, Optus Give Australia Its First Integrated 5G Antenna Posted: 04 Jun 2021 04:30 AM PDT Australia's first Interleaved Passive Active Antenna (IPAA) has been deployed by Nokia in collaboration with Australian telecom operator Optus. The IPAA has been deployed in Yeerongpilly, Brisbane, with an objective to help ease site-related challenges. Overcoming site-related challenges will accelerate the introduction of 5G services in the country. The newly deployed unit will support all legacy technologies as well as 5G massive MIMO active antenna. Nokia Collaborated with CommScope to Develop The IPAA Solution American global network infrastructure provider CommScope developed the IPAA solution in a collaborative effort by Nokia. The solution has allowed telecom operators like Optus to enable 5G in existing sites. It will also enable other operators to upgrade sites to 5G in the coming future. Telecomm Operators will have to replace the existing antennas with similar-sized units that will support 5G enabled antennas. The IPAA solution by Nokia supports legacy frequency bands as well as the newer 5G bands. The solution will accelerate the rollout of 5G networks by simplifying and easing deployment challenges. These challenges include finding space on towers and rooftops for the installation of antennas. Finding space on existing towers for the deployment of new massive MIMO active antenna equipment has been a significant barrier for operators in the rollout of 5G networks. Delays in securing permissions for upgrading sites to 5G, potential strengthening of supporting structure and higher rent payments are some of the other barriers that have brought delays in making 5G technology useful. Committed to Keeping Our Customers Connected to 5G: Optus Lambo Kanagaratnam, Managing Director of Networks at Optus, has stated that Optus is committed to keeping its customers connected and at the forefront of 5G. By partnering with global technology leaders like Nokia, Optus continues to bring the best global innovations to their customers. He further added that their deployment of 5G networks would be accelerated by the introduction of the IPAA solution in their network infrastructure. The IPAA Is an Advanced Technical Solution: Nokia Chief Technology Officer of Australia and New Zealand at Nokia, Rob Joyce, has commented on the IPAA solution by calling it an advanced technical solution to tackle the space problem on towers and rooftops for 5G upgrades. He also explained the simplistic nature of their IPAA technology, in which operators can replace existing antennas with their IPAA solution to upgrade the site and introduce 5G at the same time.

BSNL Now Offering More Data With Rs 499 Plan Posted: 04 Jun 2021 02:55 AM PDT Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) offers some of the most valuable prepaid plans amongst all the operators in the country. The state-run telecom operator has a habit of revising the benefits of its old plans to attract new users and retain existing ones. As per a circular from BSNL Chennai, the telco has rationalised two of its prepaid plans. The two concerned plans are STV 499 and STV 198. The operator will now offer more data with the STV 499, however, BSNL has reduced the benefits of the STV 198. Let's take a look at the revised benefits of both plans. BSNL STV 499 After Rationalisation The BSNL STV 499 used to offer users 1GB of daily fair-usage-policy (FUP) data along with truly unlimited voice calling and 100 SMS/day. In addition to this, the plan used to offer BSNL Tune benefit and Zing benefit. The validity of the plan was 90 days. To compete with the 84 days offerings of Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea (Vi), BSNL has revised the data benefits of the plan. Everything remaining unchanged, BSNL has bumped up the data benefit of the plan from 1GB daily data to 2GB daily data for its users. Meaning, users will now get 180GB of total data with the plan instead of the earlier 90GB. BSNL STV 198 After Rationalisation BSNL has also rationalised STV 198. But in a strange turn of events, the operator has reduced the benefits of the plan. Earlier, the plan used to offer users 2GB daily FUP data for 54 days. There was an additional benefit of caller tune changing. Post the rationalisation of the STV 198, users will get the plan for a reduced validity of 50 days and the caller tune benefit has been replaced with Lokdhun content. Users will still get 2GB of daily data with the plan. Since it is a data-only voucher, users don't get any voice calling or SMS benefits with the plan. Lokdhun content can be accessed by the users by going to the Google Play Store and installing the BSNL TV application. These are the two plans which have been rationalised by BSNL recently.

MacBook Pro New Models Spotted on Regulatory Database, WWDC Launch Tipped Posted: 04 Jun 2021 01:29 AM PDT WWDC has been one of Apple’s most sought after events, wherein the Cupertino based tech giant usually reveals its current-gen software lineup for the specific year. This time, alongside the next version of macOS, iPadOS, iOS and WatchOS, Apple might also announce new MacBook Pro models. In case you missed it, the last MacBook event was held last year, wherein the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro were equipped with Apple’s M1 chip in place of the older Intel chipsets. Now, a new investor note by Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives has offered information in relation to the iPhone 13 lineup and, more importantly, the new MacBooks. Apple is supposedly working on a 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro Model, both of which have been spotted on a Chinese regulatory database ahead of the rumoured event. What Does The Investor Note Reveal The investor note by Ives, accessed by MacRumors states that the rumoured 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models will be powered by the company’s Apple Silicon. The M1 chip that was announced back in November is reported going to be at the helm of these MacBook Pro models. This disproves Mark Gurman’s predictions which mentioned that the upcoming MacBook Pro models will be powered by processors designed in-house that will greatly outpace the performance and capabilities of the current M1 chips. The new MacBook Pro models are also expected to make use of a new design, opt out of the controversial Touch bar and bring back key I/O ports like the HDMI port and SD card support, alongside support for MagSafe. In addition to the report, previous leaks in relation to the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros have been based on the spotting on a Chinese regulatory database. The devices have been listed by Apple’s supplier Sunwoda Electronic, which was spotted by MacRumors. The listing hints at the possibility that the upcoming 16-inch MacBook Pro model makes use of an 8,693mAh /11.45V battery, which is a little bit smaller than the existing one. This could be a result of the change in terms of the design and processor. Do note that with Apple Silicon, power efficiency is a big benefit, especially Intel processors, and this slight decrease might not impact the battery life on the new model. The Chinese regulatory database from Sunwoda also lists the 14-inch MacBook Pro, which supposedly has a 6,068mAh battery at 11.47V, which is higher than the 5,103mAh battery present on the current 13-inch MacBook Pro. This could be a result of the new design and the increased space in the chassis. In case you were wondering, Apple will host its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2021 on Monday, June 7. The keynote speech will commence around 10 am PDT or 10:30 pm IST and will be live-streamed across the world.

Xiaomi Has Increased the Price of Redmi Note 10 Pro Now Posted: 04 Jun 2021 12:39 AM PDT Xiaomi, one of the most popular smartphone sellers in India, came out with the Redmi Note 10 series back in March 2021. The company had launched multiple smartphones in the series, including Redmi Note 10, Redmi Note 10 Pro, and the Redmi Note 10 Pro Max. It is well known that Xiaomi and other Chinese smartphone brands keep on altering the price of their smartphones at regular intervals. Now, according to a report from Gizmochina, Xiaomi has increased the price of the Redmi Note 10 Pro. Let's take a look at the new price of the smartphone. Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro New Price For the unaware, Xiaomi had earlier increased the price of the vanilla Redmi Note 10 by Rs 500 in India. The price change affected all the variants of the Redmi Note 10. However, that's not the case with the Redmi Note 10 Pro. Even the Redmi Note 10 Pro has received a price hike of Rs 500. But the price hike has only been implemented on its 6GB+128GB variant. The smartphone had launched for Rs 16,999 for the 6GB+128GB variant. But after the price hike, the same variant will now cost Rs 17,499. All the colour variants of the device have received a price hike. So now, Redmi Note 10 Pro is available in India in three variants – a) 6GB+64GB for Rs 15,999, b) 6GB+128GB for Rs 16,999, and c) 8GB+128GB for Rs 18,999. The Redmi Note 10 Pro Max hasn't received any price hike and will be selling for the price it launched for. Redmi Note 10 Pro Specifications To recall, the Redmi Note 10 Pro launched with a 6.6-inch Super AMOLED display with support for 120Hz refresh rate and a maximum brightness of 1200nits. The device is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 732G coupled with up to 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. The Redmi Note 10 Pro features a quad-camera setup at the rear with a 64MP sensor as the primary lens paired with a 5MP macro sensor, 8MP ultra-wide-angle sensor, and a 2MP depth sensor. It packs a 5,020mAh battery with support for 33W fast charging.

Free Internet for 3 Months Message on WhatsApp is Fake, PIB Alerts Posted: 04 Jun 2021 12:07 AM PDT The Press Information Bureau (PIB) is alerting users about the fake message that's doing rounds on WhatsApp for a few days now. As per PIB, a message circulating on WhatsApp promising free internet from the government to 100 million people for 3 months is fake. PIB has marked the message as fraud and is asking users not to click on the link that it comes with. Clicking on the link of this message might result in the loss of personal information for the user. Users are advised not to pay any heed to such a message if they come across it. Delete the Free Internet from the Government Message The fake message is promising users if they have subscribed to services of any private telecom operators including Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea (Vi), or Reliance Jio, they will be eligible to receive the free internet from the government. The message includes a fraudulent link that redirects to a fake website when clicked upon and the users are asked to enter their personal information. Since it is not an authorised website from the government, users are advised to not enter anything about their personal details on the website. It is not only you who will be affected if you come across the message in a group where there are plenty of other people (family and friends). To ensure that neither of your known or loved ones loses out on their personal information because of being unaware, it is your solemn duty that you make them aware of it and also ask them to delete the message from their device. People who believe such messages often pass it on or forward to other people and groups. This results in a chain reaction where millions of people might lose their personal information by clicking on the link. Thus if you get the link in any group or from any person, first of all, delete that from your smartphone. Further, ask the person who forwarded the message to delete it as well. It is important that people are aware of such messages and not forward them to other people which results in the loss of personal information to fraudsters who might use it for mischievous purposes.

Battlegrounds Mobile India Announces That UAZ Will Be Included in the Game Posted: 03 Jun 2021 11:38 PM PDT Multiple leaks about the Battlegrounds Mobile India have been circulating on the internet. So here's something that's confirmed and you will surely see it in the game. According to the latest post by Battlegrounds Mobile India on its Instagram profile, the game is all set to feature UAZ, the favourite vehicle of the users in PUBG Mobile. The vehicle might get a small redesign but its colours, speed and health levels are expected to be the same. It is not just UAZ, but multiple other things that Battlegrounds Mobile India will be retaining from PUBG Mobile. Battlegrounds Mobile India is Retaining all This from PUBG Mobile In the Google Play Store listing of the game, one could see hints of the multiple maps that the game will include on the featured images section. Battlegrounds Mobile India has already confirmed that it will feature the Erangel map of PUBG Mobile, however, its name will be modified to Erangle. The Erangle map is expected to feature the UAZ. Further, the map might come with a few alterations but nothing major since the users wouldn't want to feel alienated playing the game. Thus Krafton is expected to ensure that there are minimal changes that make the game different from PUBG Mobile on a surface level yet give the users the same feel that PUBG Mobile gave. The game is also expected to retain Sanhok and Miramar maps from PUBG Mobile. There are no details about the maps available at the moment, however, the game is expected to launch within this month so everything will be clear in a few days anyway. Just yesterday, Battlegrounds Mobile India released a press note thanking its fan base in India that helped the game cross 20 million pre-registrations on the Play Store in only two weeks. This is just evidence of how popular the game is going to be and just how much Indians are excited about it. On the opening day itself, the game saw 7.6 million pre-registrations which is a very big feat. As per leaks from other publications, the Battlegrounds Mobile India is expected to be released officially on June 18, 2021. However, the company is yet to announce anything regarding the launch date.

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE Might be Another Hit in the Making Posted: 03 Jun 2021 11:12 PM PDT Samsung is known for launching a series of flagship devices every year. Last year, when Samsung came out with the Galaxy S20 FE powered by Exynos 990, which was basically a toned-down version of the Galaxy S20; consumers showed their interest in the device. However, the S20 FE became a super hit in the market when Samsung came out with another variant of the device powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865. It was simply more powerful and the users got a more premium experience using the device. This year, Samsung is expected to come out with the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE. One would assume that the device is a straightforward successor of the Galaxy S20 FE. However, that is not the case. Samsung Galaxy S21 FE might be an upgraded version of the Galaxy Note 20. Here's all you should know about it. Galaxy S21 FE Might be Samsung's Bet on Good Sales According to a famous tipster Evan Blass (@evleaks), Samsung didn't do very well with the Galaxy S21 series in the first half of the year. In fact, upon comparison, the Galaxy S21 series did worse than the S10 series launched two years back. Blass said that Galaxy S21 FE's success is very crucial for the company since its first half of the year has been bad. If the S21 FE can get the same amount of traction and even more than the Galaxy S20 FE, Samsung might pull through comfortably. There's no official confirmation from the company, however, as per Blass, the S21 FE won't be the successor to the S20 FE. Instead, the device would be a follow-through of the Galaxy Note 20. Based on this information, there is a distinct possibility that the Galaxy S21 FE might come with support for the S Pen just like the S21 Ultra. The S21 FE might come with the flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset. The device might run on Android 11 out of the box and pack a 4,500mAh battery. Samsung might launch the Galaxy S21 FE alongside other smartphones including Galaxy Z Fold3 and the Galaxy Z Flip3. The expected date of the launch of the smartphone is August 19. Samsung should announce something about the smartphone officially in the coming days.

Nokia and HFCL Look to Gain from Telecom PLI Scheme Posted: 03 Jun 2021 10:19 PM PDT Nokia and HFCL are interested in being part of the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme introduced by the government for the telecom sector. The telecom PLI scheme is worth over Rs 12,195 crore, and the centre will start accepting applications for the same from the interested companies on Friday. According to a PTI report, both Nokia and HFCL are looking to be a part of the telecom PLI scheme and gain benefits from the incentives. For the unaware, under the scheme, an investor/company can get up to 20 times more incentives than their committed investment if they reach their production targets. This will help India in becoming a global manufacturing hub since companies will manufacture more and more to meet the targets and then will further export to other nations. PLI Scheme for Telecom Will Make India Self-Reliant The PLI scheme for the telecom industry will make India self-reliant. Managing Director at HFCL, Mahndra Nahata, said the telecom PLI scheme would reduce the overall imports to India and help in increasing exports. Nahata further said the scheme would help the country in achieving the Atmanirbhar Bharat goal faster. Nokia India also showed its support by tweeting that it is fully committed to the vision of the telecom PLI scheme. Nokia already manufactures a wide range of telecom equipment from 2G to 5G in its Chennai facility and will keep doing so. The PTI report highlights that Nokia will be going through the final guidelines announced by the government and then participate in the scheme. The scheme has been effective from April 1, 2021. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) couldn't come out with the guidelines earlier because of the ongoing pandemic. The scheme is expected to bring investments of about Rs 3,000 crore in India and also generate around Rs 17,000 crore in taxes for the government. Other telecom gear manufacturers such as Ericsson are also very interested in the scheme. With 5G coming to India in the near-to-medium future, this scheme couldn't have come at a more appropriate time for the country. Hopefully, the PLI scheme for the telecom industry helps India in achieving self-reliability when it comes to mobile networks and equipment.

Indian Telecom Financial Health Grave, Needs Help: COAI Posted: 03 Jun 2021 09:57 PM PDT The importance of telecom services has become crystal clear amidst the lockdowns and the pandemic. For the operators to keep innovating and providing seamless services, their financial books should end on a positive note each year. However, this is not what is happening in the industry. The Indian telecom industry is cash strapped, and two of the operators, including Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and Vodafone Idea (Vi), are facing the most issues. The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), which represents operators including Vi, Bharti Airtel, and Reliance Jio, said that government needs to look into the matter and help the industry a little. Indian Telecom Operators Taxed Heavily, Asked to Pay Unrealistic Money for Spectrum As per a PTI report, COAI Director General S.P. Kochhar said that the financial health of the Indian telecom industry is not good, and everyone knows that. Kochhar believes that government should step in now and help the cash-strapped telcos with their operations. It is not even about providing the industry with a relief package. The Indian government can help the operators simply by being less greedy. Indian telecom operators have to pay almost 38% of their revenues to the government in the form of tax. Further, when it comes to spectrum pricing, the Indian government avails spectrum to the operators at the most premium rates when compared with other nations. With the upcoming 5G spectrum auctions, the government can be a little less greedy and help the operators and industry by availing the spectrum at reasonable rates to them. Further, it can delay the payments for adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues for operators by 1 or 2 years so that they can focus completely on rolling out 5G. Vi might not be thinking too much about investing in 5G because of the mountain of debt it has on its books. Kochhar highlighted that the government is missing out on the fact that as telecom services improve in the country, its secondary revenues from other sectors and businesses will grow. With 5G, the way people communicate will take a huge leap. Because of that, the government will be able to increase its revenues from other institutions and sectors as well.

Broadband Connections Common Problems and How to Fix Them Posted: 03 Jun 2021 09:30 PM PDT A broadband connection at our homes or offices has become an integral part of our ecosystem and the environment. It has become tough to spend a couple of hours without the internet because of our heavy reliance on it to get work done. The internet has not only become important as a source of knowledge and entertainment but also for communication through video calls and high-quality voice calls. That being said, broadband connection getting disconnected frequently is a very grave issue in today's world. If you face frequent disconnections of your broadband connection, there a are few things you can check on your own before reaching out to the customer service department of your ISP. Checking Cables and Extensions Your broadband internet connection, no matter wired or wireless, is delivered to your doorstep through cables. Where cables and wires are involved, the first step is to check if all the cables are properly connected. Check if your ethernet cable is properly connected to your device in case of a wired connection. If you use a Wi-Fi router, check if all the cables are connected to the router. The next step would be to check for any damage to those cables. Damaged cables would not be able to transfer bandwidth and thus cause disconnection of your broadband connection. Learn How to Decode the Blinking Lights in Your Wi-Fi Routers Wi-Fi Routers have a few blinking light indicators that tell you various things about your broadband connection. Whenever you get a new Wi-Fi installed, always make it a point to understand what each of those lights indicates. If even one of those lights is not blinking like it normally does, it’s most likely that your broadband connection is disconnected. You can try disconnecting all the cables from the primary source and letting the router complete its boot-up process normally. Once the router is booted up, you can connect the cables back to the router, and it'll most likely bring your broadband connection back to life. This process is called Power Cycling. Scanning Your Computer for Virus and Checking Your Data Pack Viruses are not only harmful to your computer, but they can also harm your broadband internet connection. If your computer is infected by malicious spyware, it can access your broadband connection and impact your browser's surfing speed and performance. You should regularly scan your computer for viruses to avoid them affecting your broadband connection. The last step to check is if you have exhausted your data limit provided by the ISP. This is a common issue with limited data plans where users exhaust their data limits without realising how much data is being consumed. If you have exhausted your data limit, consider recharging or upgrading to an unlimited data plan to enjoy an uninterrupted broadband connection.

Reliance Jio About to Make India Very Happy Posted: 03 Jun 2021 09:17 PM PDT Reliance Jio has made a habit of introducing something revolutionising in the market at regular intervals. One of the most awaited and anticipated products of the company this year is the affordable smartphone that it is building in partnership with Google. If the report from ET Telecom is true, we might see the affordable smartphone from Jio-Google before Diwali this year. People aware of the developments shared with the publication that the smartphone is currently in the testing phase in the manufacturing facilities of Dixon Technologies, Flextronics Technologies, UTL Neolyncs, and Wingtech Mobiles. Reliance Jio Expected to Price the Smartphone Under $50 As per the report, the smartphone has already crossed the research and development (R&D) stage and Jio is looking to source the components for the device from companies such as Tata Electronics. The pre-bookings for the smartphone might start soon and Jio is expected to price the device under $50. An executive related to the development said that Google is part of the project to optimise the software for the smartphone while Wingtech's job is to design the hardware and the other vendors will complete the assembling of the smartphone. The executive further said that since the testing and trials of the smartphone have already started, it might be up for launch during or before the last quarter of the CY (calendar year). Based on the comments from Neil Shah, Partner at Counterpoint Research, the ideal time for the company to launch the smartphone would be near the festive season of Diwali. Reliance Jio might just surprise India with the smartphone even earlier. Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) is holding its annual general meeting (AGM) on June 24. The company might make big announcements during the event as it has done in the previous years. We expect to hear about the Jio-Google affordable smartphone in the event. With the new affordable smartphone in the market, Jio will be targeting the feature phone and JioPhone users. This new affordable smartphone might boost the journey of the telecom operator to cross the 500 million subscribers milestone. But it will all depend on what price the smartphone launches and what kind of offers Jio provides the users on the purchase of the smartphone.

Google Pixel Buds A-Series Reignite Hope of Fans Posted: 03 Jun 2021 08:00 PM PDT Truly wireless earbuds have been becoming increasingly common, with major tech giants entering the arena to compete with audio-based companies such as Bose and Sony losing out the top crown to giants such as Apple and Google, especially considering how Apple and its AirPods have been dominant ever since the removal of the headphone jack. Google, like most of its products, took some trials to get something good, whilst Apple took its time but hit the ground running. Apple’s first-gen AirPods have become so good that they have maintained steady sales even in 2021. With Google, the situation was quite different, with the company releasing the first-gen Pixel Earbuds. The Pixel Earbuds were neckband styled earbuds at a time when most of the competitors such as Apple and Samsung already had truly wireless options on offer. In contrast, even in 2021, the company has just one TWS to its name by the name of Pixel Buds, whilst the likes of Apple have the AirPods and AirPods Pro and Samsung have the Galaxy Buds lineup. Today, that changed, since Google announced the Pixel Buds A-series, a product that was leaked to oblivion in a not-so first for the tech giant, with the company having tweeted about the same prematurely. They are priced at a relatively cheap $99, a decent discount over the $179 standard Pixel Buds. The Pixel Buds A-series are now available for pre-order in the United States and Canada starting June 3, with the buds featuring a proper release on June 17. The colour options on offer are olive green, white and grey. Pixel Buds A-Series: What Do We Know About Google’s Latest Offering In terms of specifications, it might interest you to know that despite the lower price, the sound quality, at least as per the specifications remain similar, if not equal to the normal Pixel Buds. They also offer features like hands-free "Hey Google" voice commands and an IPX4 rating for water and sweat resistance. There are some cuts, especially in terms of features like wireless charging for the case and swipe controls, but that is the only major cut that a user will notice. Battery life is pretty decent, with the buds being rated at five hours with 24 hours counting recharges in the case and Google stating that a user can get up to three hours of listening time via a 15-minute quick charge. Do note that whilst the Pixel Buds A-series look identical to the regular Pixel Buds, Google has made some changes to the design by softening the integrated ear stabilizer arcs by making them a bit smaller. Google has also taken steps in order to avoid common issues like connectivity drops and audio cutouts that plagued users using the Pixel Buds. More importantly, the launch of the A-series Pixel Buds hint at the company’s renewed hopes regarding the series and plans to continue on the truly wireless path and, given that the company sees relative success, we might even see it take drastic steps like Apple by launching a proper flagship-grade headphone.1

BSNL and Airtel Similar Broadband Plans Posted: 03 Jun 2021 06:30 PM PDT Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and Bharti Airtel both have their own fiber broadband businesses. BSNL operates its fiber broadband business under the name BSNL Bharat Fibre while Bharti Airtel operates it under Airtel Xstream Fiber. Both the companies have been in the market for a long time and understand what their users want from a broadband connection. While Bharti Airtel came out with the fiber broadband business much earlier than BSNL, the state-run operator has also stepped up its game and started offering very similar broadband plans as that of Airtel. Let's take a look at the plans from both the companies, which are very similar. BSNL and Airtel Offer Very Similar Broadband Plans BSNL and Airtel offer three broadband plans for essentially the same price and same benefits. These plans cost Rs 799, Rs 999, and Rs 1,499. Starting with the Rs 799 plan, BSNL offers 100 Mbps speed to the users with 3.3TB fair-usage-policy (FUP) data. Airtel also offers 100 Mbps speed but with a little bit more data, 3,333GB. There is a landline connection included with the plans of both Airtel and BSNL. However, BSNL doesn't offer any over-the-top (OTT) benefits to the users while Airtel does. With the 100 Mbps plan from Airtel, users get the OTT benefit of Airtel Xstream Premium, Shaw Academy, and Wynk Music, along with other Airtel Thanks benefits. The second plan that both the operators offer is of Rs 999. The Rs 999 plan from both Airtel and BSNL comes with 200 Mbps speed. The data offered by the plans is again similar (3.3TB), with Airtel taking the lead by offering 33GB extra. Again, the users get a free landline connection from the companies. However, this time, even BSNL users get an OTT benefit of Disney+ Hotstar Premium. Airtel also offers OTT benefits, including Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ Hotstar VIP, along with other Airtel Thanks benefits. Lastly, coming to the Rs 1,499 plan, both the companies again offer similar speeds of 300 Mbps. However, BSNL offers 4TB of data with the plan, while Bharti Airtel offers 3.3TB data only. The landline connection with OTT benefits is included in both plans. BSNL again offers Disney+ Hotstar Premium benefit while Bharti Airtel offers Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar VIP and other Airtel Thanks benefits. Both BSNL and Bharti Airtel offer the same quality of fiber broadband service to the users. Ideally, if you want more OTT benefits, Airtel is the company you should go with. But if you can settle with BSNL and like its services, even the state-run operator doesn't offer bad services. At the end of the day, it would depend on the company you want to go with.

Consumers Ready to Pay More for 5G Plans With Bundled Digital Services: Report Posted: 03 Jun 2021 12:11 PM PDT The next-generation connectivity technology, 5G, has got consumers, governments, and businesses around the world excited. 5G is poised to change how people behave and interact with each other digitally. More importantly, 5G will enhance the role of Internet of Things (IoT) products majorly. Now, according to an Ericsson ConsumerLab report, consumers are willing to pay up to 50% more for 5G plans bundled with digital services than what they pay for their 4G plans. 5G to Drive Digital Transformation and Help With Industry 4.0 Applications Note that the report from Ericsson is focused on the survey conducted on the Indonesian people. Indonesians are very excited about the upcoming age of 5G connectivity and hence are willing to pay more for the service. One thing to note here is that users were ready to pay 50% more for 5G plans only when they got bundled digital services with them. 5G will enable users in Indonesia to stream very high-quality media content directly from the internet on their devices. The report highlights that Indonesian users who are already consuming 5G services are spending more time on the Augmented Reality (AR) apps compared to the users consuming 4G services. This stat is not a surprising one since the same results are expected in all parts of the world which have live commercial 5G networks. Ericsson said that Indonesians are expected to spend around 7.5 to 8 hours per week on AR apps, and cloud gaming as the adoption rate of 5G grows in the country. Indonesians have very high expectations from their 5G networks. As per the Ericsson report, Indonesian people believe that 5G will provide users with at least 10x more speed than what 4G provided. Not only that, but 5G is expected to offer ultra-low-latency, which will bring never seen use cases of mobile networks into play. Ericsson said that 19% of the Indonesian population already own a 5G compatible smartphone. In the first two years of live commercial 5G networks being made available, around 5 million Indonesians are expected to purchase a 5G smartphone. With time, more and more low-cost 5G smartphones will be available in Indonesia, and that will further drive the adoption rate of the technology in the country.

You are subscribed to email updates from TelecomTalk. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States