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• Vodafone Idea Rs 267 vs Jio Rs 247 Plan, Which is Better?
• Vodafone Idea (Vi) to Compete Jio, Airtel in 5G Rollout
• OnePlus Is Merging the Codebases of Oxygen OS and Color OS, Here’s What It Means
• D2h Welcome Back Plan for Rs 249 Offering 3 Month Subscription With Pay Channels
• Wired Broadband Low Penetration Turned TV Into Preferred Medium in India
• Intel and Apple Might Debut 3nm TSMC Chipset in 2022
• Dish TV Keeps Tight Capex to Survive Pandemic Brunt, Lauds Watcho App Success
• Oppo Reno6 Pro 5G Will Sport Dimensity 1200 Chipset
• One Airtel Plans Were Beta, Airtel Black a Step Above
• Bharti Airtel Won’t Hesitate to Increase Tariffs: Sunil Mittal

Vodafone Idea Rs 267 vs Jio Rs 247 Plan, Which is Better? Posted: 02 Jul 2021 06:33 PM PDT Vodafone Idea (Vi) is offering a Rs 267 plan to the users now. The company has been introducing plans that are similar to what Airtel and Jio are offering to their users. Reliance Jio offers a Rs 247 plan, which is Rs 20 cheaper than Vi's Rs 267 plan and offers identical benefits. This might confuse a lot of people about which plan is better? So for those of you, we will analyse both of the plans and also factor in other things which are not related to the plans directly. Vodafone Idea Rs 267 Plan Vodafone Idea's Rs 267 plan comes with a validity of complete 30 days. This plan is designed to offer users the freedom of consuming data without any daily fair-usage-policy (FUP) limit. It comes with a total of 25GB of data and offers users unlimited voice calling and 100 SMS/day. There is an additional benefit of Vi Movies & TV Classic. This is all the users get with the plan. Now let's take a look at what Jio is offering with its Rs 247 plan. Reliance Jio Rs 247 Plan Reliance Jio also offers a 30 days plan where the users can consume data without any daily FUP limits. With Jio's Rs 247 plan, users get 25GB of data and unlimited voice calling along with 100 SMS/day. Users are also eligible to receive a free subscription to a suite of Jio applications including JioCloud, JioCinema, JioNews, JioSecurity, and JioTV. Which Plan is Better? There are a lot of things one must consider before purchasing a plan from any of the telecom operators. In terms of benefits, both Jio and Vi are offering the same plans. The only difference between these plans is the additional benefits and their price. But even the price difference is so marginal that no one would think twice before going with the operator of their choice. The additional thing that you must consider before going with either of the plans is the range of connectivity and the kind of speed these operators offer in your area. You should know which operator's network signals reach well in your area and who has an overall better reputation for service where you live. Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea both have their strengths and their weaknesses, you need to understand which operator will suit your needs better. At the end of the day, it will be the kind of service that you get with the plans which will matter more because all of their benefits are the same.

Vodafone Idea (Vi) to Compete Jio, Airtel in 5G Rollout Posted: 02 Jul 2021 09:26 AM PDT Vodafone Idea (Vi) has mostly stayed mum when it comes to 5G while its rivals (Jio, Airtel) have been boasting about how they are going to bring indigenous 5G in India very soon. But Vi isn't going to stay behind Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel when it comes to 5G. Vodafone Idea has already started testing 5G networks. This was confirmed by the Managing Director (MD) of the telco, Ravinder Takkar, during the analyst call of the company. Vi is conducting its 5G trials in multiple cities and states of the country with the help of two foreign telecom equipment vendors. Vodafone Idea Conducting 5G Trials With the Help of Foreign Telecom Vendors Two of the biggest European telecom vendors in the market, including Nokia and Ericsson, are helping Vodafone Idea with conducting its 5G trials. As per Takkar, the trials are currently taking place in two different cities/states. The third-largest telecom operator is testing its 5G networks in Gandhinagar, Gujarat and Pune, Maharashtra. It is worth noting that Vodafone Idea has a ton of spectrum resources, and if it wants to roll out 5G non-standalone (NSA) networks on the back of its excellent capacity 4G networks, it can do so. But the telco's financials might hold it off for a while. Nonetheless, Vi testing 5G only means one thing – the company is thinking about its long-term future in the market, which is a positive note for all the fans and the investors of the company. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) had allocated Vodafone Idea and the other operators in the country spectrum for testing their 5G solutions and networks. Both Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio have already started their 5G trials. Jio is testing its 5G networks in Mumbai, while Airtel is testing 5G in Gurgaon. Takkar's confirmation of 5G trials might mean that Vi would be pushing for 5G with the other telecom operators. The telco has plenty of time since 5G isn't expected to be adopted very aggressively in India because the operators' revenues and benefits in the next 3 to 4 years lie on enhancing their 4G networks only.

OnePlus Is Merging the Codebases of Oxygen OS and Color OS, Here’s What It Means Posted: 02 Jul 2021 08:11 AM PDT A couple of weeks ago, OnePlus had announced that it would be integrating itself with sister company Oppo on a deeper level, causing widespread concern regarding the company’s future products and Oxygen OS operating system, which is cherished by enthusiasts who yearn for a feature-rich yet uncluttered UI. At the time, the company had said that merging of the resources with Oppo would result in overall better and faster updates. Today, the company has announced extended Oxygen OS support for most of its devices, living up to its statement. As part of an official forum post, the product lead of Oxygen OS, Gary C. announced the same, underlying which smartphones would be getting extended updates and for how long. Here is a helpful summary to list out the same. Is Oxygen OS Becoming Oppo’s Color OS 1. Flagships series (including T-series and R-series): The OnePlus 8 series and devices launched later will be getting three major Android updates and four years of security updates. 2. OnePlus Nord and Nord CE: The OG OnePlus Nord and the upcoming Nord and Nord CE devices will be getting two major Android updates and three years of security updates. 3. OnePlus Nord N series: Commencing from the OnePlus Nord N10 and N100, all future and current N-series devices will get one major Android update and three years of security updates. This is quite good, considering how this new commitment is an extension when compared to the usual rule of two major Android upgrades and three years of security patches for most OnePlus devices, with the only devices truly missing out being the Nord N series of devices, which will be restricted to just one software version update. Gary C. also added something else in the post, mentioning that this new schedule for Oxygen OS updates is tied to the company’s shared resources with Oppo. This adds with it the merging of the codebases for Oxygen OS and Oppo's Color OS that will allow both skins to live on a more stable and stronger platform. This does not effectively mean that Oxygen OS and Color OS are the same or will be the same, but it does mean that the core of Oxygen OS will no longer be the same, with this new platform set to accompany devices with Android 12. The long term consequences or the extent of the changes coming to the OnePlus devices is not yet known, but the OnePlus 8 series and above users can be happy to note that their devices are supported well.

D2h Welcome Back Plan for Rs 249 Offering 3 Month Subscription With Pay Channels Posted: 02 Jul 2021 07:15 AM PDT After the National Tariff Order of last year, there was a lot of migration from one DTH platform to another courtesy of price reduction or attractive offers which various platforms were providing. While the pay channels were beyond discount for most DTH providers, but the NCF was something that could be tweaked as per the liking of the consumers. As a result, some popular DTH providers started offering heavy discounts on this. However, these companies had another burden of retaining subscribers who were leaving these platforms because of high prices. Now, the D2h Welcome Back offer is giving an amazing chance to returning customers to get a great deal on a three-month subscription. D2h Welcome Back Plan Explained It is worth noting that the D2h, Welcome Back offer is not something that is unheard of and has been around for more than a year. But, it is also something that is easy to miss for a previous D2h subscriber. Such inactive subscribers who have been away from D2h Set-Top-Box and would want to return back can use this Rs 249 plan right away. This amounts to less than Rs 100 per month for the subscription. The returning subscribers just have to pay Rs 5 along with GST per month, in addition to the one-time subscription fee. Channels Offered in D2h Welcome Back Plan It goes without saying that since this is a Welcome Back offer, the subscribers should not be expecting HD channels on their Set-Top-Box. However, all is not bleak with the D2h Welcome Back Offer since it gives away 183 FTA channels along with 22 pay channels, among which are some very popular ones like Zee Anmol, Star Utsav etc. The subscribers also get channels across many genres like music, devotional, Hindi entertainment, infotainment. Subscribers who have been inactive D2h customers can explore this offering in detail and are likely to get a promotional message from the DTH provider regarding the offer. If you are looking for something extremely cheap and you don't want to pay the hefty NCF along with subscription fees of pay channels, then the Welcome Back plan of Rs 249 might be the ideal starter for you.

Wired Broadband Low Penetration Turned TV Into Preferred Medium in India Posted: 02 Jul 2021 06:42 AM PDT Bharti Airtel, the second-largest wireless operator in India, on Friday said that it "is in talks" with over-the-top (OTT) streaming services for "seamless integration with Black plans." The development was shared by the Airtel management on Friday with the operator unveiling its Airtel Black, an "all-in-one solution for homes." Airtel management in the press briefing said that the time spent by its users on the television has increased due to the OTT platforms. Further, Airtel management also said that the data from its Airtel Xstream Box has indicated that around 70% to 80% of its users watch both OTT and linear TV content. OTT Platforms Will "Coexist" With Theatres Similar sentiments were earlier shared by Vivek Raina, chief executive officer at Excitel Broadband, in an interview with TelecomTalk in May. Raina said that Excitel hasn't witnessed "any major sustained surge in demand" during the second wave of the Covid-19 as the company "never" witnessed a "slump in consumption" since the initial lockdown in March 2020. The Excitel CEO provided multiple reasons for the company not witnessing a "slump in consumption", including that "people generally have developed a habit of entertaining themselves by playing online games or watching OTT content." It also has to be noted that Excitel started bundling Zee5, Voot Select, Eros Now, and ShemarooMe subscriptions with its 300 Mbps plans in late February. Raina said that the company "received an overwhelming response" from its users for its 300 Mbps plan with OTT subscriptions. With the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic now easing across India, multiple regions, including Maharashtra, have allowed multiplexes to reopen in a limited capacity. However, Edelweiss Research, a leading domestic institutional brokerage house in late June, said in a report that the OTT platforms will "coexist" with theatres. "We believe OTT platforms have definitely received a push due to the pandemic," Edelweiss Research said in a report. "But, halls and OTT will coexist. Producers will continue to release first in theatres as it gives them better upside and then on OTT immediately after a few weeks to earn from both media." Mobile Broadband Driving Digital Content Consumption Says, Analyst Additionally, Airtel management on Friday said that the company would expand its broadband coverage to 1000 cities across India in a "matter of months." In its fourth-quarter report, Airtel said that its wired broadband service for homes is available across 291 cities, including the local cable operator (LCO) cities. In a separate report in late June, Edelweiss Research said that television has turned into a "preferred medium for content consumption" in India due to the low wired broadband penetration. "Wired broadband is a prerequisite for digital to become the mainstay for content consumption," Edelweiss Research said in a report. "Mobile broadband is driving digital content consumption growth in India." The firm said that it believes an "aggressive digital strategy is a must for all traditional broadcasters" as it would provide a "massive growth opportunity" in the medium and long term. "Digital makes on-the-go consumption possible," Edelweiss Research said in its report. "Also, TV content has its limitations, so digital can showcase content for audiences who are not regularly available on TV." In its press briefing, Airtel management also highlighted that the average revenue per user (ARPU) metric is declining in its Direct-to-Home (DTH) segment as its users are increasingly watching OTT content. However, Edelweiss Research said that the OTT platforms will not "cause any structural change" in the entertainment industry as "most consumers and producers still prefer theatre releases." The firm said the "big-budget" movie producers would opt to "wait and release in theatres" rather than releasing the movie on an OTT platform. "Producers will continue to release first in theatres as it gives them better upside and then on OTT immediately after a few weeks to earn from both media," Edelweiss Research said in a report. "Disney, for example, has decided to release its major film Cruella first on screens for a few weeks despite owning its own OTT platform Disney+." It has to be noted that in early June, Kamal Gianchandani, chief executive officer at PVR Pictures, said that Radhe, a movie starring Bollywood actor Salman Khan, was a "big experiment." Radhe, the "much-awaited" movie, was released on Zee5, the OTT streaming platform run by Zee Entertainment Enterprises (ZEE), in the second week of May. "Radhe was a big experiment," Gianchandani said in the fourth-quarter earnings call. "And I think there is a fair amount of consensus that the experiment has not worked."

Intel and Apple Might Debut 3nm TSMC Chipset in 2022 Posted: 02 Jul 2021 06:20 AM PDT It seems that Apple and Intel, two polar opposites who recently called it quits for their relationship in terms of chipsets, as the former decided to make use of the proprietory Bionic chips for the Mac series of devices instead of Intel’s Core series of chipset which were usually the chipset of choice for devices ranging from the iMac to the MacBook Pro and Air. Today it has been revealed that Apple and Intel will be debuting their 3nm chipset technology via TSMC. A recent report has claimed that the iPhone manufacture will be launching the next-generation iPad Pro in 2022, with the iPad touted to make use of this 3nm chipset. In contrast, Intel will also launch its own chips that make use of this advanced process. As per a recent  NikkeiAsia report, Apple, the Cupertino giant is setting a goal of debuting the world's largest contract chipmaker's latest advanced process tech within its 2022 iPad Pro, which would be the successor to the current iPad Pro, which was updated to make use of the M1 chip from Apple. What Do We Know About The Plans This shift from 3nm from the current 5nm generation of chips will supposedly offer a 10-15% hike in performance, alongside an approximate 25-30% reduction in overall power consumption, which when entwined together would result in making the newer iPad Pro more powerful yet efficient than ever before. If this does happen, this would mark the second time when Apple unveils its latest chips within the new iPad series of devices rather than the iPhone series that are the company’s flagships. As of now though, it is unclear as to whether the company will unveil the chip in the iPad Air or iPad Pro since the A15 Bionic debuted in the iPad Air. Much like Apple, Intel is also expected to be one of the first processor makers to debut TSMC's 3nm process technology. The report mentioned that the chipmaker had already begun testing its chip designs with a 3nm process, with the company expected to start commercial production of these chips during the second half of 2022. This would essentially allow the firm to make up for the market share that it has lost in recent years. The report also added that the chip volume planned for Intel is more than that for Apple's iPad using the 3nm process.

Dish TV Keeps Tight Capex to Survive Pandemic Brunt, Lauds Watcho App Success Posted: 02 Jul 2021 05:58 AM PDT Dish TV finds its mention when we count the top ranks of the DTH players in the country. However, Dish TV is also sadly bearers of one of the most brutal financial beating due to the pandemic. It is one among the lot which has suffered due to the reduced disposable income of the people. With jobs being lost, the migration of people from one part of the country to another, and the economy taking a massive dip, people have resorted to holding their cash stacks closer to heart, and supposedly this has hit the finances of Dish TV dipping its fourth-quarter results. Dish TV Reducing Debt and Liabilities The consolidated subscription revenue of Dish TV for the last quarter as per the audited report hangs at Rs 685.2 crore, which was previously Rs 776.6 crore in the quarter before that. Net loss for the DTH provider was Rs 1415.3 crore which was Rs 1456.2 crore in the same quarter last year. Dish TV also suffered a blow in subscription revenue from Rs 3192.8 crore in FY ’20 to Rs 2987.4 crore in FY'21. As for EBITDA for the full year fell to Rs 2017 crore as against Rs 2106 crore in FY'20. The company has been largely successful in roping its bleeding finances thanks to a tightly held bottom line and controlling its capital expenditure. Dish TV relied mostly on the capex for internal cash flows, which also meant that the new subscriber addition suffered. The Dish TV new connection additions were lukewarm and were not able to add more subscribers in the quarter being spoken about. This, combined with a high churn rate, added to the deteriorating condition of Dish TV’s finances. Watcho App Success The silver lining in this report happens to be the reduction of debt and the reduction of expenditure for Dish TV. Jawahar Goel, CMD of Dish TV, remarked that the pandemic accelerated the need for innovation for DTH companies which is something Dish TV has done well in terms of the Watcho app, using AI for customer grievances, among many other things. He also said that the investors should look forward to these pointers as Dish TV focuses on reducing debt and liabilities. Anil Dua, CEO of Dish TV India Group, also touted the accomplishment of the Watcho app going from 1 million sign-ins to 25 million sign-ins in a year. He also hinted at some well-charted territory ahead for Dish TV on the back of a rights issue amounting to Rs 1,000 crore.

Oppo Reno6 Pro 5G Will Sport Dimensity 1200 Chipset Posted: 02 Jul 2021 05:30 AM PDT Oppo India on Friday confirmed that its upcoming Reno6 5G and Reno6 Pro 5G handsets would be powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 1200 processor when it does launch in India, which is set on July 14. For some additional context, the Oppo Reno6 series of devices were launched in the month of May in China, with Oppo finally bringing it to India, with some changes. Oppo will also be offering up to 12GB of RAM in India, with a peak of the device now on hand, owing to how the launch event page is now live. In a statement to the media, Oppo mentioned that the brand had chosen a processor based on the product's specific needs as OPPO has always been committed to delivering unparalleled user experiences through uninterrupted performance. What Do We Know About The Reno6 Series In terms of what the device has to offer, the Reno6 5G and Reno6 Pro 5G Chinese variants are quite different when it comes to the set of specifications and hardware, with the major differentiator being the chipset, as the China version makes use of a Dimensity 900 chip, whilst the Indian variant will be powered by the Dimensity 1200 processor. When it comes to the other sorts of features, the Oppo Reno6 5G comes with a 6.43-inch  AMOLED panel that has a resolution of Full HD+with a 90Hz refresh rate panel. The screen is protected via Gorilla Glass 5. The device is just7.6 millimetres thick and weighs 182 grams. For optics, the Reno6 5G packs a 64MP primary camera, coupled with an 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera and a 2MP macro camera. Towards the front, there is a 32MP selfie snapper within a punch-hole style cutout. There is also an in-display fingerprint sensor and a 4300 mAh battery with 65W fast charging. In contrast, the Reno 6 Pro 5G offers a larger  6.55-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of Full HD+, coupled with support for a 90Hz refresh rate option and Gorilla Glass 5 protection. For performance, the Reno6 Pro 5G is dependent on the MediaTek Dimensity 1200 processor which is an octa-core CPU paired with a Mali-G77 GPU. The Reno6 Pro 5G also has the exact same three cameras on the rear as the standard Reno6 5G with the only addition being a 2MP macro camera. The Oppo Reno6 Pro 5G makes use of a 4,500mAh battery that also comes with 65W fast charging out-of-the-box.

One Airtel Plans Were Beta, Airtel Black a Step Above Posted: 02 Jul 2021 04:14 AM PDT If you are aware of the One Airtel plans that Bharti Airtel offers to customers, you might be wondering, what's the real difference between One Airtel plans and Airtel Black plans launched today. Yes, there are similarities between the both, but Airtel Black is a step above One Airtel. During a virtual event, Shashwat Sharma, Chief Marketing and Brand Officer of Bharti Airtel said that One Airtel plans were a 'beta' for the company that has led to the announcement of 'Airtel Black'. Difference Between One Airtel and Airtel Black First thing you should note that One Airtel plans were offered to the users living in select circles of the country only. But Airtel Black is available for everyone. Sharma said that Airtel got immense learnings and great feedback from the One Airtel customers which has helped the company in coming out with Airtel Black plans which is a step above One Airtel. What truly makes Airtel Black better is the 'premium' customer service that users will get from the company. Airtel will deploy AI technology to help the users in communicating with the brand better. The company has promised to pick the calls of the users in 60 seconds or less. The customers can avail all the services of the company including DTH, broadband, and postpaid mobile services under Airtel Black. One of the biggest things that Airtel Black offers to the customers and One Airtel didn't is the convenience of creating a custom plan. There are four set plans for customers who don't want to think a lot under Airtel Black. But the company is also offering users the facility to create custom plans which can prove to be a game-changer for Bharti Airtel. Now customers can create their own Airtel Black custom plans depending on their needs. It is interesting to see that Airtel is still offering One Airtel plans in the locations it used to. So for users who were waiting for One Airtel plans in their cities, they can now opt for Airtel Black instead and get a single bill for all the services they purchase from Bharti Airtel. If it will be a game-changer for Airtel or not, only time will tell.

Bharti Airtel Won’t Hesitate to Increase Tariffs: Sunil Mittal Posted: 02 Jul 2021 02:49 AM PDT Bharti Airtel, a prominent player in the Indian telecom market, has been working really hard to ensure that it catches up to Reliance Jio's market share as fast as possible. The company enjoys calling itself the 'premium' player in the market. While Jio looks out for adding as many subscribers as possible, Airtel wants high average revenue per user (ARPU) customers. According to a PTI report, much recently, Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman of Bharti Airtel, said India's telecom industry is not in good health. Mittal said that calling the industry in not good health would be an 'understatement' at the end of the day. Bharti Airtel Would Increase Tariffs in a Heartbeat Mittal said Bharti Airtel wouldn't 'hesitate' in increasing the tariffs for the users. But he added that Airtel wouldn't do it alone. It makes sense since if Airtel were to be the lone operator going for tariff hikes, it would lose much of its market share to both Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea. Mittal said that he hopes the government will take a look at the industry's health and come up with necessary solutions to ensure that India's digital dream doesn't receive any harm. Mittal was speaking at the virtual event of OneWeb when he said that the government must ensure provisions are made to keep India at least a three market player. According to him, if the industry's health is not good, it would severely impact the 5G rollouts. As per Mittal, the industry should be aiming to bring back the same tariffs that used to be years back. He said that the return on capital even by the best operator in the industry is in single digits, which is not a good sign. All the telecom operators are expected to raise tariffs sometime soon. There's no saying who will do it first, but looking at the market situation, it should be Vodafone Idea. But that would risk Vi losing more of its subscribers, and the telco has only started adding them; thus it won't make sense to do it alone and do it first for the telco. Hopefully, the Indian Telecom industry can see great support from the government in the coming months.

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