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• JioFiber vs ACT vs Tata Sky 150 Mbps Broadband Plans: In-Depth Details
• Jio, Airtel, Vi to Get High Quality Telecom Gear for Cheap in the Long-Term
• WhatsApp Chat – Three Hidden Features Every One Should Know
• boAt Watch Mercury Launched in India at Affordable Cost of Rs 1,999
• Asus Has Brought a Super Affordable Chromebook for Students
• UPI Payments Will Soon be Available on Feature Phones
• Vodafone Idea to Offer Music Streaming Like Airtel, Jio With Hungama Music
• Infinix Note 11 Series Launched in India Featuring MediaTek Helio Chipsets
• Global Smartphone Volume Declines by 6%, Registers $103 Billion Q3 Revenue
• iPhone 13 Users, Do this to Fast-Charge the Device
• OnePlus Nord 2 CE India Launch Expected Soon
• 5Gi and 3GPP 5G Standards to be Merged
• iQOO 9 Series Said to Feature 120W Fast-Charging
• Amazon Prime Available at Offer Price for the Last Time Today
• Airtel, Vi Don’t Like That USSD Services are Free for Customers
• BSNL, Airtel, Vi Rs 599 Prepaid Plans In-depth Comparison
• Broadband Tariff Hikes Might Get Implemented Soon

JioFiber vs ACT vs Tata Sky 150 Mbps Broadband Plans: In-Depth Details Posted: 13 Dec 2021 05:41 PM PST The demand for data has risen manifold in the last couple of years. More and more users have been subscribing to broadband plans provided by Internet Service Providers (ISPs). Although ISPs provide high-speed plans up to 1 Gbps, for most users whether it is for streaming, home network or even small businesses, plans with 150 Mbps are quite sufficient. This article will focus on 150 Mbps plans provided by three major ISPs of the country – Jio, Tata Sky and ACT. Plans provided by Jio are a bit cheaper than that of ACT and Tata Sky credit to the huge resources the telco has, however, all three of the companies have a large subscriber base across the country. JioFiber 150 Mbps Plan JioFiber provides a 150 Mbps internet speed data plan at the price of Rs 999 for a validity period of 30 days. The FUP limit set on this plan is 3300Gb or 3.3TB. Using the 150 Mbps plan from JioFiber, customers can get access to smooth and seamless internet across multiple devices. Along with high-speed internet, users also get subscriptions to some of the major Over-The-Top (OTT) platforms including Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar, Eros Now, Voot Select, Sony Liv and more. The bundled subscription to Amazon Prime Video comes for a period of one year. It is to be noted that the price for this plan is excluding GST and it will be charged when users opt for this plan. ACT 150 Mbps Plan The Internet Service Provider based in Bengaluru provides a 150 Mbps unlimited data plan called ACT Blaze. Using state-of-the-art fibre technology, the connection provides incredible speed and equal upload and download speed. Users can get the ACT Blaze pack from the provider at a monthly cost of Rs 1,085. The FUP data limit levied is 1500GB post which the internet works at speed of 1 Mbps. Users can also get free trials to some of the Over-The-Top (OTT) platforms and various add-ons with this pack. These OTT platforms include Zee5, Sony Liv and more. It is to be noted that this plan is for the city of Bengaluru and it may vary across the country. Tata Sky 150 Mbps Plan India's one of the most prominent service provider Tata Sky Broadband also offers exciting plans for its users who want access to 150 Mbps of internet speed. Tata Sky Broadband uses the Tata Sky fibernet technology to provide faster and enhanced internet. The one-month plan of Tata Sky broadband for 150 Mbps plan costs Rs 1,050 to users. The FUP data limit levied on the plan is 3300GB or 3.3TB after which users can enjoy the internet at a speed of 3 Mbps. However, one of the drawbacks with Tata Sky is that unlike the above two telcos it does not offer any OTT subscriptions on availing their tariff plans. Users do get access to free installation by an expert and a free router band ONT with a Wi-fi Router. Users can also access the 150 Mbps plan for longer validity periods which include Rs 3,000 for a validity period of 3 months, Rs 5,100 for a period of six months and Rs 9,600 for a validity period of one year.

Jio, Airtel, Vi to Get High Quality Telecom Gear for Cheap in the Long-Term Posted: 13 Dec 2021 08:38 AM PST The telecom operators are going to get high-quality telecom gear for cheap in the long term. This is not just because the technology will achieve scale, and with scale, high-quality stuff becomes more affordable. This will be because of all that is happening in India and what has happened already. First of all, the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme of the government for the telecom sector saw multiple major equipment vendors committing to manufacturing products in India. This will help Indian telecom operators in sourcing the network gear from these vendors for a lower cost than they would have to pay if they were importing it. O-RAN Would Also Contribute to Lowering Costs While Open-Radio Access Network (O-RAN) technology has still not matured, it will be certainly make a big difference in the future when it comes to advanced 4G and 5G networks. O-RAN allows telcos to break the restrictions of network deployment and source different components of the network, including software from several companies. O-RAN is still at least two years away from reaching the markets. But the telcos and even the industry experts are keeping a close eye on the technology to ensure that it can be implemented as soon as it is ready. Everyone in the industry is positive about what O-RAN will enable for the telecom operators. Right now, the telcos have to purchase everything from a single vendor if they are building a new network, and this becomes too costly for them as the vendors can easily drive the price in such situations. But with O-RAN, the competition would become real, and the vendors would start offering their equipment and services at cut-throat rates to ensure that their market share doesn't get affected. Local Manufacturing to Play a Big Role Initially, setting up new manufacturing facilities and infrastructure would cost the local as well as international companies a lot of money. So the price benefit of local manufacturing might not be realised by the telcos right away. Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is going to launch indigenously developed 4G networks for Indian users. The telco is working with Tata Telecommunications Services (TCS) for the same. It will be interesting to follow how effective and efficient BSNL's 4G networks are. Following this, other operators might also start going with homegrown and locally developed equipment for their future generation networks. Jio has already developed its own 5G stack and has conducted successful tests on it. Cost-Benefit to Customers It is premature to think that the lower cost-benefit would be extended to the customers as India already gets data at one of the cheapest rates in the entire world. But in the medium-term, the telcos might extend some of the benefits to the customers if they can roll out the services at a lower cost. However, at the end of the day, the telecom operators have a huge debt to pay off and big investments in their bag; thus, they might not really reduce the price for consumers but focus on increasing their profits.

WhatsApp Chat – Three Hidden Features Every One Should Know Posted: 13 Dec 2021 07:41 AM PST The social messaging platform WhatsApp still remains one of the most dominating messaging apps in the market even after being challenged by its contemporaries such as Telegram or Signal. One of the reasons is the wide range of features that WhatsApp provides which it has been rolling in continuously with regular updates. There are a lot of features that remain hidden in WhatsApp which even the oldest of the user cannot find, however, these features can help your chats stand out amongst your family and friends. Mentioned below are three such features you must know if you're a regular user of WhatsApp. Strikethrough Text One of the most interesting features of WhatsApp is the Strikethrough feature while using WhatsApp chat. The Strikethrough feature is identical to when you strike something while writing on a notebook and the same can be done on WhatsApp as well. Using this, users can draw a line above the text that has been selected under this feature. Strikethrough is used generally to represent something is wrong or the person reading it should ignore. The application of the strikethrough feature is quite simple as users simply need to write the text by placing a tilde character on each side – ~Text for Strikethrough~. Italics Text Users can always make their text stand out and unique using italics on the text. WhatsApp allows its users to make a text italic by using a very simple method. To put a text into italic, users simply need to put an underscore on each side of the text – _Text for Italic_. Bold Text Making a text bolder can allow users to put emphasis on the message or simply can make it stand out. The bold feature can also be used to put a title on a text. WhatsApp allows its users to make the text bolder just like they can make it into italics. To make a text bolder, users can simply put an asterisk on each side of the text or the sentence – *Text or Sentence for Bold*. This will make the text or sentence bold for both the sender and the receiver.

boAt Watch Mercury Launched in India at Affordable Cost of Rs 1,999 Posted: 13 Dec 2021 06:41 AM PST Indian based consumer electronics brand boAt has just launched another smartwatch that is no less than a fitness tracker to expand its smartwatch portfolio even further. The latest addition to the portfolio is called boAt Watch Mercury. The new smartwatch from the company is an affordable device that comes loaded with amazing features and has been designed to track various fitness-related stats. Mentioned below are the details regarding specs, price and availability of the watch. Specifications and Price Details of the Device The latest smartwatch from boAt comes with a display featuring a 1.54-inch square-shaped LCD screen with a resolution of 240 x 240 pixels. The makers offer more than a hundred watch faces for users to try on. One of the most attractive features of this watch is that it comes with a temperature sensor. This allows the users to measure their body temperature using this smartwatch. Also, the real-time monitoring feature of the watch allows users to keep a check on when the temperature rises and falls. However, the brand has suggested that users should not use the smartwatch for medical purposes. In addition to this, like most of the fitness trackers in the market, boAt Watch Mercury also comes loaded with a total of 11 sports modes which includes running, walking, cycling, climbing, treadmill, swimming, yoga, spinning, basketball, football, and badminton. The device is capable of controlling the camera shutter on the connected handset. Users can also control music, manage calls and notifications, message alerts directly via the smartwatch. The device is also IP68 dust and water-resistant. The battery life of the wearable is claimed to be around 10 days long which is chargeable via a magnetic charger. The price of the boAt Watch Mercury in India has been set at Rs 1,999 which is around $26. The strap of the watch is available in multiple colour options which are beige, black, blue, or green. The watch will be available for sale on the online shopping platform Flipkart from December 15 starting at 12 noon.

Asus Has Brought a Super Affordable Chromebook for Students Posted: 13 Dec 2021 05:54 AM PST Taiwan-based, multinational computer hardware and consumer electronics company Asus has just launched a new budget device called Asus Chromebook CX1101, expanding its portfolio. The company has designed its latest Chromebook to be versatile and tough and is loaded with features worthy of being highlighted. The latest device from Asus has been launched at a price that could be well under the budget of the students. With the weight of only around 1.24 kg and just 2 cm of thickness when closed, mentioned below are the details of the device. Specifications of Asus Chromebook CX1101 Asus Chromebook CX1101 comes with a display featuring an 11.6-inch anti-glare LCD screen that features an HD (1366×768 pixels) resolution and a 16:9 aspect ratio. The device features an Intel Celeron N4020 dual-core processor under the hood that comes with 4GB of LPDDR4 RAM and 64GB of solid-state eMMC storage. The internal storage of the device is expandable up to 2TB via external microSD. Pretty self-explanatory by the name, the laptop functions on a ChromeOS and comes with an Intel HD Graphics 600. The device features multiple connectivity options, which include dual-band Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.1, two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C, two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, a microSD card reader and an audio combo jack. The device is backed by a 42Wh battery which the tech giant claims to run up to 13 hours. Additional features of the device include a built-in microphone, Google Assistant voice command support, built-in stereo 2W speakers as well as a 720p HD camera. Moreover, some of the eye-catching features of the new Asus Chromebook CX1101 include an edge-to-edge spill-resistant keyboard, an anti-glare HD display with a 180-degree lay-flat metal-reinforced hinge as well as MIL-STD-810H military-grade durability. Price and Availability As per the reports, the device will only come in one transparent silver colour option. Asus Chromebook CX1101 has been designed in partnership with the online shopping platform Flipkart and thus will only be available on its website. The exclusive sale of the device will begin on Flipkart from December 15. The price of the device has been kept at Rs 19,999; however, an introductory discounted offer will also be available during the first week of launch, which has been kept at Rs 18,999. Various bank integrated and EMI offers will also be available for the users interested in purchase.

UPI Payments Will Soon be Available on Feature Phones Posted: 13 Dec 2021 03:57 AM PST As per the recent development of events, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in its latest move, has announced that feature phone users will very soon be able to make UPI payments. The announcement came earlier this week and was made by the RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das stating that digital payments will be allowed for feature payments. In the announcement, it was also stated that the transaction limit on UPI payment will soon be raised to Rs 5 lakhs from the current limit of Rs 2 lakhs for RBI's Retail Direct Scheme. It is to be noted that feature phones unlike smartphones are used for only basic functions such as voice calls and text messages. The Move to Strengthen the Digital Payment System RBI Governor informed that UPI payment is the single largest method of payment in the country when it comes to volume of transactions which suggest that the method is widely accepted in the country especially for small value payments. Das further announced three proposals that will expand the digital payment system in the country and will be accessible to broader sections of society. The first proposal was to make it accessible for feature phone users to make UPI payments. The second proposal suggested the use of a mechanism of on-device wallets on UPI wallets that would result in a simpler process flow for small value transactions. The third proposal, as mentioned above was to increase the transaction limit on UPI payments for the Retail Direct Scheme for investment in G-secs and Initial Public Offering (IPO) applications from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. It is to be noted that currently, there are no applications that can support UPI payments in feature phones. Data from telecom regulator TRAI suggests that there are over 300 million feature phone users in India. In another statistical report from NPCI for the month of November suggests that UPI payments for the first time ever crossed the $100 billion value mark. Thus, the inclusion of feature phone users under the UPI payment system will further strengthen India's digital payment system. As of now the only way for feature phone users to make payment is via the National Unified USSD Platform (NUUP) where users are required to dial *99# and make transactions through an interactive menu displayed on their mobile phones and the method hasn't been popular due to its complexity.

Vodafone Idea to Offer Music Streaming Like Airtel, Jio With Hungama Music Posted: 13 Dec 2021 03:00 AM PST Vodafone Idea (Vi), the third-largest telecom operator in India, has just announced that it will offer a premium music streaming service to its users with Hungama Music. By partnering with Hungama Music, Vodafone Idea has strengthened its over-the-top (OTT) offering to the network service customers. Under this partnership, the telco will be offering its prepaid and postpaid customers six months of Hungama Music premium subscription at no additional cost. Vi users getting a premium subscription to Hungama Music can listen to content such as podcasts and songs, download unlimited titles, stream music videos, and more in 20 languages. Vodafone Idea Partners With Hungama Music to Compete What Airtel and Jio are Offering Both Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel had their own music applications, namely JioSaavn and Wynk Music. Now Vodafone Idea has entered the competition by partnering with Hungama Music. Vi users can take the entertainment a notch higher by attending live music concerts of renowned artists by paying a nominal fee (note that these are digital concerts). Vodafone Idea now also has a comprehensive solution or offering to provide its customers with the option to listen to songs at high-quality on the go with Hungama Music. All the Vi users can access songs from the telco's mobile app (Vi App). Avneesh Khosla, CMO, Vodafone Idea, said the telco is committed to engaging with partners across various domains for providing compelling and unique digital offerings to its consumers with varied preferences and needs. Better late than never, this is yet another step from Vodafone Idea of attracting new customers and retaining the existing ones by enhancing OTT offerings. Hungama Music is already a well-known brand in the mobile applications world and is used by millions of users. The app has more than one crore or 10 million downloads in the Google Play Store. It will be interesting to see which plans from Vodafone Idea offer this service.

Infinix Note 11 Series Launched in India Featuring MediaTek Helio Chipsets Posted: 13 Dec 2021 02:05 AM PST The Hong-Kong based smartphone company Infinix has finally launched Infinix Note 11 series devices in India after what has been a long wait since the smartphones were teased. The complete Note 11 series has multiple devices but the company has decided to launch only two smartphone models in India – Infinix Note 11 and Infinix Note 11S. It is speculated that more devices will make their way to the market in the foreseeable future but for now, users will have two devices to choose from. Specifications of the Devices The Infinix Note 11 comes with a display featuring a 6.7-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels (FHD+), 60Hz refresh rate, 100% DCI-P3 colour gamut, 100000:1 contrast ratio, 650nits peak brightness, 91% screen-to-body ratio, and a dewdrop notch. On the other hand, Infinix Note 11S has a display that features a 6.78-inch IPS LCD panel with a resolution of 2460 x 1080 pixels (FHD+), 90Hz refresh rate, 180Hz touch sampling rate, and a centred punch-hole design at the front for selfie shooter. Talking about what's under the hood of these devices, the Note 11 model is powered by a MediaTek Helio G88 chipset while the Note 11S model comes with a MediaTek Helio G96 processor. Talking about the camera module of the devices, both the smartphones in Infinix Note 11 series come with a triple rear camera setup. Infinix Note 11 features a 50MP primary camera along with a 2MP depth sensor and an AI sensor. In contrast, the Infinix Note 11S model too has a 50MP primary camera but features a 2MP macro snapper and a 2MP depth sensor as auxiliary cameras. Both the smartphones of the series feature a side-mounted fingerprint scanner. Both the devices are backed by a 5000mAh battery and support 33W fast charge technology. The devices run on Android 11 and have common features such as stereo speakers, microSD slots and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Price and Availability Talking about the retail price of the devices in India, Infinix Note 11 comes with a single storage variant that offers 4GB RAM along with 64GB internal storage and comes at a price of Rs 11,999. On the other hand, Infinix Note 11S comes with two storage variants. The first model offers a 6GB Ram + 64GB internal storage and costs Rs 12,999 while the other variant with 6GB RAM + 128GB storage space comes at a price of Rs 14,999. For users interested in purchasing the devices, Infinix Note 11 will be available from December 20 on Flipkart whereas Infinix Note 11S will go live from December 23 on the same platform both at 12 PM.

Global Smartphone Volume Declines by 6%, Registers $103 Billion Q3 Revenue Posted: 13 Dec 2021 01:21 AM PST According to the global industry analyst firm Counterpoint, the global smartphone market grew 6% compared to Q2 2021 but reported a 6% decline compared to the same quarter in 2020. The global shipments of smartphones stand at 342 million units, down from 365.5 million in Q3 2020. India's smartphone shipments cross 52 million units in Q3 2021. Samsung continues to occupy the biggest market share in Q3 2021. The brand has shipped 69.3 million units in Q3 2021, showing a 20% increase quarter to quarter. Due to the shortage in parts, Xiaomi reported a 5% reduction compared to the same period last year, but the brand shipped 44.4 million units. On the other hand, Vivo has reported a growth of 8% compared to last year, reaching a shipment quantity of 33.7 million units. Vivo leads in China market. Realme is another smartphone brand that has achieved growth with a shipment performance of 16.2 million units in Q3 2021. Realme reported its highest-ever shipment performance despite all component shortages. Its sales were primarily driven by the performance of the Realme 8 series and the newly launched Narzo series. HONOR reported that its shipments grew by 73% quarter-to-quarter, and it became the third-largest brand in China. Its shipments outside China showed a decline. OPPO grew 23% year-on-year and reported an 11.1% market share with 38.1 million units. It mainly showed strong shipments of the Reno 6 series, Find X3 and the OnePlus 9 series. OnePlus grew 55% YoY in India in Q3 2021, driven by the OnePlus Nord Series. During the quarter, OnePlus also registered its highest ever shipments in India. The global handset market wholesale revenue grew 10% year on year and 6% quarter to quarter in Q3 2021 to reach over $103 billion. High sales in mid-range and premium smartphones The smartphone manufacturers faced a huge shortage of semiconductors, and the component saw a severe price hike in the September quarter. This forced some manufacturers to increase the price of their handsets. The trend affected the entry-level segment the most, but mid to high-end smartphones reported a strong shipment, driving the overall revenue. The brands aggressively marketed their mid-range and premium smartphones instead of the lower segment, resulting in high sales in that range. The market had a better availability of 5G components. Hence, the companies pushed 5G handsets more. This provided an upgrade option for the consumers, adding to the sales. Samsung refreshed its premium segment with the addition of its Fold series, and Apple added iPhone 13, adding to their revenue. Apple led the smartphone market revenue by capturing 37% of the market. Samsung increased its revenue by 32% quarter to quarter.

iPhone 13 Users, Do this to Fast-Charge the Device Posted: 13 Dec 2021 12:49 AM PST The iPhone 13 series was announced back in September 2021. All the devices in the series are very identical to the iPhone 12 series smartphones. If you are an iPhone 13 user and want to know how to fast-charge your device, you are in the right place. The iPhone 13 series devices have the best battery performance amongst any of the iPhones ever launched. If you are an iPhone 13 user and are tired of seeing slow charging, there are a few things that you can do. Things to Ensure for Fast-Charging the iPhone 13 The iPhone 13 series doesn't come with a charging brick inside the retail box. Users need to purchase it separately. Now, some users who have been using iPhones previously would look at purchasing the new charging brick as a bad investment. But that is not true. Some of the older iPhones had 5W charging support. Now, if you are someone who is reusing that 5W charging brick for the iPhone 13, no surprise that you find charging your smartphone a very gruesome experience. The thing is, the iPhone 13 series devices can support fast charging up to 20W. While it is not the fastest in the world, it is still better than what iPhone users previously got. So instead of resting the 5W charging brick again, use Apple's 20W fast-charging brick and the USB-C Lightning cable. This would ensure that your iPhone 13 is getting charged at the fastest speed possible. The thing is, users can also utilise their MacBook Air or MacBook Pro chargers if they have a current-generation laptop. While the charging bricks that come with a laptop are more powerful, the iPhone 13 would only charge at the capacity of 20W, so there won't be any issue or reason to worry about anything. You can also use Apple's MagSafe charger, which will support 15W fast charging.

OnePlus Nord 2 CE India Launch Expected Soon Posted: 12 Dec 2021 11:36 PM PST OnePlus Nord 2 CE, an affordable smartphone from OnePlus, might be making its way to the Indian market in early 2022. In June 2021, India and the world got to see the Nord CE series smartphone from OnePlus for the first time. The OnePlus Nord 2 CE is expected to be another super affordable device from the company. According to a 91Mobiles report, the OnePlus Nord 2 CE might launch in India in January or February 2022. The device was recently spotted on the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification website with the model number IV2201. OnePlus Nord 2 CE Expected Specifications The OnePlus Nord 2 CE is expected to come with a 6.4-inch AMOLED display with support for 90Hz refresh rate. The device might be powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 900 SoC coupled with up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. Further, the device might become the first smartphone from OnePlus to ship with Android 12 (OxygenOS 12) out of the box. In the camera department, the OnePlus Nord 2 CE is expected to come with a 64MP primary OmniVision sensor at the rear paired with an 8MP ultra-wide-angle sensor and a 2MP macro sensor. For video calling and selfies, the device might come with a 16MP primary sensor at the front. There might be a 4500mAh battery inside with support for 65W fast-charging. Just like the Nord CE that launched in June 2021, the Nord 2 CE is also expected to skip on the alert slider. Further, there might be a 3.5mm audio jack, and the device might feature Gorilla Glass on top of the screen for protection. Skipping on the alert slider feels like something that OnePlus can or could have avoided. The alert slider is a very convenient tool, and adding it to the smartphone would increase its value by a significant margin in the eyes of the consumers. The smartphone is expected to be priced under Rs 25,000 in the affordable mid-range category.

5Gi and 3GPP 5G Standards to be Merged Posted: 12 Dec 2021 10:29 PM PST The 5Gi standard developed by the Telecommunications Standards Development Society, India (TSDSI) and the 5G standard of 3GPP will be merged under a compromised formula. An ET Telecom report citing a person familiar with the matter said that in a meeting that took place last week, a compromise agreement had been formed where both 5Gi and 5G from 3GPP will be merged. The arrangement will be going ahead to the International standards body for approval and also get a positive response. For the unaware, 5Gi or 5G Radio Interface Technology (RIT) is India's indigenously developed 5G standard. 5Gi was built with the aim of providing last-mile connectivity. But there were many issues. 5Gi Was Good Until It Started Modifying Additional Aspects Against the 3GPP's 5G standard, the 5Gi was announced to provide last-mile connectivity, which would help with bringing mobile network services to rural areas of India. But the issue arrived when 5Gi started modifying aspects of 3GPP's 5G, which had no relevance from providing enhanced coverage. The telcos and the ecosystem vendors became wary of the developments that were happening around 5Gi. The deployment of 5Gi radios in India would have meant that the users would have to purchase smartphones that supported 5Gi. The issues that this would scale up were immense. Firstly, any user that is using a smartphone that supports 5Gi radio connectivity would mean that his/her smartphone won't connect with the 5G radios running on 3GPP standard. This would have resulted in no 5G connectivity outside India because globally, 5G radios running on 3GPP standards are being deployed. On top of this, the network rollout costs for the telcos would increase multiple folds and also, there would be extended delay in rolling out 5G in India. Considering all this and more reasons, it was important that India doesn't isolate itself with 5Gi. That is why this compromise merger of 5Gi and 3GPP's 5G is the better way to go for ensuring that India stays at par with other nations in the globe.

iQOO 9 Series Said to Feature 120W Fast-Charging Posted: 12 Dec 2021 09:08 PM PST iQOO 9 series is expected to make its way to the market in January 2022. A lot of specifications about the smartphone have already been making rounds online. But in a recent development, tipster 'Panda is Bald' has shared the battery details and charging capacity of the smartphone. According to the tipster, the iQOO 9 series would feature a 4,700mAh battery with support for 120W fast-charging. This should be the same for both the expected smartphones in the series, including the iQOO 9 and iQOO 9 Pro. iQOO 9 Series Expected Specifications The iQOO 9 series is expected to come with a second-generation independent display chip that should enhance the visual experience for the users. Further, the smartphones in the series are expected to come with dual-speakers, dual-pressure sensitive shoulder buttons, and dual x-axis linear motors. The vanilla iQOO 9 is expected to feature an AMOLED display with support for 120Hz refresh rate. The smartphone might also come with an in-display fingerprint sensor. Further, the iQOO 9 series is expected to come with an enhanced heat dissipation system. Since both the devices in the series would be the flagships smartphones from the company, both are said to come running with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen1. In the camera department, the iQOO 9 series is also expected to feature a micro-gimbal PTZ camera. In other news, the iQOO Neo5s is going to launch on December 20, 2021, which is not very far now. The smartphone is expected to come with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SoC and an FHD+ AMOLED display with support for 120Hz refresh rate. The device might feature up to 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB of UFS 3.1 internal storage. Further, the iQOO Neo5s might run on OriginOS Ocean UI. It will be interesting to see what the iQOO 9 series actually holds for the fans of the company. There are no hints about when the device will make its way to India.

Amazon Prime Available at Offer Price for the Last Time Today Posted: 12 Dec 2021 08:20 PM PST Amazon Prime, one of the most popular e-commerce services, is available at an offer price for the last time today. The company is charging the price structure of Amazon Prime in India starting December 14, 2021. The new prices will be up to 50% more expensive than the current prices. So if you are someone who has been contemplating getting an Amazon Prime subscription, now would be the right time. Here are all the details that you should know about Amazon Prime's new subscription prices. Amazon Prime to be Available at Rs 1499 from December 14, 2021 For the yearly Amazon Prime plan, users currently need to pay Rs 999. But that will soon change to Rs 1499, which is effectively a 50% hike in tariffs. Further, the monthly plan, which is available at Rs 129 currently, will be available at Rs 179, while the quarterly plan that is currently available at Rs 329 will cost Rs 459. Amazon India hasn't commented on why it is increasing the cost of Prime subscription, but the changes are definitely coming. The same has been updated on the website page of the company. Amazon Prime is very popular because of the value that it offers to customers. With a single Amazon Prime subscription, users get access to Prime Music, Prime Video, Audible, and more. The company said that it will still keep offering users the Prime Youth offer. The only thing is, it will be less affordable starting December 14, 2021. Today is the last day that Indian users can get the Amazon Prime subscription on offer prices. The offer prices will be discontinued on December 13 at 11:59 PM. The benefits of the Prime subscription aren't changing; only its price will be affected in India. Amazon Prime has been in India for years now and has changed the way people shop online and consume content through its several mobile applications.

Airtel, Vi Don’t Like That USSD Services are Free for Customers Posted: 12 Dec 2021 06:52 PM PST Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea (Vi) have conveyed to the Telecom Regulatory authority of India (TRAI) about their disappointment related to the zero tariffs for unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) based payment services and mobile banking. The telcos have said that zero tariffs would increase the cost pressure very significantly, and it is already a debt-laden sector which means it would be very bad for their business as well as the sector. According to an ET Telecom report, Bharti Airtel has asked TRAI to fairly compensate them if it plans to keep its order of offering USSD services for free. Airtel Writes to TRAI Asking to Compensate Fairly for Free USSD Services In a submission to the regulator, Airtel said that the charges of USSD services should be brought down in a phased manner from 50 paise to 5-10 paise. The telco said that if the regulator plans to offer the USSD based services for free, then there should be a mechanism to fairly compensate the telcos by the concerned stakeholders. Vodafone Idea has said that USSD services require both operational as well as capex costs in terms of network resources, manual activities, human resources, IT/billing platforms, and more. The telco said that cost per unit would be substantial if the volumes were considered. For the unaware, TRAI had made USSD based services completely free for Indians in November 2021. USSD based services are used for payment services and mobile banking. This move from the regulator came to protect the interests of the users on feature phones. Further, with zero cost for USSD services, users would be inclined to make online payments which will result in the digital inclusion of more Indians. However, the telcos aren't liking the decision from the regulator as it involves a substantial cost for which they are earning nothing. Thus, Airtel has asked for a suitable mechanism for compensating the telcos to provide free USSD based services.

BSNL, Airtel, Vi Rs 599 Prepaid Plans In-depth Comparison Posted: 12 Dec 2021 05:40 PM PST The recent tariff hikes by the telcos in the country have changed the complete price list of the prepaid plans offered by them. All the private telcos in India raised the prices of their prepaid plans by around 20% and users need some time in knowing and adjusting to these. BSNL, the government-owned telco is still providing its plans at the same cost. However, for customers looking for a mid-range prepaid, plan private telcos such as Vodafone Idea or Vi and Bharti as well as public telecommunication company BSNL, all provide a Rs 599 plan that comes with different benefits. Mentioned below are the Rs 599 plan offered by the three above mentioned telcos and in-depth details of the same. Vodafone Idea or Vi – Rs 599 Plan Vodafone Idea or Vi under its unlimited prepaid plans list offers a long-term Rs 599 plan that comes with the benefit of 1.5GB of data each day. The validity period of the plan is 70 days and offers unlimited voice calls along with 100 SMS per day. Moreover, additional benefits of this plan include the "Binge All Night" feature which allows users to use unlimited internet from 12 midnight to 6 am. Users can also take over their unused data from Monday to Friday to Saturday and Sunday which is called the "Weekend Roll Over" benefit at no added cost. In addition to this, users also get 2GB of data backup every month without having any extra money to pay. Users also get access to Vi movies and TV which comes offering a ton of content for the users. Bharti Airtel Rs 599 Plan Bharti Airtel offers a similar plan as well, however, where the plan offered by Vi was a long-term moderate benefit plan, Bharti Airtel's plan is more benefit-oriented instead of a long-term plan. At the cost of Rs 599, users can get 3GB of internet data every day for a validity period of 28 days. Beyond the set limit of data, users can enjoy unlimited internet with 64 Kbps of speed. The pack also offers truly unlimited calls and 100 SMS per day. Added Benefits of the plan include access to a free trial of mobile edition Amazon Prime Video, free Wynk music and a few other offers including Shaw Academy and Apollo Circle. Moreover, users also get a subscription worth Rs 499 to Disney+ Hotstar Mobile. BSNL – Rs 599 Plan Last on the list is the long-term as well as high data prepaid plan offered by the government-owned telco – Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL). The prepaid plan called STV_WFH_599 from BSNL comes at a price of Rs 599 and offers 5GB of internet data per day. Post the usage of set data limit, users can enjoy the internet at 80 Kbps. Moreover, the validity period of this plan is 84 days. Users also get truly unlimited calls and 100 SMS per day in Home LSA and national roaming including while roaming in Mumbai and Delhi. The plan also offers a subscription to the Zing streaming platform which allows users access to thousands of songs, movies and other entertainment content. Another benefit this plan includes is that users can get unlimited free night data from 00:00 hours to 05:00 hours.

Broadband Tariff Hikes Might Get Implemented Soon Posted: 12 Dec 2021 06:42 AM PST Broadband internet is arguably the best source of connectivity if you are working from home as it is reliable and offers high speeds all the time. After the prepaid tariff hikes that the telecom operators have recently implemented, Indians might see the price of broadband plans going up as well. According to a PTI report, Tapabrata Mukherjee, co-founder, Meghbala Broadband, said just like telecom internet services, the average revenue per user (ARPU) needs to go up for broadband as well. As per Mukherjee, broadband plans also need to see a tariff hike of up to 20% because then only the current services will become viable. Offering Free OTT Services is a Cost Pressure for Broadband Service Providers Almost every internet service provider (ISP) is offering customers a free subscription to multiple over-the-top (OTT) platforms with its high-end plans. According to Mukherjee, this is adding to the cost pressure for the ISPs. But tariff hike is not something that small ISPs can lead with. The national and major ISPs such as Airtel, Jio, and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) will have to lead the way for this to happen. But the thing is, the leading ISPs have never indicated that they are being paid less. This has only come from Mukherjee as of now. The telecom operators have only said that the mobile tariffs are too low. Broadband plans getting expensive would mean that customers will have to pay up to Rs 150-Rs 200 more for low-end plans offering 100 Mbps and 200 Mbps speeds. This is something that would require a lot of planning and careful assessment as the broadband tariffs in India aren't that cheap either. There are customers who are paying more than Rs 1,000 each month to get a decent fiber broadband experience. Thus a 20% tariff hike on that would irk a lot of consumers across the nation.

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