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BSNL 4G Is Need of the Hour
DoT Worried About Unauthorised Mobile Signal Boosters Offered By E-Commerce Websites
Google Meet Gets New Visual Effects Panel to Blur Background
Android 12 Based Samsung One UI 4 Roll Out Delayed
iPhone 13 Will Help Apple Capture Big Global 5G Market Share
TRAI Believes Satellite Broadband Might Help In Case of Natural Calamities
BSNL, JioFiber, Airtel In Strong Position at the Right Time
Bharti Airtel Launches New Affordable 4G Data Plan
Vodafone Idea Might Be Rooting for AGR Dues Case to Go Its Way
Samsung Galaxy Wide5 Unveiled: Could Arrive In India As Galaxy F42 5G
OneWeb, Hughes Partner to Offer LEO Satellite Services in India, US
Bharti Airtel Android DTH Box Might Be the Best In India
Reliance Jio In Advance Testing of JioPhone Next, Will Launch By Diwali

Posted: 10 Sep 2021 12:10 PM PDT

The government had earlier said that Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) would roll out its 4G networks within 2 years, and hence it won't be sold. However, looking at the way things are right now, it doesn't feel like that will happen. The reason why the government is saying that the telco won't be privatised makes sense, but the rollout of 4G networks might take a lot more time than 2 years. Frankly, at particular moments, there is either a lot happening with BSNL in regards to the 4G rollout, or nothing's happening at all. The telcos upgradation plans look like a mess right now. There's no clarity on what's happening and what will happen further. The employee union of the telco and some of the telecom bodies have shown their support, but the government isn't helping BSNL a lot right now. So what's really happening?

BSNL 4G Upgradation Plans Hindered

The telco was recently hindered by the government nominees on the board who didn't approve the 4G upgradation plans of around 13,533 2G/3G sites in southern and western zones. It is worth noting that BSNL had already received its nod from the National Security Council Secretariat for upgrading the concerned sites with Nokia equipment, and yet the government nominees on the board weren't happy. BSNL has some of the best-prepaid plans in the market right now. They are so good that if they were backed by a 4G network, it would rule a lot of market share in favour of the state-run telco. Frankly, it is a little sad to see the state-run company struggling to make its impact in the market and that too when it has been there forever. The key for BSNL's future is 4G networks with the ability to upgrade them to 5G with simple software rollouts. This will be very important for the telco's survival, or else a few years down the line, if things go the same way they are going right now, BSNL will be sold off to a private entity like what is happening with Air India right now.

DoT Worried About Unauthorised Mobile Signal Boosters Offered By E-Commerce Websites

Posted: 10 Sep 2021 08:47 AM PDT

On Friday, the Department of Telecom (DoT) wrote to the Customs department regarding unauthorised sales of mobile signal boosters by e-commerce firms. It sought strict import rules to curb these practices. As per PTI, in a letter to the Chief Commissioner of Customs and Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) chairman, DoT stated that it has come to the notice and has also been reported by the Intelligence Bureau about select walkie-talkie sets available for sale some e-commerce portals. These are listed without any compliance with the regulatory requirements framed by the department. The walkie-talkie sets and mobile signal boosters fall under transmission apparatus incorporating reception apparatus that is not allowed to be important sans a licence. The letter noted the department urging the Customs to take action against this violation and to restrict the import of such unauthorised wireless equipment such as repeaters or boosters of mobile signals in India. It is urged to be strict in enforcing the provisions mentioned in the DGFT import policy.

Raid For Unauthorised Equipment

In February this year, DoT's wireless technology monitoring group took down 140 illegal mobile signal boosters in a week-long raid in the capital city. DoT's group raided several parts of Delhi such as Nehru Place, Connaught Place, and Hauz Khas between February 18 and 24 for the use of illegal wireless equipment. Likewise, last year, DoT officials seized and took down nearly 400 such illegal mobile signal repeaters. Notably, the unauthorised walkie-talkie sets and mobile signal boosters are predominantly used to help anti-social elements that can set up illegal communication infrastructure. Many people use such equipment to boost their mobile signals within their premises and this is claimed to have an adverse impact on the telecom networks in the nearby areas. Eventually, there will be issues such as poor call quality, call drops and more. Furthermore, the letter added that notice has also been issued to many e-commerce platforms warning them not to sell or facilitate the sale of unauthorised wireless equipment such as signal boosters or repeaters. Some of these e-commerce platforms have also complied with DoT's instructions. However, some platforms and grey markets are still selling such illegal wireless equipment, which is a major concern.

Google Meet Gets New Visual Effects Panel to Blur Background

Posted: 10 Sep 2021 07:54 AM PDT

The video conferencing app Google Meet has become a household name at a time when trends such as remote working and online education are thriving. To make it better for users, Google has been rolling out many new features and capabilities to Meet to make it a preferred platform for video conferencing.

Google Meet Visual Effects Panel

Now, Google Meet is making it easier to set visual effects on the web. A recent update pushed to this app has added a new settings panel with a new "Apple visual effects" button in the three-dot menu beside the end call button on the app. This opens a side panel that has a preview feed, which starts by displaying two blur intensities. Notably, this feature was missed out by Google Meet users. Also, there is a grid of several custom, static and animated backgrounds. Prior to a call, users can take a glance at these options within the self-check green room. There is also a minor refresh to make it appear contemporary. Google Meet has tabs for the "Audio and video" details that are followed by new "Preview" and "Effects" sections. The new visual effects panel of Google Meet has started rolling out today. It will be available for all users in the coming weeks. Notably, these new features are meant for Google Workspace customers and users of G Suite Basic and Business. Recently, it was reported that Google will add the ability to ring another user via Google Meet, directly from Gmail.

Another Google Meet Feature

Apart from the rollout of the new visual effects panel, a recent report noted that the standalone Google Meet app will get the ability to place calls and not just create group meetings. As of now, there is no information regarding when the calling feature via Gmail will be available for users. We need to wait for more details to be revealed by Google. It looks like Google intends to make Gmail the main hub for all its online services including Doc, Google Chat, Meet and more. Reportedly, the web client might get a redesign to integrate these services. We can expect all services to be integrated into Gmail over time.

Android 12 Based Samsung One UI 4 Roll Out Delayed

Posted: 10 Sep 2021 05:58 AM PDT

The South Korean tech giant Samsung uses its custom skin One UI on top of Android OS for all its devices. This custom skin brings in a slew of customizations, preloaded Samsung apps including a Samsung Galaxy store, a slew of capable features for users to get the most of their devices and much more. As Google rolls out advanced iterations of Android OS every year, Samsung also upgrades its custom UI with timely versions. Given that Android 12 OS is the latest iteration of Google's mobile OS, Samsung was expected to roll out the One UI 4.0, its highly anticipated custom skin iteration based on this Android version.

Samsung One UI 4.0 Delayed

Now, fresh information regarding the rollout of the One UI 4.0 from the Community Manager of Samsung confirms a delay. In a forum post, the executive confirmed that there is a delay in the rollout of the beta version of the One UI. The post notes the executive stating that they are asking users to understand the situation and that they cannot inform an exact schedule for the rollout of the beta version. Notably, the predecessor of One UI 4.0, the One UI 3.1.1 update did not come with many major changes or upgrades to the custom skin. Eventually, there were high anticipations pertaining to the One UI 4.0. Previously, the beta version of One UI 4.0 was expected to be rolled out on September 9 but the company delayed the same for an indefinite period. Since Samsung had already committed to a September launch of this UI, the delay might not last for long and we can expect the next iteration of the custom skin to be launched sometime soon. However, it is unlikely to be rolled out in a few days. What's worth noting is that there is no word regarding the reason for the delay. Given the launch pattern of Samsung, we can expect the beta version of One UI 4.0 to be rolled out in the company's home market, South Korea initially before being rolled out to the global markets.

iPhone 13 Will Help Apple Capture Big Global 5G Market Share

Posted: 10 Sep 2021 05:08 AM PDT

Apple is gearing up to unveil the next-generation iPhones in the iPhone 13 series in the next few days. The company is expected to witness robust sales in the second half of the year with the new generation models that could help it capture one-third of the overall 5G smartphone shipments all over the world in 2021. They might achieve this milestone in its sales with the yesteryear iPhone 12 models and the upcoming iPhone 13 devices.

Apple To Achieve Record Sales

As per a report by Counterpoint Research, Apple's 2021 iPhone models are claimed to contribute to the increase in the overall 5G smartphone shipments in Q4 2021. It is believed to have a sizeable shipment figure of 200 million units in the last quarter, which will help it reach 605 million units of shipment in 2021. Last year, the iPhone 12 models accounted for 24 per cent of the total 5G smartphone shipments across the world despite the fact that these models were delayed by a month due to the pandemic. This year, the brand is expected to witness a higher market share as the launch pattern of the new models falls back on track. With the timely launch of the iPhone 13 models, Apple is expected to capture 33 per cent of the global 5G smartphone shipments in 2021. The researchers at Counterpoint claim that there is a strong appetite for iOS devices in several markets, despite some models missing out on 'must have' specifications seen on rival devices. Going by Jeff Fieldhack, a research director for North America, the Cupertino-based tech giant could hit a major milestone when it comes to the US user base where Android has been losing its grounds to iOS. As of now, it sits at around a whopping 44 per cent in the US. Given that the holiday season is approaching soon and there is some economic recovery as the pandemic is easing out, and the continued demand for privacy, Apple might be able to capture the audience better. Having said that the iPhone 13 models are all set to be launched soon and will be released in less than a month, we can expect the sales to skyrocket this year.

TRAI Believes Satellite Broadband Might Help In Case of Natural Calamities

Posted: 10 Sep 2021 03:32 AM PDT

Satellite communication or satcom is an emerging technology that has been gaining traction in recent years. It is believed to come to help as a frontline service in regions where the fiber optic connectivity might not be feasible or in times of natural disasters. TRAI believes that satcom services might keep essential services running at these situations. V Raghunandan, TRAI secretary, stated that satcom could be an excellent backup at times of no scope for deploying fiber optic cables. Especially, it can offer tremendous support in remote and rural areas such as the northeast and other hilly regions and as a backup in islands. Furthermore, the official added that satcom could provide capacity to islands including Andaman & Nicobar. In scenarios such as submarine cable fault restoration that take a few months, satellite broadband can be a backup. Back in August, the sectoral regulatory expressed opinions on satcom and claimed that DoT should bring in a simplified, comprehensive, integrated, single window online common portal that will involve agencies for various permissions or approvals.

Satcom To Support At Times Of Disasters

According to him, satellite communications can support business continuity and maintain seamless banking services, especially ATM operations, at times of natural disasters. Following increased activity in this segment across the nation, it has been recommended that the service licensees get bandwidth from foreign satellites in the permitted frequency bands so that they offer communication services. Furthermore, TRAI sought to enable a provision to lease the satellite capacity from foreign satellites that were pre-authorised, claim industry experts. They would also facilitate cost-effective broadband services all over the country and enable faster deployments.

Satcom Operators In India

OneWeb, co-owned by the Bharti group and the UK government, is a low-earth orbit satellite communication company. It is in plans to launch its satellite broadband services in India by the middle of 2022. OneWeb will face competition from Starlink, owned by Elon Musk, and Kuiper Venture, owned by Amazon, already thriving in the emerging satcom sector. The overseas arm of Bharti Enterprises, Bharti Global, is investing $400 million in OneWeb in order to take its sake to 38.6 per cent, and its total spends to $1 billion in the foreign company. Also, Bharti Enterprises got an NLD (national long distance) for its satellite venture from the telecom department. Notably, OneWeb and Hughes Network Systems recently entered into a space broadband distribution deal for their enterprise services in both India and the US.

BSNL, JioFiber, Airtel In Strong Position at the Right Time

Posted: 10 Sep 2021 02:02 AM PDT

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited, JioFiber, and Airtel Xstream Fiber are all in a very strong position. In addition to this, companies such as Excitel, Spectra, ACT Fiber, and more also have a good future in India. This is because the times have changed, and the way people looked broadband has evolved. Earlier, a broadband connection meant getting a landline connection from BSNL (for most of the users) or Airtel and then get a DSL internet connection through that. People were happy with even 10 Mbps speeds, and they didn't care about any additional benefits. But now, the era of fiber broadband is here. People at least look for 30 to 40 Mbps plans, with most of the users getting a 100 Mbps connection. Users now also care about the over-the-top (OTT) benefits and the unlimited data benefit that they get with their fiber connection. We recently conducted a short survey/poll on Twitter and found that 87.4% of the total people who voted (262 votes in total) have fiber broadband connections in their homes. Only 12.6% of the users have DSL connections.

BSNL Has a Big DSL Broadband Market Share in India

BSNL is arguably the most widely present internet service provider across India. The state-run telecom operator has a big DSL broadband market share. The good thing is that it also offers fiber broadband services to customers and its plans are very competitive to that of what JioFiber and Airtel Xstream Fiber offer to its users. BSNL can ask the DSL customers to either migrate to the fiber connections or just drop the connection. Most of the users living in areas where Jio and Airtel aren't there will have no other option but to shift to fiber services. This is one way through which the company can ensure more revenues, and even the customers who are unaware of how fiber internet works will get some experience of it.

Bharti Airtel Launches New Affordable 4G Data Plan

Posted: 10 Sep 2021 12:33 AM PDT

Bharti Airtel is now offering a new affordable 4G data recharge plan to the users. This plan comes for Rs 119, and it is visible on the website of the telco. The company has launched this plan silently, and users will get 15GB of data with the pack. The validity of this prepaid plan will be the same as the users' existing unlimited prepaid plan. There is also an additional benefit of 'Xstream Mobile Pack' for 30 days offered with the Rs 119 plan.

Alternative Airtel 4G Data Packs for the Rs 119 Plan

If you don't want to spend Rs 119 for getting a 4G data recharge plan from Bharti Airtel, don't worry, there are more plans that you can choose from. There is a Rs 98 voucher that users can opt for. This plan offers 12GB of data and has the same validity as the user's existing unlimited plan. There are no additional benefits offered with this one. Users can also purchase the Rs 89 pack from the telco, which is Rs 30 cheaper than the Rs 119 plan. However, this plan only offers 6GB of data, and its validity is the same as the user's existing unlimited prepaid plan. Even though this plan ships with less data, it offers users multiple additional benefits. Users are eligible to get a free 28 days trial of the Amazon Prime Video Mobile Edition with the Rs 89 pack of Airtel. Further, users get the free benefit of Hellotunes and Wynk Music. The most affordable 4G data voucher offered by Bharti Airtel comes for Rs 48. It offers only 3GB of data meaning each GB of data comes for Rs 16, which is very expensive compared to what the operators offer with their unlimited prepaid plans. The Rs 48 vouchers don't have a standalone validity either. Its validity is also the same as that of the unlimited plan that the user is already subscribed to.

Vodafone Idea Might Be Rooting for AGR Dues Case to Go Its Way

Posted: 09 Sep 2021 11:55 PM PDT

Vodafone Idea (Vi), the third-largest telecom operator in India, has been very vocal about the surprise and how it is "inconceivable" for it to understand that the Supreme Court (SC) can't order a rectification in errors made by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) while calculating the adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues. It is not just Vodafone Idea, but also Bharti Airtel, who was rooting for the SC to order the DoT for rectifying the errors made in total dues calculation. But the SC didn't order the telecom department to rectify the errors. This has put tremendous pressure on the telcos, especially Vodafone Idea.

Vodafone Idea Didn't Get Relief Package, But It Will Still Want Review Petition to Go Well

Vodafone Idea had filed a review petition in the Supreme Court against the apex court's order on July 23, 2021. Vi and Airtel both wanted the DoT to correct its errors because a higher wrong amount meant the telcos had to pay extra interest worth thousands of crores to the government. At a time when the complete sector is struggling with finances because of the low average revenue per user (ARPU), the telcos don't want any further debt on their books, especially the amount which they don't deserve. Even though the sector didn't get the relief package announcement since the cabinet didn't hear DoT's proposal, Vi would be rooting for the review petition to go its way. If it does, that would be a big relief for the company in itself. On top of this, if a relief package is also announced, new investors might show some interest in helping out Vodafone Idea after all. However, everything's right now a 'hope', and nothing's confirmed to happen. Regardless, the telecom sector of India makes more sense with the presence of at least 3 private operators. This arrangement is the best because it avoids duopoly and also keeps the tariffs in check. It will be interesting to see how things pan out for Vodafone Idea with the review petition.

Samsung Galaxy Wide5 Unveiled: Could Arrive In India As Galaxy F42 5G

Posted: 09 Sep 2021 11:07 PM PDT

In a recent development, the South Korean tech giant Samsung and SK Telecom have joined together and unveiled a new smartphone in the country. The latest offering is the Samsung Galaxy Wide5. It is a budget smartphone with 5G connectivity offering a slew of specifications that are quite appealing.

Is It Samsung Galaxy F42 5G?

Well, the Samsung Galaxy Wide5 makes use of a large display, a 64MP primary camera sensor within the triple-camera unit, a capacious battery and ample internal storage space. What's interesting is that this smartphone is believed to be launched as the Samsung Galaxy F42 5G in India. Ahead of its launch, the Galaxy Wide5 was speculated to be a refreshed variant of the Galaxy A22 5G. However, the device appears to have a different rear design and main camera. Samsung is expected to unveil the Galaxy F42 5G in India likely with the model number SM-E426B-DS. Since the model number is similar to that of the Galaxy Wide5, it is said to be launched in India with the rebranding Galaxy F42 5G.

Samsung Galaxy Wide5 Specs

When it comes to specifications, the Samsung Galaxy Wide5 with the model number SM-E426B has been launched with a 6.6-inch Infinity-V display with an FHD+ resolution. The screen houses an 8MP selfie camera sensor. At its rear, there is a triple-camera setup that comprises a 64MP primary camera sensor, a 5MP secondary ultra-wide lens with a 115-degree field of view, and a 2MP tertiary depth sensor. Under its hood, the Samsung Galaxy Wide5 makes use of a MediaTek Dimensity 700 SoC teamed up with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage space. There is a microSD card slot for expandable storage space. The smartphone runs Android 11 OS out-of-the-box. A 5000mAh battery powers the smartphone from within along with support for 15W fast charging. Also, there is a side-mounted fingerprint sensor on the Samsung smartphone. Given that the Galaxy Wide5 has been unveiled, we can expect the Galaxy F42 5G to also be launched sometime soon in India. Taking the previous launches from the company into consideration, we can expect it to be priced competitively in the country.

OneWeb, Hughes Partner to Offer LEO Satellite Services in India, US

Posted: 09 Sep 2021 09:15 PM PDT

Hughes, a company that's involved in developing satellite and multi-transport technologies and networks has signed a distribution deal in the United States (US) with OneWeb, a Bharti backed satellite broadband company. The companies have also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in India for offering distribution services to enterprises, small and medium enterprises, telcos, internet service providers (ISPs), and the government. OneWeb and Hughes plan to work together to offer enterprise customers and broad distribution globally. Both the companies can together effectively offer very low-latency and high-speed connectivity. This will benefit the government, telcos, and the other enterprise customers majorly.

Hughes Parent Company Already an Investor in OneWeb

For the unaware, Hughes parent company, EchoStar is an investor in OneWeb. But the agreement signed today between the companies will further enhance the relationship they share with each other. Hughes is already helping OneWeb with developing gateway electronics, core modules that will power the user terminal for the system and is also an ecosystem partner of the company. OneWeb very carefully decides its ecosystem partners in each of its core markets. With these new partnerships, the company is able to form new business deals and expand its operations. As of now, OneWeb is building its constellation of 648 low earth orbit (LEO) satellites and the services in the Arctic region including Canada, Alaska, and the UK will begin this year. By mid or late 2022, OneWeb will be able to offer its satellite broadband services throughout the globe. The company forming a partnership with Hughes is in line with what Mittal said. OneWeb will be focusing only on the B2B segment of the market initially and it won't be working to provide services to the normal consumers or the B2C segment. This divides the strategy and market approach of Starlink and OneWeb substantially and honestly, OneWeb's strategy sounds really good because not many consumers would be able to afford satellite broadband connectivity in India.

Bharti Airtel Android DTH Box Might Be the Best In India

Posted: 09 Sep 2021 06:36 PM PDT

Bharti Airtel offers a range of services in India, including Direct-to-Home (DTH), broadband, and mobile network services. The company has established itself as a consistent and quality service provider regardless of the type of service it is providing. Its DTH arm, namely Airtel Digital TV, has been right at the top when it comes to providing satellite TV services. Airtel Digital TV has evolved very fast and has also been offering an Android DTH Box for a long-time now. The DTH Box is called Airtel Xstream Box. It is arguably the best Android STB in India right now.

Airtel Xstream Box From Bharti Airtel

Bharti Airtel offers an Airtel Xstream Box under its DTH arm. Yes, there is an Android STB offered by Tata Sky as well and that too for the same price, but the reason why I say Airtel Xstream Box is arguably the best is not just because of the features it offers but also that it fits well into the Airtel ecosystem. If you are someone who consumes other services from Bharti Airtel, which includes postpaid mobile service, you can very conveniently add your DTH service into the same bill with Airtel Black. It will allow you to pay for everything from Airtel under a single bill. Coming to the features of the Airtel Xstream Box, the Android STB runs on Android TV 9 platform. It allows users to convert their smartphone into a remote and moreover comes with an inbuilt Chromecast for enabling casting of mobile screens directly into TV without the need of cables or anything else. Since it is an Android STB, users can comfortably download more than 5,000 applications from the Google Play Store, and the STB also comes with support for Google Assistant, which allows users to give voice commands to the TV. One of the best things about this STB is that it can support 4K content. So you can watch your favourite shows from your favourite over-the-top (OTT) platforms directly on the TV without any hassle. The Airtel Xstream Box is currently available for Rs 2,499 in India. The company says it is a discounted price and that users are saving Rs 1,101 if they are purchasing it today for Rs 2,499. Thus the original cost of the Xstream Box from Bharti Airtel is Rs 3,600. This is a good STB for anyone who doesn't own a Smart TV and, on top of that, doesn't want to invest in one. The Xstream Box can convert any regular TV into a Smart TV.

Reliance Jio In Advance Testing of JioPhone Next, Will Launch By Diwali

Posted: 09 Sep 2021 12:50 PM PDT

In a few hours from now, Reliance Jio was supposed to launch the JioPhone Next in India. It is an affordable 4G smartphone built in partnership with Jio and Google. The JioPhone Next isn't a replica or a smarter version of the LYF smartphones. But just now, the company has confirmed that the JioPhone Next is under advanced testing. Currently, the company is testing the smartphone with a limited number of users and will make refinements to it wherever required based on the feedback. Reliance Jio said that it is looking to bring the smartphone into the market by the festive season of Diwali. With rigorous testing, the company will be able to deliver a better-finished product and will also be able to make it more widely available so that whomsoever needs it can buy it. JioPhone Next is going to bring a fresh change in the market and it is going to do so by being priced very low and offer a solid 4G smartphone experience to the users. Reliance Jio plans to make India '2G Mukt' with this affordable 4G device. Multiple reports online have said different prices for the smartphone. Here's everything you should about the JioPhone Next launching today.

JioPhone Next Might be Priced at Rs 5,000

JioPhone Next might be priced at Rs 5,000. Further, there might be another variant of the smartphone available for Rs 7,000. Both the models might be available for the users at 10% downpayment only which means they could get the JioPhone Next for as low as Rs 500. Since Jio discontinued two JioPhone plans, the company might be planning to launch new plans exclusive for the JioPhone Next priced at a very affordable range. The device is expected to run on Android 11 Go Edition out of the box and Jio has said that it will offer a very seamless Android experience to the users since it has optimised the software as much as possible with the help of Google. The JioPhone Next could be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 215 SoC coupled with up to 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. Users might see a 13MP primary sensor at the rear while for video calling and selfies the smartphone might come with an 8MP sensor. Few things which are already confirmed are that JioPhone Next will come with Google Voice Assistant and its camera app will have augmented reality (AR) filters.

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