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Bharti Airtel Ramps Business Front as Consumer Industry Remains Tough
Oppo A53s 5G Review After One Month: Almost Worth the Money
DoT Steps In With Banks Trying to Solve Telcos Finance Issues
Here Is Everything You Need to Know About Tizen OS
Samsung DeX Is an Underrated Feature on Samsung Handsets
Airtel Offers Much Better Entry-Level Broadband Plan Than BSNL

Bharti Airtel Ramps Business Front as Consumer Industry Remains Tough

Posted: 08 Aug 2021 08:35 AM PDT

Bharti Airtel, in the last quarter, launched the Airtel Black postpaid plans, on the back of which it has been expected to boost its Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) and give an impetus to its finances. However, it is little known that besides the consumers’ telecom business of Bharti Airtel, Airtel Business is one vertical where the Sunil Bharti Mittal-led telecom company is actually doing very well. The company's finances constantly noted that Airtel Business had been Bharti Airtel's strength, and in a time where the consumer business is facing a lot of brunt from many directions, Airtel Business is one vertical where the company has had positive feedback. Climbing further on its success, Bharti Airtel has recently launched the Airtel Office Internet for its corporate customers.

New Segment of Airtel Office Internet

The Airtel Office Internet service is an attempt at commercialising gigabit speeds and reliable FTTH connections for businesses. In the previous months, we have already seen Airtel Business's intentions of focusing on the Small and Medium enterprises, and the Airtel Office internet service is just that. While the sub-gigabit segment has become immensely popular with the Indian households and companies like BSNL are adding 11 lakh subscribers in a single sweep, the corporate customers have very few options when it comes to internet services. This is the gaping hole that Bharti Airtel wishes to fill in the market right now. The pricing of the plans of Airtel Office Internet also indicates that it is targeting the SMEs rather than the bigger fishes in the pond. The Office Internet service has plans starting at Rs 999. Not only this, but the gigabit speeds of 1 Gbps happens to be the selling point for Bharti Airtel. Also, to set apart these plans from the regular consumer-based broadband plans, Bharti Airtel has partnered up with Cisco and Google Cloud. While the first partnership will help Airtel in extending increased security on its network, the second one would allow it to offer various Google Workplace tools, which is something that almost every company uses amongst its employees. A single offering that is especially tailor-made for companies is surely bound to find its foothold in the market especially given with Bharti Airtel's strong brand presence.

Airtel Business Contributing Major Chunk of Revenue

An ICICI Securities report revealed a few weeks back that Bharti Airtel's major revenue chunk from Airtel Business, which is 14% to the consolidated revenue and 12% of the EBITDA in FY21. Airtel Business's revenue has also registered a CAGR of 7.1% in the FY17-21. This growth took the revenue to Rs 144 billion. Also, the EBITDA of the business has grown at 12.9% CAGR to Rs 55 billion. Apart from this new Airtel Office Internet service, Bharti Airtel has been keen on products like Airtel Secure, Airtel IQ, Airtel Cloud, and Airtel IoT. In an environment where the consumer telecom market is a tough nut to crack, and there is little to no regulatory help on the tariff side, Bharti Airtel is pragmatically switching gears to focus more on the business side of things. While its little strategies prove good for the ARPU on the consumer front, the Airtel Business moves are likely to build the EBITDA and consolidated profits.

Oppo A53s 5G Review After One Month: Almost Worth the Money

Posted: 08 Aug 2021 06:34 AM PDT

Oppo A53s 5G is completely different from how I thought it would be. Before I go ahead, I would like to address how competitive the smartphone industry has become. At one particular price point, say Rs 15,000, there are probably more than 20 good smartphones available for you to choose from, which makes the art of decision making very tough. Further, I would like you guys to note that I haven't had a big experience with Oppo smartphones before using the Oppo A53s 5G. Let's dive into the review, and I will share what I thought of the device.

Oppo A53s 5G Review: Body and Design

I got the 'Crystal Blue' colour variant of the device. Right out of the box, I could see how it would be able to stand out in the market. There's a solid camera layout at the rear with 5G branding, which looks sleek, and the Oppo logo right at the bottom, honestly it doesn't create a big difference for me. I would have liked it more if the logo was present at the center of the rear. The fingerprint sensor is present on the power button of the device, which is located on the right side of the body. The volume rockers and the SIM tray is located on the left side of the body. The device is a little thick and bulky, but I don't have many complaints, given it is a budget smartphone after all. Oppo A53s 5G layout

Then there's a Type-C port at the bottom, along with a speaker and a 3.5mm audio jack. The edges at the rear are slightly curved; however, at the top, you get a flat-screen display. The bezels at the top and sides are thin, while at the bottom, they are slightly bigger than I would like them to be. There's a tear-drop notch at the front on the top center housing the selfie camera. There is also a small speaker right above the selfie camera so that your calling experience is excellent at all times. Oppo A53s 5G has a plastic body at the rear and a glossy finish which attracts a lot of fingerprints. But I don't mind that since the 'Crystal Blue' colour is a little dark, and it does a pretty good job at hiding the fingerprints most of the time.

Oppo A53s 5G Review: Display

The Oppo A53s 5G has a 6.52-inch HD+ touchscreen display, and the users get 88.7% screen-to-body ratio. The device comes with 60Hz refresh rate and touch sampling rate support. It has an LCD panel, and the maximum brightness offered by the screen isn't the most striking or powerful. The display is very responsive and smooth regardless of whatever you are trying to do. One thing that I didn't like about the smartphone was the colour accuracy of its display. The colours were way off when I was watching something on Netflix or YouTube. This is something to factor in if you watch a lot of content, primarily on your smartphone. Apart from this, there isn't anything too great or too bad about the Oppo A53s 5G's display.

Oppo A53s 5G Review: Performance and Battery

One thing that I didn't expect was the Oppo A53s 5G to deliver strong performance on the gaming front. I downloaded and installed heavy games such as PUBG Mobile and Asphalt 9 and played for 1 hour continuously. To my surprise, the device didn't overheat and didn't lag. I could play the game comfortably in really strong settings, which I expected would drag the phone down, but boy, I was wrong. The Oppo A53s 5G is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 700 SoC. I had the 8GB RAM and 128GB internal storage variant. One really cool thing about the Oppo A53s 5G is its RAM booster ability. I could simply increase the RAM of the smartphone by 3GB if I was using multiple heavy applications in the background. So my device, which initially came with 8GB of RAM, could become an 11GB RAM smartphone. The smartphone is running on ColorOS V11.1 based on Android 11. It lets you do everything a basic Android smartphone allows, and moreover, it has a surprisingly good battery life. The Oppo A53s 5G comes with a big 5,000mAh battery. One of the most impressive things about the smartphone is its battery life. Sure, it is a new phone, and it is expected to give a good battery performance, but it still impressed me a ton. It comes with basic fast-charging support, which is good. Talking about the ColorOS 11, I will honestly say I found it better than I had hoped I would. Before going into reviewing the smartphone, I had a certain bias against the ColorOS. But that is almost gone now. It offers a very clean experience to the user. I didn't become a big fan of the default icon packs, though. But I don't see why I or anyone else can't get used to the icons over time.

Oppo A53s 5G Review: Camera

The Oppo A53s 5G comes with a triple-camera setup at the rear, where the primary sensor is a 13MP lens paired with a 2MP depth sensor and a 2MP macro sensor. For selfies and video calling, there's an 8MP sensor at the front. Before I go ahead with explaining how I found the camera, I want to explain to you how I do the camera test. Everyone has their own way; I do it with a cricket ball. It is one of the best objects for me to understand how good the different sensors of the smartphone's camera work. Another thing that I would like to point out is that the smartphone comes without a wide-angle sensor which is sort of a bummer. The camera is almost what I expected how it would be. The pictures capture good detail, but they are not the most colour accurate. But you still get pretty awesome images because of the software. The camera app is very familiar and easy to understand.

The portrait mode captures good images. The colour is good, the details are nice, and the image comes out crisp. Then the normal camera mode can shoot up to 5x zoom. Below are the images captured with 1x, 2x, and 5x zoom. Then there's the macro mode which also captures pretty awesome details. All the images shot have been taken while it was raining outside.

Overall, I am quite satisfied with the camera experience of the Oppo A53s 5G.

Oppo A53s 5G Review: Price and Conclusion

The Oppo A53s 5G comes with almost every feature that you can want in a smartphone. The device is somewhat of a compromise because at the price range it is selling for, you will get much better 4G smartphones. But being a 5G device, it is one of the most affordable ones you can get in India. Also, it is not a bad device. You can comfortably use it for at least two years which is how long a budget smartphone should ideally run. The Oppo A53s 5G is selling in two variants in India – 6GB+128GB for Rs 15,990 and 8GB+128GB for Rs 17,990. If you are going to buy this smartphone because you want an affordable 5G phone, well and good. But if you are looking at this phone as one of the best in this price range, you should look more. Oppo

DoT Steps In With Banks Trying to Solve Telcos Finance Issues

Posted: 08 Aug 2021 04:46 AM PDT

The situation with Vodafone Idea in the telecom industry seems to be growing grimmer with each passing moment. The question looms over the telecom operator whether or not it might go under. If this happens, not only will it be a big hit for the consumers, but the lenders of the company will also be facing the brunt of the collapse. Being a big name in the telecom industry, Vodafone Idea's lenders include both private and public banks. As such, they have a lot of exposure in the business. To tackle this challenge, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is holding meetings with the head of banks to discuss the possible solution for the telecom industry and more specifically Vodafone Idea.

Banks Trying to Reduce Exposure in VIL

As per the ET Telecom report on the matter, DoT held a meeting with the CMDs of banks like the State Bank of India and Bank of Baroda. Most of the exposure to Vodafone Idea, for these companies, is in the form of bank guarantees. While the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is sitting down with the banks to look at the possible solution, the Finance Ministry on the other hand has ordered the banks to calculate their exposure to Vodafone Idea. As per these calculations, both private and public lenders of Vodafone Idea stare at a massive loss of Rs 1.8 lakh crore if the company collapses. Yes Bank and IDFC First are Vodafone Idea's top lenders amongst private sector banks. Fearing the possible collapse of the company and the subsequent losses, companies have already started making provisions for the same.

Vodafone Idea Shareholders in Desperation

For instance, IDFC First has made provisions of around 15% of the outstanding exposure. The gross debt payment liable on Vodafone Idea's head amounts to Rs 1,80,310 crore as of March 31, 2021, excluding lease liabilities. This includes deferred spectrum payment liabilities of Rs 96,270 crore and debt from banks and financial institutions of Rs 23,080 crore. Both the shareholders of VIL, Vodafone Plc, and Aditya Birla Group have shown disinterest in infusing more capital into the company. Besides, Kumar Mangalam Birla in a letter to the cabinet secretary has shown interest in offloading his shares to any interested party.

Here Is Everything You Need to Know About Tizen OS

Posted: 08 Aug 2021 01:31 AM PDT

Multiple reports have revealed Korean Giant Samsung’s intentions of launching a smartwatch during the upcoming Unpacked Event featuring an OS built in collaboration with Google’s Wear OS and Samsung’s Tizen. This bit of detail led to a lot of enquiry regarding this mysterious new operating system. For an uninformed reader though, what might have stuck out could be the Tizen branding, which to most is unknown. So, what exactly is Tizen OS and why is it so important for Samsung? We intend to answer all your questions in regards to Tizen.

What Exactly is Tizen?

Tizen OS is an operating system that is based out of Linux and is maintained and looked after by the Linux foundation. It is primarily used by Samsung, due to which it has gained a bit of momentum in the market. Theoretically, Tizen is open-sourced, so developers are provided with the ability to access the same in order to build and make apps and add them to third-party applications, key of which are certain Smart TVs and smartwatches. There have been several different varieties of Tizen developed to run on various devices. Some of them are Tizen Wearable, primarily in use for Samsung Galaxy and Galaxy Gear smartwatches. Tizen Mobile on the other hand is used in the Z series of Samsung budget handsets, available in only a handful of markets. Out of these use cases, what might have stuck out to you is the Tizen Wearable OS, which consists of an ecosystem different from Google’s Wear, which for those wondering was earlier called Android Wear.

Is Tizen Present on Other Handsets?

The Tizen Store, present in most Samsung Tizen watches offers a small selection of applications in contrast to Wear, considering as to how the latter is used far more often, one ought not to crib too much. The former does include a lot of watch faces, which works with the Gear App that Samsung claims can bridge the gap between Android and Tizen apps. Tizen OS has also been designed keeping the ability to use it with a bezel that rotates in mind, allowing for easier notification viewing and navigation, a bonus for circular smartwatches. That is not all, however, since Tizen is also used in multiple vehicles as part of the onboard entertainment systems and, as another use case, it can also be found within smart appliances, some of them being washers, refrigerators and smart bulbs.

Is Google’s Wear Better than Tizen?

One query that you might have is why does Tizen exist when Wear is a larger entity. Well, there are more Google Wear users due to the sheer amount of brands using the OS, but Samsung watches mostly choose Tizen. Most Samsung watches have rotating bezels, but, not all Wear smartwatches are circular in shape. Google does push developers to add Wear support, in a bid to offer a better selection of applications to the end-users, in contrast to Samsung, which builds in Samsung apps with Tizen, but the overall third-party support is dismal in comparison to Wear. Payment options and voice assistants also differ, with Samsung opting for Samsung Pay and Bixby over Wear’s Google Pay and Google Assistant, but, that is where the main differences end. All in all, it will be very interesting to see what Samsung does with this new OS, considering that it might aim to merge the two popular OS options in a singular system.

Samsung DeX Is an Underrated Feature on Samsung Handsets

Posted: 07 Aug 2021 09:26 PM PDT

Smartphones have always been seen as the bridge to the internet for most, at least in India, where users are not equipped to afford both PCs and smartphones at the same time. But if you, as a user own both of them, you might have felt the need to use both devices efficiently, by synchronising both devices to offer similar sets of data/ information present, given as to how most users spend a lot of their time on smartphones rather than PCs or laptops. Samsung seems to think that there is a need to bridge the gap between your smartphone and PC, giving the user the ability to enjoy certain smartphone features on the user’s PC or laptop, via DeX. What is DeX? Why is it important and should you take note of it? All of this and more will be answered today.

What Exactly is DeX?

The name DeX is derived from the words Desktop Experience, which quite aptly explain what the purpose of this feature is. DeX has the ability to transform the UI on your smartphone or tablet to look like a Windows-based PC or Mac-based desktop, depending on the user’s choice. This software is built into multiple high-end Samsung smartphones and tablets, with the idea in mind being to connect your handset to a larger panel with a keyboard and a mouse, to offer an interface that better meets the user’s end requirements. Theoretically, DeX’s interface is a familiar sight to any user who has used a desktop OS, with a separate desktop for the folders and apps in the device, a taskbar to the bottom and windows that can be resized and moved from place to place, all of which is being run by the supported smartphone. Basically, it is an Android handset with a PC like UI on top. To use it, there are some requirements, namely Samsung’s docking station, a keyboard, a mouse and a monitor that is to be plugged into the dock, wherein the smartphone is also needed to be placed. Interestingly, a user can also use their handset as a mouse or trackpad, to be precise. At the time of initiation, this take looked odd and subsequently, Samsung introduced separate cables that removed the need for the docking system and now, DeX can be used without needing to connect the device or tablet to a computer with the cable, with certain S-series tablets even running the mode on tablet without any connections.

Why Is DeX Important?

It is a known fact that smartphones and tablets are not well suited for multi-tasking due to the lower real estate presence. It is also quite tough to match the usability aspect of a keyboard and mouse setup, which aids in overall productivity. To add to this, most users, ourselves included tend to keep a lot of our personal data on smartphones, with the idea behind DeX being to access this data on our computer or PC, which allows for easier usage. Overall, DeX is a feature built keeping the user in mind as, if you have a device with support for DeX, it might lead to lower screen time on your smartphone, aiding your body posture in the process too, as most PCs require a table and chair setup, which can stop the gradual slump in body posture.

Airtel Offers Much Better Entry-Level Broadband Plan Than BSNL

Posted: 07 Aug 2021 06:38 PM PDT

Bharti Airtel's fiber broadband arm called Airtel Xstream Fiber offers a much better entry-level broadband plan than what Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) offers. Bharti Airtel is one of the biggest market players in India when it comes to offering communication and internet services. However, in the broadband business, BSNL is arguably the biggest operator in the country. Both the telcos now offer fiber internet services to users across India. Today we are comparing the entry-level broadband plans offered by both the companies to see which one is better.

BSNL Bharat Fibre Entry-Level Broadband Plan

BSNL offers its entry-level Bharat Fibre broadband plan for Rs 449 per month. The telco offers 3.3TB or 3,300GB of data with the plan along with 30 Mbps speed and a free landline connection for making unlimited voice calls. This plan from the telco is called 'Fibre Basic', and it doesn't offer any other benefits to the users. Now let's take a look at what Bharti Airtel is offering here.

Airtel Xstream Fiber Entry-Level Broadband Plan

Airtel Xstream Fiber offers its entry-level broadband plan for Rs 499 per month. The telco offers 3.3TB or 3,333GB data for one month, which is almost the same amount of fair-usage-policy (FUP) data that BSNL offers to the users. Airtel also offers users a free landline connection for making unlimited voice calling. There are some additional benefits offered with the plan.

Why Airtel's Plan is Better?

There are multiple reasons why Airtel's plan is better. The first one is that Airtel has a much better value proposition than BSNL. Airtel offers 10 Mbps speed more than BSNL for a minimal cost difference. Then Airtel has a much better customer care support team than BSNL. With Airtel broadband plan, you can also opt for the Xstream Box at the time of the purchase for a one-time fully refundable cost of Rs 1,500. Further, if you are already an Airtel postpaid customer, you can even convert your plan into Airtel Black. It would make services from the company more seamless, and you won't have to pay separate bills for different services every month. Lastly, Bharti Airtel's Rs 499 broadband plan comes with a free subscription of Airtel Xstream Premium, Wynk Music, and Shaw Academy. So paying a very minimal amount more and getting all of these extra benefits with Airtel's plan is actually worth it. As in the case of JioFiber's entry-level plan, it is completely different since it is Rs 100 cheaper than Airtel's plan. But in the case of BSNL and Airtel, the latter leads the way.

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