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BSNL Cannot Depend on Indian Vendors for 4G Rollout
5G In India Should be 3GPP Compliant: International Trade Bodies
Xiaomi Hikes Redmi Note 10 Price Fifth Time
iPhone Users Can Get Free Service from Apple
Mi Band 6 Available for Just Rs 2,999 for Select Users
Bharti Airtel Might Get Investment from Google Soon
Bharti Airtel Prepaid Data Packs That Offer Additional Benefits
Reliance Jio Most Economical Operator In 28, 84 Days Plan Segment

BSNL Cannot Depend on Indian Vendors for 4G Rollout

Posted: 28 Aug 2021 08:10 AM PDT

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) can't really depend on the Indian vendors to roll out commercial 4G networks throughout India. There are a few reasons why. Firstly, the Indian companies aren't experienced in the field. Second, they don't have products backed with proof of concept of providing efficient services. Third, it will take way more time and cost than what moving ahead with the foreign vendors would have taken. Let's go over these reasons in detail.

BSNL Can't Blindly Trust Indian Vendors for 4G

Starting with point one, there are hardly any Indian companies that have a proven track record in offering network equipment to the telcos for providing 4G services. Not only that but there are no Indian companies who have helped the telcos come out with legacy networks. Because of this, BSNL will have to wait for the Indian vendors to firstly come out with the proof of concept (POC) that they can offer technology that's viable. Point two is an extension of point one. BSNL will have to ask these vendors to come out with viable technology, test it, and then show the proof of concept that they and their technology can do it. Thirdly, to get the POC from the Indian vendors, BSNL will have to wait. The last thing that a surviving telco should do is wait for its next move. It anyway doesn't have enough funds, the revenues are falling, and the subscribers are leaving the network to join 4G networks of the private operators. Further, BSNL would want to go ahead with network equipment that isn't just compatible with 4G but also 5G. International vendors such as Nokia and Ericsson can provide the telco with such equipment and technology, but there's hardly any Indian vendor that can do the same. BSNL needs to move aggressively when it comes to 4G. But there's a lack of support from the Indian government. Now, the government is further planning to sell the tower assets of the company to the private sector. The employee union of the company is already not happy, and they are reasonable. BSNL's hybrid 4G plan was ingenious thinking from the company. The telco could move fast with 4G with the help of foreign vendors, and meanwhile, the Indian vendors could have come up with the POC for their technology. That would've solved a lot of things for the telco. However, things have again majorly slowed down when it comes to BSNL 4G, and it seems like there's no way out for the telco if the government doesn't lend a helping hand.

5G In India Should be 3GPP Compliant: International Trade Bodies

Posted: 28 Aug 2021 06:10 AM PDT

In so many words, huge multinational bodies from the UK and the US have asked the Indian government to go with the 5G standards that have been recommended by the 3GPP. India is currently in confusion about which 5G standard it should go with – 5Gi developed by TSDSI or the 3GPP developed 5G standard. The top trade bodies from around the world have urged the Indian government to go ahead with 5G standards developed by 3GPP so that foreign vendors and multinational companies can come to India and set up their manufacturing facilities.

5G By 3GPP Should Be the Path for India

The 5Gi standard developed by the TSDSI isn't better than the 5G standard developed by 3GPP. Further, it would isolate Indians and their smartphone technologies which will increase the cost of the devices and also restrict Indian users from using 5G network services when they are in international roaming. According to an ET Telecom report, the international trade bodies from around the world have said that if India goes ahead with the 5G standard developed by 3GPP, foreign companies will be able to set up their manufacturing facilities in India with confidence. They will be able to manufacture and serve customers not only in India but around the world. However, if India decides to go ahead with the 5Gi standard, then that would isolate India, and companies won't be much interested in setting up their shop in the country. The 5Gi technology would disrupt the entire telecom and smartphone ecosystem. Even the smartphone makers have urged the telecom department to not go ahead with the 5Gi technology as it would increase the manufacturing cost for them. It will be interesting to hear the response of the government to these statements. Currently, the Indian telcos are testing their 5G networks in different parts of the country and are expected to make the networks commercially live by next year as soon as the spectrum auctions are done.

Xiaomi Hikes Redmi Note 10 Price Fifth Time

Posted: 28 Aug 2021 03:52 AM PDT

Xiaomi has hiked the price of the Redmi Note 10 for the fifth time now. The company's aim to offer affordable smartphones has taken a hit because of the supply chain snags around the world. Manufacturing companies are barely getting their components, including the chipsets or SoCs' in the same flow like they used to. The Redmi Note 10 has received a fifth price hike right now, and it is the second price hike in this month alone. Let's check out the new price of the Redmi Note 10.

Redmi Note 10 New Price

The Redmi Note 10 will now retail for a new price of Rs 13,999 for the base 4GB RAM variant. Note that it was launched for Rs 11,999 and is now retailing for Rs 2,000 higher in the Indian market. Xiaomi had launched the 6GB RAM variant of the smartphone for Rs 13,999, but that device is now selling for Rs 15,499. These price hikes beg the question of whether the Redmi Note 10 is worth it anymore. Because at the same price range, there are some pretty impressive smartphones from Motorola that can be bought.

Redmi Note 10 Specifications

The Redmi Note 10 comes with a 6.43-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a screen resolution of 2400×1080 pixels, and the smartphone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 678 octa-core processor coupled with up to 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. The device runs on MIUI 12 based on Android 11 out of the box. It has a quad-camera setup at the rear, where the primary sensor is a 48MP Sony IMX582 lens paired with an 8MP ultra-wide-angle sensor, 2MP macro sensor, and a 2MP depth sensor. There is also a 13MP sensor at the front for video calling. The Redmi Note 10 comes with a 5,000mAh battery and support for 33W fast charging. The new prices are just a shocker for the market.

iPhone Users Can Get Free Service from Apple

Posted: 28 Aug 2021 02:28 AM PDT

Apple has just announced a new 'free service' program for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro users. Note that this free service program won't cover every repair but only the sound issues that were coming on some devices during voice calls. The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro devices, which were manufactured and sold between October 2020 – April 2021, will be eligible for the free service. According to a TOI report, in case you have an iPhone 12 that is manufactured and sold between the said dates and does not emit a sound when you receive or make voice calls, it will be eligible for a free service from the company.

Where Can You Go for Getting Free iPhone 12 Service?

In India, users can walk into any of the official Apple authorised service providers' shops and claim the free service. The iPhone 12 mini or the iPhone 12 Pro Max aren't included in the program. But there's a time limit for the repair program. Both the iPhone 12 and the iPhone 12 Pro will only be eligible for repair for the first two years from their retail sale date. The cost of the repair will be completely borne by the company, and the user won't have to pay anything. If you have an iPhone 12 or an iPhone 12 Pro with the same issue mentioned above, feel free to book a service from an Apple authorised service provider in any part of India. Users can also reach out to Apple Support for getting help with making a booking for the repair. Note that Apple might restrict the repair program for a particular iPhone to the country of retail purchase. This means that if you have an iPhone 12 you purchased from outside India, you won't be able to get the benefit of a free repair in India but only in the country where you purchased it from.

Mi Band 6 Available for Just Rs 2,999 for Select Users

Posted: 28 Aug 2021 12:14 AM PDT

Recently Xiaomi revealed the price of its latest fitness band Mi Band 6, in the Xiaomi Smart Living 2022 event. The fitness band comes with a price tag of Rs 3,499. To date, Mi Band 6 is the most expensive fitness band launched by Xiaomi. As a sigh of relief, if you are an existing Mi Band user, you can get your hands on the Mi Band 6 at just Rs 2,999. However, the option will only be available for existing Mi Band users.

Mi Band Users Can Exchange Their Previous Band Models and Upgrade to Mi Band 6

Raghu Reddy, who is the Chief Business Officer of Xiaomi India, stated that existing Mi Band customers upgrade to the Mi Band 6 for just Rs 2,999. In order to get the discount, users have to exchange their older Mi Band models for getting the latest fitness band. The in-depth details of the upgrade offer will be rolled out by Xioami on August 30 through the Mi Fit app. The announcement indicates that all the users of Mi Band 1 to Mi Band 5 will reap benefits and get the Mi Band 6 for just Rs 2,999

Mi Band 6: Specifications and Features

The Mi Band 6 features a 1.56-inch AMOLED display with 152×486 pixels and a peak brightness of 450 nits. Xiaomi claims that the fitness band can deliver up to 14 days of battery life on a single charge. For fitness enthusiasts, the fitness band is equipped with 30 different tracking modes with automatic detection to six different workout modes. To monitor the sleep quality, the Mi Band 6 comes with a sleep tracking feature along with REM which can check your sleep breathing quality. Apart from this, the fitness band also comes with an SPO2 sensor that can track the oxygen levels of the body. Talking about connectivity, the Mi Band 6 comes with Strava, Mi Fit, Mi Wear and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity. The Mi Band 6 is compatible with all the devices that are running on Android 5.0 and above or higher versions of iOS 10. The first sale of Mi Band 6 is scheduled for August 30. The latest fitness tracker will be available in six colour options which are Black, Orange, Yellow, Olive, Ivory and Blue.

Bharti Airtel Might Get Investment from Google Soon

Posted: 27 Aug 2021 10:41 PM PDT

Bharti Airtel might soon get an investment from Google. Both the companies are already in advanced stage discussions and negotiations since the last year. According to a TOI report, the investment from Google into Airtel can be quite large in amount. It is interesting to hear about this deal because the Jio and Google partnership might have come with a restriction for the latter to invest in any of its rival companies, including Airtel or Vodafone Idea. But nothing's for sure until the time the announcement comes from the concerned companies themselves.

Bharti Airtel Can Make a Lot Out of Google Investment

Bharti Airtel is already looking to raise capital so that it can invest it on its 4G networks around the country to increase capacity. Jefferies believe that since there's no urgent need of raising cash, the telco is likely assuming that it will need a larger capacity network to hold all the Vodafone Idea (Vi) customers that come its way. Thus a large investment from Google into the company can set a lot of things in order for Bharti Airtel. It will allow the telco to smoothly pay off its debt to the government and also keep investing in 4G and 5G networks. Bharti Airtel had to face a lot of cash crunch issues when Reliance Jio came to the market-disrupting the existing telecom revenues model. The burden increased when the Supreme Court (SC) didn't rule in favour of the telcos in the adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues issue. Since the telco can't just go for tariff hikes up straight, it will have to raise capital if it needs extra cash sitting in the bank for investment purposes. The Airtel and Google deal would further solidify the image of Bharti Airtel in the Indian market, which will fall in line with its 'premium' reflection. The confirmation from the concerned companies is still awaited.

Bharti Airtel Prepaid Data Packs That Offer Additional Benefits

Posted: 27 Aug 2021 06:33 PM PDT

In the last year, Bharti Airtel has really expanded its line of data prepaid packs. Using these data packs, users can get additional data on their unlimited plans if they consume the fair-usage-policy (FUP) data offered by the plan. Earlier, there was only one data plan from Bharti Airtel that offered users an additional benefit of Disney+ Hotstar VIP. But in recent months, Bharti Airtel has added new prepaid data packs, which come with an additional benefit of Wynk Music Premium and Amazon Prime Video Mobile Edition.

Bharti Airtel Data Packs That Offer Disney+ Hotstar VIP, Wynk Music Premium and Amazon Prime Video Mobile Edition

There are three data packs offered by the telco which come with additional over-the-top (OTT) benefits. These plans come for Rs 401, Rs 248, and Rs 78. The Rs 401 plan offers users 30GB of data for 28 days with Disney+ Hotstar VIP benefit for one year. The Rs 249 and Rs 78 plan offers users 25GB of data and 5GB of data to the users. The validities of both these plans are the same as the user's base unlimited prepaid plan. For example, if the user is on a prepaid plan which has 30 days of validity left, then either of these data plans (Rs 249 or Rs 78) purchased at that time will also have 30 days of validity. Both the Rs 249 and Rs 78 plans offer users a free OTT benefit of Wynk Music Premium. The Rs 78 plan offers the Wynk Music Premium benefit for 30 days, while the Rs 249 plan offers it for 1 year. Then there are two packs of Rs 89 and Rs 131, both of which offer users a free Amazon Prime Video Mobile Edition trial. The Rs 89 plan from Bharti Airtel comes with 6GB of data and offers users the Amazon Prime Video subscription for 28 days, while the Rs 131 plan comes with 100MB of data and the Amazon Prime Video subscription for 30 days. Note there are multiple more data packs that Bharti Airtel users can choose from. The company offers a total of 8 data packs to the users. These packs start from Rs 48 and go up to Rs 401. The Rs 48 voucher offers users 3GB of data to the users, and it comes with the same validity as that of the unlimited plan that a user has purchased. There is also a Rs 251 plan that offers 50GB of data with the same validity as that of the unlimited plan that the user is choosing.

Reliance Jio Most Economical Operator In 28, 84 Days Plan Segment

Posted: 27 Aug 2021 01:20 PM PDT

Reliance Jio is the most economical operator in India when it comes to 28 days and 84 days prepaid plans segment. The telco offers discounts between 7% to 20% on its 28 days and 84 days plans when compared with its competitors Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea. For the same reason, Reliance Jio has added millions of more customers than Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea (Vi). Much recently, both Vodafone Idea and Bharti Airtel discontinued their entry-level prepaid plan of Rs 49. Users of both the telcos on this plan will now have to spend at least 60% more for the new base Rs 79 prepaid plan.

Risk of Reliance Jio Adding Rs 49 Users of Airtel, Vodafone Idea Very Less

CLSA, in a note, said that the risk of Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea losing their Rs 49 subscribers to Reliance Jio is very less. This is because Jio offers users a Rs 75 base plan which is very close to the Rs 79 price point that now Airtel and Vi are offering to their users as a base plan. Further, the Rs 75 plan from Reliance Jio is only for the JioPhone users. Thus users might just spend a little more and get the Rs 79 plan instead of purchasing the JioPhone. As per CLSA, Vodafone Idea is going to benefit from the removal of the Rs 49 plan. This is because its base plan users will now have to pay Rs 79 instead of Rs 49. CLSA said that even though the move might cost Vodafone Idea around 10 million users, the telco will still see a rise in revenues and EBITDA by 5% to 10%. Bharti Airtel is expected to garner some of the Rs 49 plan users from Vodafone Idea since users might not want to spend more on Vodafone Idea's network because of its deteriorating image and opt for Airtels' services. This might result in higher subscriber additions for Airtel.

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