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• WhatsApp to Change Chatting Experience for Users Forever
• Latest Xiaomi Device Patent Is a Nightmare for Butterfingers
• Vodafone Idea Hanging by a Thread Says Analyst
• First Quarter of FY22 Is Expected to Be Muted One for Telecom Firms: Icicidirect
• OnePlus Nord 2 5G to Launch in India, Amazon Confirms
• BSNL Extends Rs 449 Broadband Promotional Plan Till October
• Sky Broadband New 500 Mbps Ultrafast Plus Plan Comes With Min Speed Guarantee
• Vodafone Idea Helping India Study Online Better
• Daiwa First Indian Brand to Launch Smart TV Powered by webOS TV
• Top Broadband Plans You Can Choose Under Rs 500 in July 2021
• Unbelievable! OnePlus 9, 9 Pro Caught Cheating in Geekbench
• Oppo Might Just Enter The Gaming Smartphone Segment
• Samsung, TPG Telecom Test 5G vRAN and Micro Compact Installation in Australia
• RCom Lenders Eye Fresh Bids With Deloitte
• Bharti Enterprises Partners With Dixon Technologies to Make Telecom Gear
• Telecom Industry Fighting for Chipsets With Automotive Sector
• Boat Watch Xtend Is a Compelling Buy for Rs 3000!
• iPhone 14 Might be a Much Better Upgrade Than iPhone 13
• 4 Things We All Wish Our Broadband Plans Came With
• Vodafone Idea Gives Unbelievable Benefits With This Postpaid Plan

WhatsApp to Change Chatting Experience for Users Forever Posted: 07 Jul 2021 08:30 AM PDT WhatsApp is one of, if not the most popular messaging apps around the world, and to keep that top stop; one can always see it making attempts to keep adding newer features to the already vast portfolio so as to ensure that it is still one of the best messenger apps on the internet. Whilst some of these new features are focused on making the interface cleaner, certain other features are aimed at bringing newer features to the application. For the last couple of weeks, reports have listed out features such as voice waveforms, forward stickers packs that are focused on bringing on cosmetic changes for the app. Now, a recent report states another upcoming change that will be provided to the Android WhatsApp application that should get the tech nerd in you excited. What Is This New WhatsApp Feature? WABetaInfo has reported that WhatsApp, the Facebook-owned messaging app seems to be planning a certain small tweak to the application’s user interface that will result in the app looking cleaner. WhatsApp is also planning to make the profile picture of individual contacts appear smaller when viewed in the chat list. It seems that Facebook might also be planning to remove line separators that were able to distinguish one contact from another. All of these changes will allow in differentiating between the contacts in the chat as well as reducing the need for users to add certain other elements. In the current scenario, the profile pictures in the applications appear slightly bigger, which begs the need for them to be separated from one another via the use of line separators. The upcoming update seems to be planning to change that. That having been said, this change seems to be available on WhatsApp beta for the Android version 2.21.14.8, with no word regarding when the useful feature might be rolled out to the iOS-based app. A separate yet useful feature that has been rolled out for the beta app is the new View once feature, which will allow users to share videos and images that can be only viewed once by the person who receives the aforementioned image or video. Post viewing, the video or photo will disappear from the chat as soon as the receiver dismisses the shared video or image. This feature is available to Android beta users as of now.

Latest Xiaomi Device Patent Is a Nightmare for Butterfingers Posted: 07 Jul 2021 07:27 AM PDT Smartphone consumers are often pretty picky and, in case something new or some kind of innovation does not seemingly appeal to their use case, they will not shy away from complaining about the product and, at times cutting off the brand from future purchases entirely. Whilst most brands tend to keep the risk at a minimum, there are some that take the tough calls. One of these companies in Xiaomi, who have constantly ensured that technological advancements are not hindered in any manner, at times at the cost of the user’s brand appeal. That being said, certain companies do ensure that these advancements can take place without the backlash of the crowd. Two-sided curved screens have always been quite controversial since it has gone from a standard from flagships to becoming increasingly uncommon. It seems however that Xiaomi has intentions of pushing the limits of a curved screen. What Does the Patent Showcase The patent that was first spotted by LetsGoDigital, showcases a Xiaomi handset with a four-sided curved display. To explain it in easy terms, the phone's display works in a way where it is wrapped around all the front edges and corners of the device. Whilst the back of the phone will lack any display elements, the side panels might consist of screen strips. Rumours suggest that these display edges will be used so as to function as information tickers. The unhindered display surface and absence of pop-up cameras suggest that Xiaomi might use an under-display selfie camera. Towards the rear, optics seem to be handled by a large primary sensor. A secondary design element is placed right below but it is unknown as to whether or not this is related to the camera or just a design element. It is also interesting to note that the device lacks buttons and ports. Xiaomi might just have to make use of some tricks to get around the absence of the ports and buttons, such as the presence of the speakers behind the display and a pressure-sensitive medium of buttons. eSIM technology could also be used to get around the absence of a SIM tray. This patent, which was initially published on July 6 offers no guarantee of a device of similar dimensions of features launching any time soon since the company had tried out certain wrap-around display technologies with the Mi Mix Alpha, which failed to launch in most countries. Portless phones too are not the norm and consumers might not be ready to adapt as of now.

Vodafone Idea Hanging by a Thread Says Analyst Posted: 07 Jul 2021 06:20 AM PDT Vodafone Idea, the third-largest operator in India is "hanging by a thread," says Edelweiss Research, a leading domestic institutional brokerage in a report on Friday. Edelweiss Research said that the third-largest operator in India "slightly undershot street's expectations" on its fourth-quarter revenue. Vodafone Idea on June 30, 2021, reported its fourth-quarter results for the period ended March 31, 2021, with the operator highlighting that its revenue declined by 11.8% quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) to Rs 9610 crores. The operator highlighted that the 9.6% of decline in revenue was due to the elimination of interconnect usage charges (IUC) from January 1, 2021. Vodafone Idea CEO Says Plan B for Funding Not Needed In a release, Vodafone Idea said that its revenue in its fourth-quarter was otherwise "flat QoQ" on a "comparable basis." The operator also said that its average revenue per user (ARPU), a key metric, declined to Rs 107 in its fourth quarter as compared to Rs 121 in the previous quarter. Vodafone Idea highlighted that decline in ARPU was also largely due to the IUC removal, "adjusting for which ARPU was broadly flat this quarter." In comparison, Bharti Airtel, the second-largest operator also recorded a drop in ARPU in its fourth quarter to Rs 145, as compared to Rs 166 in its previous quarter. Similarly, Reliance Jio, the largest wireless operator in India also recorded a dip in ARPU to Rs 138.2 in its fourth quarter as compared to Rs 151 in its third quarter. "While operating performance is stabilising, the company continues to lose market share," Edelweiss Research said in its report on Friday. "Investments in the network are crucial to arrest declining market share." However, the firm said that the balance sheet of Vodafone Idea is now "precarious" and that fundraising and hike in tariffs are "essential" for the operator to "make investments" on its network. "Given meagre INR3.5bn in cash on its books, the overriding issues for Vi are capital-raising and tariff hikes rather than quarterly execution," Edelweiss Research said. Ravinder Takkar, chief executive officer at Vodafone Idea in the earnings call on Friday said that the company is "fully engaged with investors" and that "there continues to be interest" from potential investors. "I don’t think at this point a Plan B for funding is needed. We have a plan. We are engaged with investors," Takkar said in the earnings call. "I don’t think there is any reason to start creating Plan B because something is not happening. We are not at that point yet. I don’t think we will reach that point." Takkar also highlighted that the three large telecom operators have all unveiled "new plans without daily limits with lesser data bundles" as compared to the traditional daily data plans. The CEO at Vodafone Idea said that these "new plans" are a "step in the right direction as pricing structure" requires correction. Further, Takkar said that the operator has the "ability to sell data bundles" that users can "use anytime" and "pay more if they need additional data allowance." "The pricing is much lower than it needs to be, whereas the consumption that our customers and overall the citizens enjoy is significantly higher than what it used to be from somewhere, several years ago," Takkar said. Vodafone Idea CEO said that there are multiple ways to improve the pricing structure with floor pricing being the "best way" but that "it needs to be done at the right price." "We believe the company will be able to raise tariffs only after capital infusion, and that regulatory intervention is necessary to spur tariff hikes," Edelweiss Research said. Vodafone Idea "Weakest Private Telco" Says, Analyst Meanwhile, ICICI Direct, a retail broker and financial product distributor in India said that the third-largest operator "remains the weakest private telco." The firm highlighted that Vodafone Idea has payment commitments of around Rs 16,000 crore for annual spectrum payment and around Rs 8400 crore for adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues by April 2022. Takkar in the earnings call said that the operator has made a request to the government to extend the current two-year moratorium for spectrum payments till the "big elements" like pricing are addressed. "AGR dues payment extension was only a short-term breather and its survival hinges on quick capital infusion and tariff hike/floor tariff implementation," ICICI Direct said in its report. "The need for capitalisation is urgent mainly due to its upcoming payment commitments, lagging spends on the network and continued relative market share loss." Motilal Oswal Financial Services said that its "workings indicate" that the operator "needs to double its ARPU to service its debt" in the upcoming financial year "assuming no further subscriber churn."

First Quarter of FY22 Is Expected to Be Muted One for Telecom Firms: Icicidirect Posted: 07 Jul 2021 05:53 AM PDT With wireless revenues expected to be flattish at Rs 14,085 crore, the first quarter of this financial year is expected to be a muted period for telecom firms. Post the Interconnect Usage Charges (IUC) impact in the fourth quarter of the previous financial year; the reporting quarter is marked by the second wave-led lockdown, which impacted subscriber additions. Further, an extension of validity for the bottom of the pyramid customers will also restrict ARPUs, according to a report by Icicidirect. ARPUs or average revenue per user is a metric to gauge the financial metric of a telecom company. For Vodafone Idea (VIL), with an ARPU decline of about 3 per cent quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) at Rs 104, the overall revenues are expected to fall 4 per cent QoQ at Rs 9,216 crore. The subscriber addition for Bharti Airtel is expected to be about 2 million, and for VIL would be a loss of about 4 million, the report said. For Bharti Airtel, India EBITDA margins would be flattish at 49 per cent on a QoQ basis. Africa margins are expected to be stable at 47.5 per cent, while consolidated EBITDA is expected at Rs 12,620 crore, up 2.3 per cent QoQ with margins expected at 48.3 per cent, up 40 basis points (bps). For Airtel, the net profit is expected to be about Rs 392 crore. For VIL, the margins would be at 41.6 per cent, down 430 bps QoQ, as the fourth quarter had one-off costs benefit of Rs 450 crore. The company is expected to post a net loss of Rs 6,674 crore. Modest Growth for Indus Towers Indus Towers is likely to report a muted number during the quarter. "We bake in the tower and net tenancy addition of 2,330 and 2,910, respectively. We expect merged entity rental revenues at Rs 4,212 crore, up 1.7 per cent QoQ," it said. Energy revenues are expected to be up 5.6 per cent QoQ (on a like to like basis) at Rs 2,483 crore, driven by higher diesel prices. Overall margins are expected at 52.1 per cent, down 50 bps QoQ given the higher share of energy revenues. Flattish Quarter for TCom For Tata Communications (TCom), owing to continued delays in the closure of transformation deals and tapering down of UCC traffic, the data revenue growth would be restricted. The data business (including subsidiaries) is expected to post 2% QoQ top-line growth at Rs 3,584 crore. The overall revenue is expected to grow 0.5 per cent QoQ at Rs 4,096 crore. Data segment margins are expected at 27.5 per cent (down 40 bps QoQ) but up 50 bps YoY. Overall margins are expected at 24.8 per cent (down 10 bps QoQ). Sterlite Tech (STL) is expected to report a top-line decline of 9 per cent at Rs 1,348 crore owing to Covid second wave impact on services segment execution. Consolidated EBITDA is expected to grow 10.6 per cent QoQ at Rs 229 crore, while EBITDA margins for the quarter are expected to decline 40 bps QOQ to 17 per cent. The company is expected to post a net profit of Rs 91.4 crore, down 27 per cent on a QoQ basis, driven by weak operating performance, it added.

OnePlus Nord 2 5G to Launch in India, Amazon Confirms Posted: 07 Jul 2021 05:21 AM PDT The OnePlus Nord 2 5G has finally been confirmed by the smartphone manufacturer, with the brand also revealing that the smartphone will be powered by the Dimensity 1200 AI processor. Do note that the exact launch date has not been revealed, with past reports hinting a launch date set for July 24. In case you missed it, the OnePlus Nord 2 5G will debut as the successor to the original Nord that was launched in July of 2020. The upcoming device is rumoured to feature significant upgrades over its predecessor that has been subject to great hype and good sales. The OnePlus Nord 2 5G will also be the first smartphone within the brand's portfolio to feature MediaTek's Dimensity chipset. Both OnePlus and MediaTek have decided to call the processor the Dimensity 1200-AI so as to distinguish it from the standard Dimensity 1200. What Do We Know About the OnePlus Nord 2 5G The SoC will feature AI-based features for the upcoming Nord 2 5G that will include the likes of AI-assisted photography to ensure better imaging, display enhancements, as well as better response times for faster and smoother gaming. Interestingly, with the Dimensity 1200-AI, the smartphone's camera will now be able to recognize around 22 different photography scenes and, when needed, automatically adjusts the colour tones and contrasts to ensure maximum quality in low-light environments. Towards the display front, the AI enhancements include the likes of dynamic control for screen brightness dependent on lighting conditions, AI Resolution Boost that can enhance video resolution to HD for social media apps, as well as AI Color Boost technology that can automatically convert the standard dynamic range or SDR to HDR. The flagship-grade Dimensity 1200-AI will also allow for a superior gaming experience by the provision of higher refresh rates, reduced or lower latency and better heat management and power consumption. Dr JC Hsu, the Corporate VP and GM of Mediatek’s Wireless Communications Business Unit, added that the Dimensity 1200-AI is the first example of MediaTek's Dimensity Open Resource Architecture initiative, optimizing the powerful Dimensity 1200 5G chipset to deliver a customized experience for OnePlus users. According to the new leaked renders, the OnePlus Nord 2 5G might make use of the same design as the original Nord but include a 6.43-inch punch-hole display complete with the famous alert slider. The back panel, however, will supposedly resemble the OnePlus 9 Series of devices.

BSNL Extends Rs 449 Broadband Promotional Plan Till October Posted: 07 Jul 2021 05:05 AM PDT Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is on a wired broadband plan spree and does not seem to be stopping. While the BSNL 4G rollout seems to be happening at a snail pace, the same is not the case when it comes to BSNL FTTH plans. The wired broadband plans of BSNL have found a cadence with the public. This means that the public telecom operator is relentlessly chasing more customers. This is the reason why BSNL added 1.1 lakh subscribers in the month of June, helped by the last-mine connectivity of the LCOs. Due credit should be given to the offers which BSNL has introduced on its plans. Notably, the most popular offer of BSNL has now been extended on its wired broadband plans. Here are more details about the same. Rs 499 Fiber Basic Plan Offer Details To note, the Rs 449 Fiber Basic plan was the most popular choice of the customer. However, it came with the condition that after 6 months, the users would have to migrate to the Rs 599 Fiber Basic Plus plan. BSNL had earlier informed that the deadline to migrate to the upper-level plan would be removed till July; however, this deadline has been further extended till 6th October 2021, that is by 90 days. As for the details about this plan, the subscribers of the Fiber Basic plan get 30 Mbps speed with 2 Mbps post-FUP speed for 3,300GB of data. Also, one of the highlights of the long term subscriptions for this plan is the extra month of usage which the customers get. On getting a 12-month subscription, the customers do not have to pay for the 13th month. BSNL Now Offering Disney+ and Hotstar Subscription The subscribers wishing to get a BSNL FTTH wired broadband connection should act on this offer instantly. Also, you should note that if you are a BSNL employee, you will be eligible for a 40% discount on plans of Rs 599 or above. BSNL is also offering plans of Rs 999 and Rs 1,499 FMC, which offer 200 Mbps and 300 Mbps speed, respectively. These higher-end plans of BSNL also offer Disney+ and Hotstar services in which the subscribers get the Premium subscription of Hotstar and not the VIP one. The extra month offer of the free 13th month is also applicable to these plans.

Sky Broadband New 500 Mbps Ultrafast Plus Plan Comes With Min Speed Guarantee Posted: 07 Jul 2021 04:38 AM PDT Sky Broadband has launched its latest wired fibre-based broadband service, Ultrafast Plus. The service has been making headlines in the UK because of its namesake ultra-high speeds, which reach up to 500 Mbps. The Ultrafast Plus makes use of the Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) to deliver these speeds. It is based on the Openreach technology and is currently limited to the FTTP areas only. This means that the customers in the UK will have to wait if they currently live in rural or unserviced, or under-serviced locations. Ultrafast Plus Fast Breaking Past Records of Guaranteed Speed As for the pricing of the Ultrafast Plus service, Sky Broadband has noted that subscribers will be able to get it for £48 per month with an 18 month contract period. Speaking in INR, this translates to roughly Rs 4,950 per month, which can be easily considered to be rounded off to Rs 5,000. Sky Broadband has also remarked that this service is aimed at people who are accustomed to using multiple devices with high bandwidth. This means that subscribers using multiple devices like phones, TVs, gaming consoles, laptops, and desktops for high network usage like games, video calls, media download, and upload and seamless streaming of entertainment OTT services will find the Ultrafast Plus plan to be of their liking. To give a rough comparison, the older Ultrafast 2 service was offering a maximum speed of 285 Mbps. Sky Broadband Reaches 6 Million Customers Speaking of the UK market, Sky Broadband has now become a big player with over 6 million broadband subscribers, which is almost equal to that of Virgin Media and is only behind the market leader BT. One of the things that set apart Sky Broadband from the other competitors is its claim and guarantee that customers can demand a month's subscription back if their speeds fall below the minimum guaranteed speed of 400 Mbps to the Hub. Aman Bhatti, Director of Propositions at Sky Broadband, also reiterated the company's zeal to provide seamless and Ultrafast connectivity to the customers whether they are streaming, working or gaming. He also talked about the fastest speed guarantee which the Ultrafast Plus comes with.

Vodafone Idea Helping India Study Online Better Posted: 07 Jul 2021 03:50 AM PDT Vodafone Idea Foundation, the CSR arm of Vi, announced the results of its Vodafone Idea Scholarship 2021 for teachers and distributed scholarships of Rs 1 Lakh each to 110 teachers across 22 states in India. The results for Student Scholarships 2021 will be announced shortly. The Vi CSR Scholarship initiative aims to reduce the social and fiscal divide that students and teachers have to face in terms of availability and accessibility to the necessary resources that help them to excel. Last year, 200 teachers and 2500 students were rewarded with scholarships which they used for necessary resources for teaching and learning. Vodafone Idea Wants India to be Educated Online Seamlessly The current edition of the Teachers' Scholarship has been won by 110 teachers from the states of Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Bihar, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Goa, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Manipur, Nagaland, Orissa, Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal. Launched last year, these scholarships entitle teachers as well as students to access Direct Beneficiary Transfer (DBT), covering a list of permissible expenses. The scholarships are based on merit for teachers and for the students. The selection process is completely done online, overseen by an independent jury, including eminent educators, representatives of civil society organisations. Vodafone Idea's CSR conducts transformative programmes in the domain of Education, Agriculture, Women Empowerment and Technology across different pockets of India. P. Balaji, Chief Regulatory and Corporate Affairs Officer, Vodafone Idea Limited, said Vi is very much committed to using its technology to benefit society in the best manner possible. These scholarships and rewards from the company will help the children and teachers around the country study and teach better. This is a commendable move from Vodafone Idea, and the company's efforts in making India a better country won't be forgotten by its customers, investors, and the beneficiaries of the offer.

Daiwa First Indian Brand to Launch Smart TV Powered by webOS TV Posted: 07 Jul 2021 03:08 AM PDT Daiwa has become the first Indian brand to come out with Smart TV that is powered by the webOS TV. Much recently, the company held a virtual event wherein it launched a 4K UHD Smart TV that is the first of the new lineup of TVs that the company will be launching in the future. The name of the Smart TV is D50U1WOS. It is a 50-inch 4K UHD Smart TV powered by webOS TV, with ThinQ AI voice assistance and Magic Remote. The Made in India TVs shall be manufactured at the Greater Noida Manufacturing Facility of VIDEOTEX. The flagship model 50inch (126cm) 4K UHD Smart TV from Daiwa, with its webOS TV ecosystem, aims to disrupt the status quo in an industry with its proprietary operating systems. The TV features Dual-band Wi-Fi, ALLM, MEMC and many more advanced features, building the most intuitive and enjoyable user experience. Daiwa D50U1WOS Specifications Adding a level of sophistication to space, the Smart TV is crafted with a bezel-less display in a thin, sleek frame that translates to a 96% screen to body ratio. Bringing theatre-like experience home, the Smart TV supports 4K visuals with 1.07 billion colours & ultra-high-definition picture quality. Daiwa's deep learning AI and Quantum Luminit+ Technology upscale and reproduces low-resolution images to offer 4K-quality visuals. The 4K Smart TV by Daiwa is calibrated to D6500 Colour Temperature in the Cinema Mode for users to experience a cinema-like viewing experience just the way the director intended. Enhancing the visual experience, the UHD Smart TV brings augmented audio experience with its 20W Surround Sound Box speakers coupled with Dolby Audio sound technology. The UHD Smart TV supports a multi-HDR format that includes HDR10 and HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma). The HDR 10 brings the frame to frame dynamic optimisation of the content. It features boosted colour saturation and detailing for brilliant blacks and a gaming experience. While the HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma) with an extended colour gamut with HDR provides enhanced brightness, contrast and sharpness for an excellent viewing experience. The unique MEMC (Motion Estimation and Motion Compensation) @ 60Hz results in smooth blur-free visuals and lively transitions while watching sports or playing games. The TV also supports – ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) that lowers input lag for a smooth gaming experience. The Smart TV is powered by an ARM CA55 1.1 GHz Quad-core processor, four times faster than conventional TVs. It is equipped with a High RAM of 1.5 GB with an internal storage of 8GB. It ensures faster web – browsing, smoother multi-tasking & accurate performance. Ensuring endless entertainment, the TV supports content store with infotainment apps; that includes Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, and Disney+ Hotstar, SonyLiv, Zee5, among others, that runs on the webOS TV smart interface. The content store also hosts a wide range of games for the users. The 4K UHD Smart TV shall be priced for Rs. 43990/- and it will be available in all leading retail stores of the company and the official website of the company.

Top Broadband Plans You Can Choose Under Rs 500 in July 2021 Posted: 07 Jul 2021 01:50 AM PDT Broadband connections have become one of the crucial aspects of modern lives. Nearly every household has an active internet connection that caters to the internet needs of users. The high-speed connection, low latency network and other benefits make broadband connection one of the essential elements. The renowned broadband service providers offer ample plans that provide various benefits to users. Whether you want a budgeted monthly plan or a premium high-end broadband plan, the service providers various options to users. If you are looking for broadband plans under Rs 500, here are some of the top broadband plans by renowned service providers that you must consider. JioFiber Rs 399 Monthly Plan The broadband arm of Reliance, JioFiber, is known for providing exclusive broadband plans across the nation. JioFiber is adding new subscribers at a rapid pace because of its stunning offerings. If users want a modest JioFiber broadband plan, they can consider the Rs 399 monthly plan. Under the plan, Jio users will get an internet speed of 30Mbps (both upload and download). Not only this, but they can also enjoy unlimited data and voice call services. The validity of the broadband plan will be 30 days, and a commercial usage policy will be applied. Airtel Xstream Fiber Rs 499 Monthly Plan When it comes to nominal and premium broadband plans, Airtel Xstream Fiber has developed an extensive portfolio to capture the broadband market. The lowest monthly plan of Airtel Xstream Fiber is priced at Rs 499. Under the plan, users will be able to enjoy internet speed up to 40Mbps. Also, they will be able to reap unlimited local and ISD calling benefits. Some of the premium subscriptions that are included in the broadband plan are Airtel Xstream, Wynk Music and Shaw Academy. Along with the lowest monthly plan, users will also get proactive network monitoring, fixed-line with unlimited calls, auto troubleshooting routers and more. Excitel Fiber First Rs 499 Monthly Plan Excitel Fiber First has curated a vast portfolio of intriguing broadband plans. If you want a high-speed nominal broadband plan, you can select the Rs 499 monthly plan. Under the Excitel Fiber First Rs 499 monthly plan, users can enjoy internet speed up to 300Mbps. Also, they will get a fibre router and Wi-Fi. There are two other plans which are priced at Rs 399 and Rs 449. Under the plans, users will get 100Mbps and 200Mbps internet speed, respectively.

Unbelievable! OnePlus 9, 9 Pro Caught Cheating in Geekbench Posted: 07 Jul 2021 12:52 AM PDT The solid reputation that OnePlus has in the market has taken a huge blow. The company wasn't under the good press for the last few days because of the announcement of integration with Oppo. To top that off, the OnePlus 9 series has been delisted from 'Geekbench' because it was manipulating the benchmark applications. The concern was raised by AnandTech who said there was some 'weird behaviour' on the OnePlus 9 Pro. Following up with the concern, the Geekbench team has delisted the OnePlus 9 series devices from its benchmarks platform. OnePlus Might Have to Save Battery Thus Performance of Apps Lower Upon verifying, AnandTech found that the actual life performance of the several apps on the OnePlus 9 and the OnePlus 9 Pro was lower than what the Geekbench scores indicate they should be. OnePlus might not want the users to see a battery life issue with its premium flagship devices. That's why the company could have reduced the performance of particular apps on its phones to ensure that the battery life doesn't become a problem. Geekbench to Check More OnePlus Devices for Cheating Geekbench said that it is 'disappointing' to see that a company as big as OnePlus has been manipulating the performance of its devices to attract customers. The benchmark platform has said that it will also be checking other OnePlus smartphones to see if they have also manipulated the scores in the same manner. If any other phone from the company is found to be cheating or manipulating the scores, it will also be removed from the platform. OnePlus is yet to comment on the same. Overall, this just puts a very negative image out for the OnePlus community and the fans of the company around the world. It might become hard for people to trust OnePlus and its new devices anytime soon. We will have to wait for what OnePlus has to say on the same.

Oppo Might Just Enter The Gaming Smartphone Segment Posted: 07 Jul 2021 12:50 AM PDT Oppo has been working on launching the Reno6 series of devices in India, which will consist of both the Reno6 and Reno6 Pro variants, with a launch date set for July 16. However, amidst all the attention towards the Reno series of devices, which has always pushed the boundaries of design and features in one way or the other, it seems that we might have overshadowed some gaming plans from the company. Today it was revealed that Oppo might be working on a new gaming smartphone. This is interesting considering that, to this date, Oppo has not launched a dedicated gaming device in either India or other markets. This could be the first gaming smartphone from a company that has been popular in India. A patent that was filed on the EUIPO or European Union Intellectual Property Office revealed certain key details in regards to the gaming phone. It also reveals the design of the device. What Do We Know About The Oppo Gaming Phone? As mentioned above, Oppo might be close to launching its first gaming smartphone, with the key design and details having been revealed via the leaked EUIPO listing. Details regarding the moniker or model number are still a mystery, so we might have to wait for the same for a couple of days. The patent images that were first spotted by 91Mobiles have revealed some key details of the phone. The upcoming gaming phone seems to feature a design quite like the gaming smartphones on offer from Asus and Lenovo, such as the Asus ROG Phone 5 and the Lenovo Legion 2 Pro. Towards the front, the display seems to be missing a hole-punch cutout or a notch, in contrast, it seems to be making use of a thicker than usual top bezel in order to include the front camera and other such sensors. Towards the back, the device makes use of a quad-camera setup. The camera module design itself is a bit similar to what the Reno6 Pro has to offer, but, details regarding the camera sensors are unknown as of now. In terms of the rear panel, it makes use of a unique design pattern that fits with the gaming phone aesthetic, with a power button towards the right edge and volume keys on the left. Specifications in relation to the processor, RAM, battery remain unknown, with no hints or promos regarding a gaming phone lineup from the company.

Samsung, TPG Telecom Test 5G vRAN and Micro Compact Installation in Australia Posted: 07 Jul 2021 12:40 AM PDT When it comes to the 5G technology, the cost of the deployment happens to be one of the prime factors for the telecom companies. Equipment manufacturers like Nokia, Ericsson seem to be doing well in this race. However, another premium name that has joined this league is Samsung. The company happens to be testing a lot of 5G use-cases since the beginning and is now involved in the testing of equipment like Massive MIMO among others. In the latest step, Samsung has partnered up with TPG Telecom to test its 5G Virtual Radio Access Network (vRAN) with its mmWave solution in Australia’s first experiment of this kind. While the 26GHz vRAN will be based on Samsung’s own stack, the other mmWave Solution will be a Micro Compact installation. Samsung and TPG Telecom Holding Tests in Glebe Innovation Labs In the innovation Lab in Glebe, of New South Wales, Samsung will deploy its vRAN solution in integration with the mmWave Solution. Which is a compact micro solution for wider coverage. In the Glebe area, this setup will provide extended coverage. The unique thing about this new installation is that the Samsung Compact Micro combines radio, baseband, and antenna all in a single unit which makes it easier for the telecom companies to install it on the side of the buildings. The setup can also be installed on utility poles. Such technology will be a gamechanger in the 5G rollouts which are supposed to happen swiftly around the globe in the next coming years. Samsung Also Counting on Massive MIMO Technology As for the vRAN technology of Samsung, it runs on the stack developed by Samsung itself and on the off-the-shelf servers. Samsung has been bullish on deploying this technology across the globe for Tier 1 telecom companies and a high-quality network. Besides this new development, Samsung's 3.5GHz Massive MIMO has been in the headlines for all the right reasons. As for TPG Telecom, the company has declared that it will invest $108 million to triple its holding in the spectrum department which will also use the 26GHz band.

RCom Lenders Eye Fresh Bids With Deloitte Posted: 07 Jul 2021 12:30 AM PDT Reliance Communications have been under heavy distress because of the cash-crunch and bankruptcy situation. Back on Tuesday, the shares of Reliance Communication hit the lower circuit after DoT refused to renew its license. In the latest development, the lenders of Reliance Communications have formed a group led by the State Bank of India (SBI) to hold discussions with resolution professional Deloitte on discussing whether rebidding for bankrupt's telco assets is a viable option. As reported by ET Telecom, lenders of Reliance Communications are worried that RBI might not permit asset reconstruction firm UVARCL to purchase spectrum and other assets of Reliance Communications under a resolution plan. UVARCL is Expected to Pick RCom's Spectrum for Rs 12,760 Crores The committee of Reliance Communications creditors cleared the resolution plan back in March 2020, hoping that UVARCL would buy all the assets, including spectrum under Rcom and Reliance Telecom and a Reliance Jio unit the company's towers placed under Reliance Infratel. Even though NCLT has cleared the tower sale to Jio, it has not cleared the transfer of assets to UVARCL. The delay in the sale of assets, including the spectrum, is rapidly decreasing the value of assets. It is expected that UVARCL will pick RCom's Spectrum for Rs 12,760 crore, with the total recovery expected to be around Rs 23,000 crore against the claim of Rs 57,382 crore. Reliance Communications Has a Debt of Rs 46,000 Crore with 53 Financial Creditors Nakul Sachdeva, who is a partner at L&L Partners, stated that since the Infratel plan has been approved by the concerned Adjudicating Authority (NCLT), the RCom's creditors being a stakeholder is bound by approval order. He also stated that if the tower resolution plan is not being implemented, the CoC can take action against the resolution applicant (RA). Not only this, but it can seek relief from the NCLT to conduct new voting or call for other resolution plans. If you are not aware, Reliance Communications has a debt of Rs 46,000 crore with over more than 53 financial creditors, including foreign and local banks, non-banking financial companies, funds and more.

Bharti Enterprises Partners With Dixon Technologies to Make Telecom Gear Posted: 07 Jul 2021 12:12 AM PDT The Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme is one of the biggest flagship bets by the central government in recent times when it comes to electronics manufacturing. This scheme might prove to be a gamechanger in the arena of telecom equipment. Currently, in the market, there is a prevalent skepticism towards the Chinese equipment manufacturers, whereas the replacement of the same, Nokia and Ericsson, are pricier options for the telecom companies. The government thinks that domestic manufacturers might fill the vacuum. In a new development, Dixon Technologies has decided to invest Rs 200 to Rs 250 crore along with Bharti Enterprises in its Punjab plant for manufacturing. The said company will be making the investment through its subsidiary. Other Players Apply to PLI As Well Sunil Vachani, Dixon Technologies Executive Chairman, said that the company is looking forward to this opportunity and is excited. He also added that in partnership with Bharti Enterprises, they would be manufacturing telecom equipment and CPE (Consumer Provided Equipment). It is worth noting that Dixon is not the only one who has applied under the PLI scheme, as per an ET Telecom report, other players like HFCL, Coral Telecom, VVDN, and Tejas Networks have also got the green flag for the same. Dixon had previously got the go-to for PLI under the IT hardware and mobile handset category. Huge Benefits to MSMEs Under Scheme The new pipeline of telecom equipment manufacturers was opened by DoT last week by issuing guidelines for telecom manufacturers in India. 10 large manufacturers and 10 Small, Micro, and Medium-sized manufacturers will be given the benefits of this scheme upon selection. Interest subvention happens to be one of the benefits among many under the PLI scheme, for which it seems to be getting a lot of traction. The incentives to be distributed to the recipients amount to Rs 12,195 crore over a five-year period on reaching stipulated targets. Out of the total amount, Rs 1,000 crore happens to be allocated for the MSMEs, which will be ten in total. Out of these ten companies, three are supposed to be domestic manufacturers. The scheme is likely to bring a total investment of Rs 3,000 crore and will possibly add to the central tax revenue a figure of Rs 17,000 crore.

Telecom Industry Fighting for Chipsets With Automotive Sector Posted: 06 Jul 2021 11:48 PM PDT The chipset shortage has started becoming evident throughout the world. Because of issues in the supply chain, the semi-conductor companies aren't able to fulfil the orders in the capacity they used to. It is worth noting that telecom and smartphone/tech industries aren't the only ones that require chipsets to make their products function. Others, including the automotive industry, also require it. Because of the low supply, even the normal demand seems too high. Whenever a resource or a component starts becoming scarce, companies and industries start fighting over it. This is what is happening right now with the chipsets. Telecom Industry Unhappy With Automotive Sector Getting 'Special Treatment' The US telecom industry is a little unhappy with the government because of the 'special treatment' that it is about to receive. As per a Lightreading report, the American Automotive Policy Council Trade association said that the government should construct facilities that can manufacture auto-grade wafers/chips. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation trade group feels the same and believes that the government should set aside a little portion of its budget so that new chipset facilities can be built to help the auto industry that has been 'uniquely' affected because of the chipset shortage. But the US telecom industry believes that no such special treatment should be provided to the auto industry. As per the telecom industry, each and every sector has been affected by the chipset shortage; thus, it won't be fair to everyone else if the auto industry is the only one getting special treatment or help from the government. This makes sense since every industry that used or relied on chipsets for the manufacturing of their products are facing severe shortages right now. Thus it wouldn't be fair for any government around the world to favour one particular industry at the expense of chipset shortage. It will be interesting to see where this argument leads to.

Boat Watch Xtend Is a Compelling Buy for Rs 3000! Posted: 06 Jul 2021 11:33 PM PDT Popular Indian wearable brand Boat on Wednesday officially announced its latest smartwatch, the Boat Watch Xtend in India. The company had been teasing the product since June and, the USP of the product is the support for Alexa voice assistant. Statistically, this marks the fifth smartwatch to have been launched by Boat, after having launched four varying models in the past couple of years. In terms of what the Boat Watch Xtend has to offer, it comes with the aforementioned Alexa voice assistant built-in, which can allow for the setting of reminders, alarms as well as answering any queries that the user might have. When it comes to key specifications, the watch comes with a 1.69-inch LCD capacitive touch display and is sold in Olive Green, Sandy Cream, Pitch Black and Deep Blue colours. The Boat Watch Xtend can be bought for an introductory price of Rs 2,999. The smartwatch will be on offer for sale via popular E-Commerce site Amazon.in as well as Boat’s official website. As mentioned earlier, the Watch Xtend is offered in four different hues, namely Olive Green, Sandy Cream, Deep Blue and Pitch Black. Boat Watch Xtend: Features and Specifications When it comes to the specifications of the Watch Xtend, the watch comes equipped with a 1.69-inch LCD display. The Watch Xtend also offers over 50 cloud-based watch faces available via the Boat wave app. The screen brightness level can also be adjusted on the smartwatch, something that few smartwatches have offered in the budget segment, with the option to adjust it according to the time set within the app. This however means that no manual interaction is required to adjust the brightness level. Similar to certain other Boat smartwatch offerings, the Watch Xtend comes equipped with handy tools like music control, DND, find my phone and Weather. Apart from this, the new watch also comes with a 5ATM water resistance rating. Notification alerts for texts, alarms, calls and third-party applications are also provided. For other features, the smartwatch offers heart rate tracking, SpO2 monitoring and sleep monitoring.  The Watch Xtend also offers 14 fitness modes that include indoor walking, outdoor cycling, hiking yoga, outdoor walking, workout, pool swimming, indoor running, cricket, rowing, elliptical, spinning bike, open water swimming and outdoor running. In terms of battery life, the watch packs in a 300 mAh battery that can offer 7 days of life of a single charge.

iPhone 14 Might be a Much Better Upgrade Than iPhone 13 Posted: 06 Jul 2021 10:30 PM PDT The only thing that iPhones lack at the moment is a high refresh rate display support. None of the iPhone 12 models has support for more than 60Hz refresh rate and can still burn a hole in the pockets of the customers. It is all expected to change with the iPhone 13 series, which might feature smartphones with 120Hz refresh rate. However, not all the models of the iPhone 13 series might come with a 120Hz refresh. As per the reports online, the 120Hz refresh rate support might only be provided to the iPhone 13 Pro and the iPhone 13 Pro Max. But this is expected to change with the iPhone 14 series. Here's all you should know. iPhone 14 Series all Devices Might Come With 120Hz Refresh Rate Support Apple is going to be using LTPO OLED displays to ensure that customers can get a very smooth screen experience without facing any battery issues. In the iPhone 13 series, only select devices might come with such a display. But according to a report from Elec, the iPhone 14 series might feature an LTPO OLED display on all of its devices. This is why, if you are going to go for an upgrade for your iPhone and are thinking of buying the vanilla iPhone 13 that will launch later in the year, you should better wait for the iPhone 14 series. This because you won't have to spend your hard-earned money on a very expensive device and still get the same 60Hz refresh rate display. Even Rs 15,000 devices today come with high refresh rate support which just makes Apple look really bad. That said, the iPhone 13 will have a suite of enhancements over the iPhone 12 series that had launched last year. If you are looking to buy an iPhone later in the year, just wait another year and get a better device if the display is very important to you.

4 Things We All Wish Our Broadband Plans Came With Posted: 06 Jul 2021 08:00 PM PDT The wired broadband industry has grown leaps and bounds in the last few years. The revolution which Reliance Jio did in 4G network and data plans was slightly repeated in the case of JioFiber. But, not entirely since the readiness of Bharti Airtel and other broadband service providers had softened the launch of the service. But still, the growth of the wired broadband sector is visible from the TRAI reports and the fact that even the public telecom operator, BSNL, was able to add 1.1 lakh wired broadband subscribers in the last month alone. However, even with the industry booming under the shadow of the pandemic, there are many ways in which broadband plans can improve with a small impetus from the telecom companies. Here I discuss some of the ways in which broadband plans can be made more attractive to lure the customers and inevitably generate revenue for the telcos. OTT Services This one goes without saying. However, OTT services have become a lot common in recent times in the higher-end plans. The only telecom company which was left out in this regard was BSNL, but even the BSNL broadband plans now come with some OTT content. The only rungs which have been devoid of this are the low range broadband plans. It's notable that in the era of so many OTT services available, there are certainly some low-paying content services that can be bundled with the lower-end plans whereas the premium services like Prime Video or Netflix can continue to come with the higher end plans. Long Term Options The only telecom operator which seems to be bullish on this front is Reliance Jio. Even though You Broadband has some very attractive long term plans, they don't seem to be as much popular as JioFiber's. This is something the telecom companies can look into for increased ARPU and retention. The consumers also like paying for the long term with a discount, whereas the telcos get the guarantee of holding the customers for the long term. Accessories This is another area where Reliance Jio's JioFiber seems to be taking a lead. A lot of times people have to resort to externally bought extenders to improve their Wi-Fi network and this is something that Jio seems to understand well. Not only this but a lot of other accessories can be shipped with broadband connections to make the life of users much easier. Bundling Other Services in a Group Apart from these, there are other services like voice calling which surprisingly a lot of telecom operators do not ship yet. Even in the case of broadband providers like Tata Sky and You Broadband, it's unlikely to hear about the telecom operators bundling a plan with postpaid, or DTH offers to avail discount to the customers which can be an attractive prospect. Bharti Airtel's move of bringing all its services under a single umbrella and a single bill is appreciable as it allows the users a lot of easy access and bill payment and a lot of times, attractive discounts also.

Vodafone Idea Gives Unbelievable Benefits With This Postpaid Plan Posted: 06 Jul 2021 06:32 PM PDT Vodafone Idea is recognised for its innovative and unique offerings to customers in India. The third-largest telco has won the hearts of its customers with the weekend data rollover and binge all night offer that it provides to the users with prepaid plans. The operator also offers a plethora of postpaid plans to the users. But there is this one postpaid plan from the telco that comes with unbelievable benefits. We are not even talking about the very expensive REDX postpaid plan from the telco. The plan that we are focusing on is much much cheaper and offers a ton of benefits. Vodafone Idea Offers Truly Unlimited Data and OTT Benefits With This Postpaid Plan Vodafone Idea offers truly unlimited data to the users without any fair-usage-policy (FUP) restrictions with one of its postpaid plans. As mentioned above, we aren't talking about the REDX plan from the telco but the 'Entertainment Plus' plan. This plan comes for a monthly cost of Rs 699 but offers way more benefits at this range than any other operator. It comes with truly unlimited data and multiple over-the-top (OTT) benefits. Further, there is a truly unlimited voice calling and 100 SMS per month included. When it comes to OTT benefits, users get a free subscription of Amazon Prime Video that costs Rs 999 per year, along with a free subscription of Disney+ Hotstar VIP that costs only Rs 399 per year. There is also free access to the Vi Movies & TV classic for the users. Reliance Jio, Airtel Both Don't Offer Such a Plan With Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, you can go for postpaid plans above Rs 1,000, and you won't get a plan with truly unlimited data. This is what makes the Rs 699 plan from Vi a very excellent one. In the same price range, Reliance Jio offers users 100GB to 150GB of data. But Vi offers a truly unlimited data plan. As for Bharti Airtel, the company doesn't offer a postpaid plan in this range at all. However, there's just one thing; Vi doesn't offer any additional connection to the users despite this being a little expensive postpaid plan. Regardless, the truly unlimited data benefit supersedes any or all of the shortcomings of the plan from Vi. With the impressive 4G network of Vi, users can purchase this plan and enjoy the benefits that it has to offer. At this price range, there's really no better alternative postpaid plan available for the Indians.

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