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Vodafone Idea Confident About 5G in India
Tata Sky Broadband 50 Mbps Twelve Months Plan, Is It Worth It?
Broadband Connections in India Almost Meeting Minimum Speed Needs
BSNL Wants More Money from Govt for 4G Rollout
Vodafone Idea 4G Networks Best in Upload, Download Speeds: Opensignal
Poco C31 Comes With MediaTek Helio G35 SoC, 5000mAh Battery
Nxtra By Airtel to Help Enhance 5G Experience in India
Kodak Android Smart TVs to Start at Rs 8,499 Only
Netflix TV Shows You Can Binge on Anytime
BSNL Increases the Validity of Rs 699 Prepaid Plan
Indian Telcos Should Also be in US, Europe and More Places: Vaishnaw
You Broadband Offers Excellent 200 Mbps Plan for Only Rs 900
5G Spectrum Bands That Indian Telecom Operators Will Want

Vodafone Idea Confident About 5G in India

Posted: 30 Sep 2021 11:57 AM PDT

Vodafone Idea (Vi) is confident about its future in India as well as 5G services. This is because of the reforms that the government recently announced. Because of the moratorium on dues announced, it has become possible for Vi to work on its networks for now and not get pressured because of the statutory dues in its books. As per a PTI report, the telco's non-executive chairman, Himanshu Kapania, Vi, will be able to invest in new technology and services, including 5G, because of the recent reforms. Kapania didn't fail to mention that 5G investments would only follow when the ecosystem is ready, and the spectrum pricing has been made affordable.

Vodafone Idea Guaranteed to Stay in The Market

Even though the company is losing subscribers for consecutive months, there's one thing that the reforms have ensured – survival of Vodafone Idea in the long run. While the telco still has a lot of dues, the government will give an option to reduce it by giving up some part of the equity. This way, either the telco can pay off the dues in cash, or the government can take some part of the company. In either of the scenarios, the telco is guaranteed to survive. Vodafone Idea had a gross debt of Rs 1.91 lakh crores, not due as of June 30, 2021. What's worth noting here is that out of the total debt, Rs 1.06 lakh crores was due for spectrum payments, and over Rs 62,180 crores were due for adjusted gross revenue (AGR) liabilities. Since the company wasn't cash flow positive, it would have just been impossible for it to pay all of this debt without declaring bankruptcy at some point in the future. But because of the reforms announced in mid-September, one thing has become clear, Vodafone Idea is here to stay. It promotes healthy competition in the market and just adds to the overall innovation in the sector.

Tata Sky Broadband 50 Mbps Twelve Months Plan, Is It Worth It?

Posted: 30 Sep 2021 08:48 AM PDT

Tata Sky Broadband offers users a 12 months option with all of its plans. The 50 Mbps plan from the company comes for at least three months. There's no monthly option which is strange since people who want to test out the company's services by paying less don't have any way to do that now. Regardless, the 50 Mbps plan from the company is offered to the users in three different validity configurations. The first is for three months, the second for six months, and the third for 12 months. Let's take a look at the cost and benefits of the 12 months plan and try to determine whether it is worth it for you.

Tata Sky Broadband 50 Mbps Plan for Twelve Months Costs This Much

Tata Sky Broadband offers its 50 Mbps broadband plan for Rs 2097 if the users are going for the three months validity option. The second is six months for Rs 3300, and the third is 12 months for Rs 6000. If you apply some basic math, you will get that Tata Sky Broadband offers its 50 Mbps plan for Rs 500 per month if the users are going for the 12 months option. However, if they are going for the three months option, they will have to pay something like Rs 700 per month (tax included). Mind that the 12 months plan doesn't have taxes included. Thus, if you are wondering whether you should take the 12 months 50 Mbps broadband plan from Tata Sky, you can consider more. Because at the same monthly cost or even lesser you can get a better deal from an internet service provider (ISP) such as Excitel. However, before you make up your mind, there's more that you should know about this plan from Tata Sky Broadband. You also have to pay a Rs 1000 security deposit if you are purchasing the 50 Mbps broadband plan from Tata Sky. But the company will provide the installation for free and will also give a dual-band router.

Broadband Connections in India Almost Meeting Minimum Speed Needs

Posted: 30 Sep 2021 05:46 AM PDT

The need for a revision in the definition of fixed broadband connection in India was high when last year the pandemic took over the country. People could not rely on their broadband connections offering a minimum speed of 512 Kbps. Thus, in a timely move, the government had revised the definition and changed the minimum speed to 2 Mbps for a broadband connection. Now, as per the latest insights from Ookla, after redefining what a broadband connection is in India, only 2.4% of broadband connections in Q2 2021 delivered speeds under 2 Mbps. The remaining connections met the minimum speed requirements by the government.

60% Connections Offered Speeds of Up to 50 Mbps

As per the data shared by Ookla, 60% of the fixed broadband connections in India delivered internet speeds in between 2 Mbps and 50 Mbps. At the same time, 36.7% of the connections delivered internet speeds in between 50 Mbps and 300 Mbps. Over 0.7% of the total connections offered speeds more than 300 Mbps. This is a great improvement in the metrics, and it will certainly go a long way in ensuring that Indian remains on its path to becoming a digital country. Further, in the findings by Ookla, the difference in speeds delivered by fixed broadband connections in rural and urban areas of the country wasn't that big. India still has a long way to go when it comes to internet speeds. But this is a great jump for the nation, and it comes at the right time. At present, the need for stable fixed broadband connections which can deliver great internet speeds is very high. Because everyone is inside their homes and relying on the internet for working, learning, and most of their entertainment needs, it has become important that broadband connections can deliver the required speeds. This is because mobile networks are mostly congested and thus can't be relied on for work.

BSNL Wants More Money from Govt for 4G Rollout

Posted: 30 Sep 2021 04:01 AM PDT

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is looking for additional capital from the Indian government for rolling out 4G networks. The state-run telco will require indigenous equipment, which will be costly, and also there are debt service obligations that the telco has to meet. For BSNL 4G networks, the telco will require a capex of Rs 12,500 crores. On top of this, the telco will need Rs 5,000 crores for fiberisation, IT systems, transmission network, and relevant infrastructure to provide consumers quality services.

BSNL Needs Rs 19,605 Crores for Servicing Debt

As per a Financial Express report, in a letter to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) secretary, Anshu Prakash, BSNL CMD PK Purwar wrote that the telco needs a capex of Rs 17,500 crores between FY22 and FY24. In addition to this, Purwar said that there is a need for another Rs 19,605 crores for servicing debt obligations of the telco. In total, the BSNL CMD has asked for Rs 37,105 crores from the DoT Secretary. Purwar said that because of the Making in India policy under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative of the government, BSNL would have to go ahead with procuring indigenous equipment to roll out its 4G networks. As per Purwar, the state-run telco is planning to install 1 lakh homegrown sites that will require a capex of Rs 12,500 crores in addition to Rs 5,000 crores for other network equipment and work. The government has already helped the private operators by releasing the relief package. Now it is time for the centre to focus on BSNL. If BSNL can come out with live 4G networks soon, it can change the whole Indian Telecom market for good. It is worth noting that BSNL had last year raised Rs 8,500 crores through sovereign guarantee bonds. BSNL has turned EBITDA positive in FY21, but the telco is still severely behind other operators because of the lack of 4G networks.

Vodafone Idea 4G Networks Best in Upload, Download Speeds: Opensignal

Posted: 30 Sep 2021 03:12 AM PDT

Even though Vodafone Idea (Vi) isn't the best operator when it comes to providing excellent coverage, the telco more than makes up for it in the internet speed department. As per an Opensignal report, Vodafone Idea's 4G networks were the best in both providing downloading and uploading speeds in September 2021. At the same time, Bharti Airtel's networks were the best performing when it came to metrics such as 'Games Experience' and 'Voice App' experience. There was close competition between the companies in almost each of the metrics. Here's everything that Opensignal discovered.

Vi, Airtel Both Won 2 Awards, Rest Went to Jio

Opensignal checks for seven things in respect to the Indian Telecom landscape – Video Experience, Game Experience, Voice App Experience, Download Speed Experience, Upload Speed Experience, 4G Availability, and 4G Coverage Experience. Out of these seven, two were won by Vodafone Idea (Download and Upload Experience) and two were won by Bharti Airtel (Game Experience and Voice App Experience). The remaining three awards went to Reliance Jio which was the leading operator when it came to Video Experience, 4G availability, and 4G coverage experience. Note that Bharti Airtel wasn't too behind from Reliance Jio when it came to providing the best video experience. In the March report as well, Opensignal said that Vodafone Idea had the worst coverage amongst all the operators. As for the improvements in speeds that Airtel got could be because of the additional spectrum that the telco purchased in the recent auctions. Bharti Airtel could have easily won the third award of video experience with a few points more in its belt. Opensignal said that because Vi lost a ton of subscribers, it would have reduced the network load resulting in high downloading and uploading speeds for the users. This is true since the telco has been losing subscribers for consecutive months now. As always, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) didn't make any impact.

Poco C31 Comes With MediaTek Helio G35 SoC, 5000mAh Battery

Posted: 30 Sep 2021 02:36 AM PDT

Poco has just launched the Poco C31 in India. The Poco C31 comes with a humongous battery and a decent MediaTek Helio G35 SoC. The device is aimed at people looking for a trustworthy option in the super affordable or entry-level price segment. In fact, the company will be offering the device in the Flipkart Big Billion Days sale for a discount. The Poco C31 has all the basic features an entry-level smartphone should have. Here's everything you should know about the smartphone.

Poco C31 Specifications

The Poco C31 has launched with a 6.53-inch HD+ display sensor. There is a fingerprint scanner at the side, and the smartphone also supports the face unlock feature. The device comes powered by the MediaTek Helio G35 SoC coupled with up to 4GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 64GB of internal storage. The device features 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. The Poco C31 packs a massive 5000mAh battery which is built to last long. The company has promised that the technology used will keep the battery in good shape and almost new until 2.5 years of usage (1000 charging cycles). Further, the company promises a clean UI experience without any ads bugging the user. Here's the price of the smartphone.

Poco C31 Price

The Poco C31 has been launched in two different variants in India. The first variant with 3GB+32GB is priced at Rs 8,499, and the second variant with 4GB+64GB is priced at Rs 9,499. But in the Big Billion Days sale, both the variants will be available at a discount of Rs 500. Further, users can get an additional 10% discount on using the ICICI and Axis Bank debit/credit cards. The Big Billion Days sale will start from October 2 for the early access members, and for everyone else, the sale will start from October 3.

Nxtra By Airtel to Help Enhance 5G Experience in India

Posted: 30 Sep 2021 01:34 AM PDT

Nxtra, a Bharti Airtel Limited owned entity today announced its future plans. The entity is all set to deliver an enhanced 5G experience to the users in India. Nxtra is a company that invests in and builds data centres. In an announcement today, Airtel said that Nxtra is looking to significantly scale its data centre network in India so that it can serve the rising requirements of India's growing digital economy. For the unaware, Nxtra already has the largest data centre network in India. The company is currently operating over 120 edge data centres and 10 large data centres which are located strategically around the country.

Nxtra Plans to Invest Rs 5,000 Crores by 2025 for Scaling Up Operations

With 5G into the scene, the role of data centres is going to increase multiple folds. Nxtra will be at the forefront in the Indian market offering reliable data centre solutions. To do that, the company is planning to invest around Rs 5,000 crores by 2025 for scaling up operations in the country. This investment will include building up new data centres in key metro cities. With this investment, Nxtra's installed capacity will triple to 400 MW and will be able to meet the rising demand for digital services and data. Ajay Chitkara, Director and CEO, Airtel Business, said that Airtel has already built the biggest data centre network in India. Chitkara said that with the planned investments, the company is looking to scale up its network so that it can meet the rising demands for 5G and other digital services. At the same time, Nxtra is aggressively focusing on its use of green energy to power its data centres. The company is aiming to reach 50% of its power requirements through green energy sources. The will help the company in reducing GHG emissions. It is worth noting that Nxtra had already commissioned few solar power plants in the state of Uttar Pradesh & Maharashtra with still more in the pipeline.

Kodak Android Smart TVs to Start at Rs 8,499 Only

Posted: 30 Sep 2021 12:51 AM PDT

Demand for Android Smart TVs has grown multiple-folds in the last few years. To satiate this demand, Kodak is now offering its Android Smart TVs only at a starting price of Rs 8,499. The company is offering price cuts on multiple Smart TVs, even the high-end ones. Further, customers can get an additional 10% instant discount when they use an Axis Bank or an ICICI Bank debit and credit card (for Flipkart).

Kodak Announced 32-inch HD 7XPRO

It is worth noting that Kodak has also announced the launch of its new product namely the 32-inch HD 7XPRO Bezel-less Smart TV in partnership with Super Plastronics Pvt Ltd (SPPL). This 32-inch model is priced at Rs 13,499 and comes with speakers capable of delivering a sound output of 40W along with surround sound technology support. This Smart TV can connect to dual-band Wi-Fi networks (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz). Chromecast is already inbuilt and it can support a maximum brightness of 400 nits. The remote also that comes with this TV can take voice commands. The remote will come with some hotkeys for over-the-top (OTT) platforms such as Prime, YouTube, and SonyLIV. Mentioned below are all the Smart TVs that are available at a discount during the upcoming festive season. Kodak

All of these mega deals will be available for customers on the Amazon Great Indian Festival sale and Flipkart Big Billion Day sale. Amazon Great Indian Festival will start on October 2 for Prime members and October 3 for everyone. Flipkart Big Billion Day sale will start from October 2 for Early Access members and October 3 for everyone else. Avneet Singh Marwah, Director and CEO, Super Plastronics PVT LTD (SPPL), a Kodak brand licensee, said that this is one of the biggest sale of Kodak TVs during a festive season. With this sale, Kodak is planning to acquire a 7% market share in the Smart TVs marketplace in India.

Netflix TV Shows You Can Binge on Anytime

Posted: 29 Sep 2021 11:51 PM PDT

Netflix is arguably the most popular over-the-top (OTT) platform across the globe. The platform not only produces some of the best original TV shows and movies but also gets the rights of content produced by others to curate and offer the best to its customers. Today, we are listing some of the TV shows from Netflix that you can binge on anytime. Here we go:

13 Reasons Why (4 Seasons)

There's no one reason, but 13 of them for why you should start binging this show right away. With four seasons of intense and thrilling drama, 13 Reasons Why could be one of your favourites down the line. Many don't believe the follow-up seasons are as good as the first one, but that's for you to decide, isn't it?

Friends (10 Seasons)

While 13 Reasons Why can feel a little intense, you can always fall back to the classic comedy TV show 'Friends'. If you have seen it once already, there's no reason why you can't see it twice. Get on with it now, will you?

Squid Game (1 Season)

The Squid Game was released this year, and naturally, it only has one season on Netflix. According to some reports, it could become the platform's biggest show ever. Squid Game is a mind-bending drama that can be your perfect weekend show. Tell us what you feel about the show once you have watched it!

Money Heist (5 Seasons)

This show doesn't need much introduction, but regardless, for the people who have stayed away from the internet for a long time, Money Heist is one of the best TV shows you will ever watch. The mastermind plot has been very well complemented by the actors.

Bridgerton (1 Season)

Bridgerton is a classic drama, but such a sweet one that you won't be able to stop yourself from falling in love with the characters and the storyline. It is based on a book, and the show is expected to return in 2022 with a second season.

Ozark (3 Seasons)

If there's a show that can right away blow your mind, Ozark is the one. The show has been renewed for a fourth season, and you don't want to miss out on how Marty saves his family by embezzling funds for a drug cartel.

BSNL Increases the Validity of Rs 699 Prepaid Plan

Posted: 29 Sep 2021 09:59 PM PDT

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has increased the validity offered by the Rs 699 plan. This plan was announced back in January 2021. Under the promotional offer, the Rs 699 voucher will offer 180 days of validity to the users. Initially, when the plan was announced, it offered a validity of 160 days. But a few days back, BSNL had announced that until September 28, 2021, users would get 180 days of validity with this plan. Now, the telco has extended the same promotional offer, which came into effect from September 29, 2021, and will remain in place till December 27, 2021. Here is everything this plan from BSNL offers users.

BSNL Rs 699 Prepaid Plan Benefits

BSNL offers users unlimited voice calling in addition to 100 SMS/day for the entire validity of the plan. Further, users are entitled to get 0.5GB daily data with the plan. After consumption of the daily fair-usage-policy (FUP) data, the speed will be dropped to 80 Kbps. Users also get a free PRBT service from the company for the first 60 days of the plan. As mentioned above, the plan now comes with an extended validity of 180 days. The effects of the promotional offer are applicable for users in all the telecom circles. As per a KeralaTelecom report, the telco has further instructed all the telecom circles to update the offer on their website and report the same to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). This plan will be available for everyone, including new customers, customers who have ported to BSNL, and more. For recharging with the Rs 699 plan, users can visit their nearest recharge retail shop or can also go to the BSNL customer service centers and online portals. Furthermore, users can leverage the telco's mobile application to complete the recharge. Now there's a new recharge app available, namely 'BSNL Selfcare' which can be downloaded to your smartphone right away.

Indian Telcos Should Also be in US, Europe and More Places: Vaishnaw

Posted: 29 Sep 2021 09:11 PM PDT

While the foreign telecom operators keep coming to India, the Indian operators are only bound in India. Pointing this out, Ashwini Vaishnaw, cabinet minister for IT and Railways told ET Telecom that the government is making new reforms that aim to strengthen the sector further. These reforms will help the operators in not only providing service in India but also abroad. Vaishnaw said that if foreign operators can come to India, then Indian telcos should also be present in the US, Europe, and more places. The IT minister said that the government will do everything in its power to keep the sector healthy.

Spectrum Pricing and Terms of Payment Being Worked On

Vaishnaw said that the pricing and payment mechanism for the spectrum purchased in the auctions are being worked on currently. The question isn't whether the spectrum should be auctioned, but how to auction and how should be the terms of payment. According to Vaishnaw, the government wants to reduce litigation in the sector. This is to ensure that the telcos at all times have enough resources in their hands. Keeping the telecom sector healthy is very important for the government and the citizens of India. If the telcos are healthy and in good shape, they can reach out to the remotest corners of the country and provide network services. Telecom operators have said that the reason behind the stress on the sector today is the high price of the spectrum and a faulty auction mechanism. The new reforms are being worked on by the government to alleviate the sector with all such issues. These new reforms coupled with tariff hikes and the relief package that was announced two weeks ago will make the sector very healthy in the medium term. It will also ensure that Vodafone Idea stays in the ecosystem of the telecom sector. More details regarding the reforms should come up very soon.

You Broadband Offers Excellent 200 Mbps Plan for Only Rs 900

Posted: 29 Sep 2021 06:42 PM PDT

You Broadband, a fiber broadband subsidiary of Vodafone Idea (Vi), is offering an excellent 200 Mbps plan only for Rs 900 per month (exclusive of taxes). Note that the plan because an even better deal if the users are taking it for the long-term as the company offers extra days of service with long-term purchases. Anyway, coming back to the monthly rates, it is first worth noting that this plan is available in the circle of Ahmedabad. It might be available in other circles as well, but You Broadband is known for offering varied plans in different circles of the country. Moving on, this 200 Mbps plan is one of the most affordable ones in the country. Here's everything you should know about the 200 Mbps broadband plan from You Broadband.

You Broadband 200 Mbps Plan Details

You Broadband offers its 200 Mbps plan for Rs 900 per month. With tax included, the cost of the plan will rise to Rs 1,062 per month. The company doesn't charge installation charges on some of the broadband plans. There is a refundable charge for the Wi-Fi router and modem that the company provides. You Broadband recommends that if you are purchasing a broadband plan with speeds in excess of 100 Mbps, you should have a dual-band 802.11ac series router with Gig Ethernet WAN/LAN physical ports. If you want, you can get it from the market, or you can pay a Rs 2,000 one-time refundable security against the Wi-Fi dual-band router that the company will provide. The monthly fair-usage-policy (FUP) data offered with this plan is 3.5TB or 3,500GB. Post consumption of the monthly FUP data, the speed for the users will drop. It is worth noting that You Broadband is offering more FUP data than its competitors JioFiber, Airtel Xstream Fiber, and BSNL Bharat Fibre do (3.3TB) with their 200 Mbps plans. Further, it is also more affordable than the 200 Mbps plan offered by its competitors. But there's one thing missing with this plan, and that is the additional benefit of an over-the-top (OTT) platform. Other companies offer OTT benefits which of major platforms. If You Broadband could also bundle in OTT benefits, it would be great for the company. Users can also opt for combo broadband plans from the company, which include a fixed-line voice calling connection as well. You Broadband is currently present in multiple cities of India and is providing seamless services.

5G Spectrum Bands That Indian Telecom Operators Will Want

Posted: 29 Sep 2021 12:26 PM PDT

First thing's first, there's no clarity on whether India will go ahead with the 5Gi (TSDSI) or 5G (3GPP) standards. While that remains to be seen, one interesting thing that a lot of people will wonder about is the 5G bands that the Indian Telecom operators will want in their bag to offer the best network services. It is absolutely clear that operators will want the frequency bands from the government they are currently testing their networks with. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) had provided Reliance Jio, Vodafone Idea (Vi) and Bharti Airtel with spectrum in various frequency bands to test their 5G networks. The telcos would naturally want the spectrum in the auction that they have tested their networks with. This will help them in delivering their promise of several use cases such as cloud gaming, Internet of Things (IoT) applications and more.

5G Bands That Telcos Will Want

One of the most promising spectrum bands for the Indian Telecom operators is the 3.5 GHz band. It is ideal for launching 5G services. It will not only ensure sufficient coverage but will also help in delivering high speeds because of the higher frequency. At the same time, the telcos would want the millimetre wavelength spectrum in the 26 GHz and 28 GHz bands. This will help them in delivering even higher download speeds, but these frequency bands will only be used for delivering specific use cases. But to ensure that their network coverage is really exceptional, the telcos would feel happy if they got the 700 MHz spectrum for an affordable price as well. If the price is not right, the telcos will not go for the spectrum bands, and this will not only affect the government's revenues but will also affect the way people consume 5G services in India. The 5G spectrum auctions are expected to take place early next year. It will be an interesting thing to see which operator spends how much on the airwaves.

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