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BSNL 4G Has a Role to Play in India’s Growth
TSSC Believes Up-Skilling of Telecom Workers Necessary
Strategised OTT Content Creation Can Rule PAN India Audience
5G Has Airtel and Jio Running for Bigger Market Share
Vodafone Idea Offers Better Rs 500 Plan than Jio

BSNL 4G Has a Role to Play in India’s Growth

Posted: 24 Oct 2021 10:32 AM PDT

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has a major role to play in the growth of India. The state-run telecom operator has made some leaps to instil a little confidence in it when it comes to 4G. A few days back, a call was made over the indigenously developed 4G network of BSNL. This was a major development for the telco. India will be able to get rid of congested 4G networks with the help of BSNL's 4G. In all fairness, though, the private telecom operators have improved their networks to an extent with the deployment of additional spectrum purchased in the March 2021 auctions. But that is not remotely enough to serve hundreds of millions of people in India. BSNL can change the outlook of network services in rural India.

BSNL Can Compete With Jio, Airtel, and Vi Heavily in Rural India

BSNL has a big opportunity to compete and win against the likes of Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea. The telco just needs to expand its 4G networks very rapidly in rural India. This won't give the private telecom operators a chance to compete with BSNL. One of the major benefits of BSNL being present in India is that it doesn't run after profits the way private operators do. BSNL has been a telecom operator that likes to reach the deepest and remotest parts of the country to ensure everyone gets access to connectivity regardless of where they are living. But the private operators don't feel that way. Private operators focus on areas and regions where they can see economic benefits. One of the benefits that BSNL will have with developing indigenous 4G is that it can also go towards 5G in the same manner. BSNL's 4G plans with a strong 4G presence across the country can change the whole telecom sector of the country. At present, private operators aren't threatened by BSNL. This is why the state-run telecom operator has the opportunity to play the underdog and create some magic with its 4G networks.

TSSC Believes Up-Skilling of Telecom Workers Necessary

Posted: 24 Oct 2021 07:17 AM PDT

The recently announced reforms for the telecom sector will have a huge impact on the ecosystem. It will ease the operational burden on the TSP's creating space for growth into new avenues like 5G, says Mr Arvind Bali, CEO, Telecom Sector Skill Council (TSSC).

Pandemic is on a downturn in India; what has been the biggest learning of the telecom sector and especially from a talent perspective?

One thing that has emerged as a clear need of the hour is the up-skilling of workers for tele-enabled services. During the pandemic, the requirement of technicians able to perform tasks remotely had unprecedented demand. I feel this will only move forward from here. Another important lesson was the need to develop local talent. Large scale worker migration took place due to multiple reasons. We can mitigate these effects in the future by analysing the local demand-supply ratio and normalise it across all states.

TSSC works with multiple stakeholders, including government and industry; what are the latest trends and challenges wrt skilling in the telecom sector?

The biggest challenge right now is the inability to train candidates remotely for govt—schemes like PMKVY, DDU-GKY, NULM, ESDM etc. We need to create an ecosystem where training and assessments can happen seamlessly through online or blended learning.

How has been the uptake of your certification courses and skilling this year, and how do you see the demand from the industry as the economy opens up?

We have diversified into online learning since FY21. We have noticed an increase in demand for online courses due to nationwide lockdown and social distancing. Apart from that, classroom skilling is expected to benefit from the introduction of online facilities for training and assessments.

What kind of courses are picking up in Telecom Industry? What are your plans for new tech like 5G, AI etc?

Job roles targeting manufacturing and maintenance of handsets are picking up rapidly due to the recently launched PLI scheme. Additionally, as 5G spectrum launch is nearing closer, we are also seeing an uptake of roles for Call Centre Executives, In-Store Promoters and Field Sales Executives. On the emergent tech front, we have five new QP's in the pipeline for 5G, AI/ML, Drone Technology and M2M communications. We are also focusing on R&D for warehousing, procurement, and material management courses.

TSSC recently partnered with Better Place and CSC; how are your partnerships are progressing in Industry, and what more we can expect?

TSSC has created its own job portal called TelcoJobs to provide a platform for companies to connect with candidates for placements. The platform is easy to use and is free for both companies and candidates. BetterPlace has a wide presence across India, and we are partnering with them to reach more candidates and companies. CSC has a PAN India project to train 1 lakh candidates for the BharatNet project. Such strategic tie-ups are necessary to increase our visibility. Through this, we are also promoting our flagship schemes like PMKVY, NULM, DDU-GKY and ESDM, among others. We are in talks to sign many more MoU's to add value to our flagship projects like CSR, TelcoJobs, TSSC Learning, Centre of Excellence, and our International Business verticals.

Government has a renewed focus on Telecom Industry and announces series of measures, how do you see them for the industry, human resources, and economy in long term perspective?

The recently announced reforms for the telecom sector will have a huge impact on the ecosystem. Firstly, it will ease the operational burden on the TSP's creating space for growth into new avenues like 5G. Additionally, a 100% FDI allowance will help scale up operations across the country. Telecom has consistently been one of the highest receptors of FDI in India. With 5G and equipment manufacturing coming into focus, there will be an increase in demand for jobs in the ICT domain. Projects like IoT and Smart Cities will undoubtedly make India the hub for digital specialisation in skilled manpower and a hub for smart devices.

Strategised OTT Content Creation Can Rule PAN India Audience

Posted: 24 Oct 2021 03:32 AM PDT

By Divya Dixit, SVP – Marketing & Revenue, ALTBalaji Another quiet weekend with my daughter led us to spend quality time watching her favourite series. What was different this time was the house-help's interest in the show as well. It was intriguing, to say the least, as she spoke of the OTT shows that she has seen so far. It got me thinking about how OTT platforms can better strategise content creation to cover a PAN India Audience. The key is to find ways to reach out to audiences across geographies & demographics to tug the right heartstrings. With major growth in the usage and acceptance of technology all over the country as a result of more affordable prices, the audience for entertainment has grown in leaps and bounds. With a diversity like that of India, it goes without saying that it is imperative to create content that caters to as many sections of society as possible. While curating different narratives for different sections is a no-brainer, content can also often be used smartly and dubbed to be accessible for all. Further, the continued entry of new players in the OTT space makes more content available for viewers far and wide. OTT platforms should ideally have a spread of content ranging from movies, to short films and documentaries to series to cater to all possible tastes. It is a sure way forward considering India currently is one of the fastest-growing markets for OTT video, at a CAGR of 28.6%, and is expected to become the 6th largest OTT market by 2024 as per a PWC report. The audience has an innate interest in seeking content in their native language, and OTT players need to understand the needs and preferences to expand their audience base. According to an industry report by KPMG titled- Unravelling the digital video consumer, 64% of India’s digital video consumers prefer consuming content in Hindi. The remainder of the viewership pie sees Tamil (5%), Telugu (4%), and Bengali (4%) as the top regional languages. As these dialects are the first language of conversation for a large section of people, Voice search in these languages will be the next big thing. The success of the voice-search technology will be determined by how quickly do they adapt to the wide variety of dialects and how they improve the platform's accessibility. Further tapping into regional content, OTT players are now commissioning quite a few regional shows alongside Hindi ones. After all, it is important to recognise the nuances of these communities and should be able to tell stories that matter to all. Various portals are experimenting with a variety of approaches to find the sweet spot to attract more viewers and subscribers to their respective platforms. A large majority of Indians also prefer using different payment options, keeping some balance across digital wallets, for both convenience and security. It becomes important for OTT players to recognise this insight and act to provide more convenience for their subscribers – as people appreciate being given choice as opposed to being limited to one payment mode. With most people shifting towards OTT from cable and DTH, another intelligent strategy that could be adopted is getting television content onto these platforms. This step helps and attracts those attached to a particular show and can have easy access anytime anywhere making OTT platforms even more people-friendly. Once all of this is done, strategic pricing and the right messaging is what will ensure that people subscribe and stay loyal to their favourite OTT platforms.

Major Competition in OTT Content Industry

Of course, with the increase in preference for OTT, there is a major growth in the competition as well. Hence, for an OTT platform to stay on top of its game, it becomes necessary to adopt the most relevant marketing tactics, something platforms should constantly re-invent. Whether it is influencer engagement, making the right use of social media platforms, using memes, collaborating with apps relevant to the youth all of which have added immensely to the platform's popularity. Of course, standing out and constantly innovating how these mediums are used, is key to the growth. Catering to the varied tastes of the growing audience, Indian OTT players are committed to understanding them on an extremely personal level. Virtual and Augmented Reality has steadily entered the OTT space as a new way of user engagement. With the power to impact and engage, the use of these two tools has led to the content consumption experience being more experiential and immersive. AI too has come to the forefront as it helps these platforms understand the viewer's consumption patterns and tailor their recommendations accordingly. To conclude it all, laying thrust on localised content, affordable costs, enhanced accessibility delivered through immersive experiences, major OTT players are providing immense relevance and adding value to consumers. Continuing to grow from strength to strength, the Indian OTT market is poised to rank among the top 10 markets globally.

5G Has Airtel and Jio Running for Bigger Market Share

Posted: 23 Oct 2021 11:14 PM PDT

When 5G arrives in India, it is all going to be about revenue maximisation for the telecom operators. By offering 4G data to the consumers at the lowest cost possible, Indian telcos have tried to gain a bigger market share. The sole reason why the aggressive tariff hikes haven't arrived yet is that the operators want a bigger market share before 5G networks are live in India. Airtel and Jio are two of the largest companies when it comes to subscriber market share. While Vodafone Idea (Vi) also has millions of customers, it is not in the league of Airtel and Jio. The reason why the telecom operators are going for a bigger market share before 5G is because of revenue maximisation. 5G plans are definitely going to be more expensive and might even come bundled with more benefits.

Airtel, Jio and Vi Would Want to Have as Many Customers as Possible Before 5G

Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio, and Vodafone Idea (Vi) all would want a larger market share before 5G arrives in the country. With 5G, the telecom companies will have the opportunity to earn more. While 4G will still be very much around, with 5G, telecom operators will be able to earn much more out of each customer. The telcos would also go for a slow-paced tariff hike with 4G plans. This is to avoid a high customer churn rate. But the tariff hikes will also help the operators in earning more and increasing their average revenue per user (ARPU). However, the delayed tariff hikes is hurting Vodafone Idea. Honestly, Vi wouldn't worry a lot about losing a few customers at the end of the day if the telco can earn more out of each customer through tariff hikes. But because Airtel and Jio are not pushing the prices up, Vi can't do so either or else it will start losing customers at a very high pace.

Vodafone Idea Offers Better Rs 500 Plan than Jio

Posted: 23 Oct 2021 06:28 PM PDT

Vodafone Idea (Vi) offers some of the best-prepaid plans compared to its rivals Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel. There are two reasons why Vi's prepaid plans can't be beaten by any other operator when it comes to benefits – a) weekend data rollover and b) binge all night offer. These two offers change the dynamic of the prepaid plans offered by the company. Today, we are looking at the Rs 500 prepaid plans offered by Vodafone Idea and Reliance Jio. Vi's Rs 500 prepaid plan is way better than what you get from Reliance Jio. Check out the benefits offered by the concerned plans below.

Reliance Jio Rs 499 Plan

Reliance Jio offers a Rs 499 plan to the users. It was introduced recently by the company when Disney+ Hotstar changed the pricing structure of its plans. With its Rs 499 prepaid plan, Reliance Jio offers 28 days of service validity. Users get 3GB daily data for the entire 28 days, and the company also offers 6GB of bonus data. So the total data offered by this plan is 90GB (including bonus data). The company also offers unlimited voice calling and 100 SMS/day with this plan. Reliance Jio also offers a free Disney+ Hotstar mobile-only subscription to the users for one year. This subscription's standalone cost is Rs 499. Users also get free access to JioTV, JioCinema, JioSecurity, and JioCloud. Now let's take a look at the prepaid plan offered by Vodafone Idea.

Vodafone Idea Rs 501 Plan

Vodafone Idea offers a Rs 501 plan to the users. This plan was also introduced recently. It comes with both the weekend data rollover and binge all night offers. With this plan, users get 3GB daily data, unlimited voice calling, and 100 SMS/day. Vi offers its Rs 501 plan with a service validity of 28 days, the same as Jio's plan. However, users also get 16GB of bonus data with the plan. In comparison, Jio only offers 6GB of bonus data. So the total data offered by Vi's Rs 501 plan is 100GB. Vodafone Idea also offers a Disney+ Hotstar Mobile-only subscription worth Rs 499 for one year without any additional cost to the users. The reason why this plan is better than the offering of Reliance Jio is not just the extra bonus data. But also the weekend data rollover or binge all night offers provided by the company. These offers just multiple the data experience offered by the Vodafone Idea's prepaid plan. Reliance Jio's plan is also good, but in front of this plan from Vodafone Idea, Jio's plan looks a little colourless.

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