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• Realme 9i Set to Go on Early Sale from January 22 on Realme Website and Flipkart
• Reliance Jio Reports Rs 3795 Crore Net Profit for Q3 FY22, ARPU Up to 151.6
• Vodafone Idea ARPU Rises to Rs 115 in Q3 FY22
• Minister of State for Communications Praises the Revolution Brought in the Indian Telecom Sector
• Xiaomi 12 Ultra Camera Module Design Surfaces Before Worldwide Launch
• Google Is Working on This Product in Secret
• WhatsApp for Desktop Receives Enhanced Voice Note Update
• OneWeb Disregards Jio’s Claim of Auction for Spectrum Being a Global Trend
• BGMI Releases a Patch for Enhancing Spider-Man Web-Shooters
• VVDN Announces Setup of New 5G Testing Lab in India for O-RAN Tech
• LG Electronics Pledges Rs 1 Crore to Indian Armed Forces
• WhatsApp Might Soon Make Users Very Happy
• 5G Smartphone Shipment in India Grew 6x in 2021: Counterpoint Research
• Mavenir Announces Successful Completion of Dynamic Network Slicing
• Tikona Broadband 100 Mbps Unlimited Data Plan Available for Rs 699 Per Month
• How to Start and Stop Call Forwarding on Airtel, BSNL, Jio and Vi
• 5G in India Won’t be a Threat to Aviation Services
• BSNL Super Affordable 4G Prepaid Plans
• Half-Yearly High-Speed Broadband Plans from Jio, Tata Sky, BSNL and More
• Realme 9 Pro+ Official Launch Confirmed, Specifications and Render Surfaces Online

Realme 9i Set to Go on Early Sale from January 22 on Realme Website and Flipkart Posted: 21 Jan 2022 09:21 AM PST The Chinese smartphone manufacturer Realme recently announced its Realme 9i device. The device was slated to go on sale from January 25, but an early sale date for Realme 9i has been set for January 22. The device was launched in India on January 18 as a successor Realme 8i smartphone. Realme will be available for purchase from January 22 and features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 chipset. Mentioned below are more specifications along with the pricing details of the device. Specifications for Realme 9i As far as the specs of the device are considered, Realme 9i comes with a display featuring a 6.6-inch full-HD+ (2,400×1,080 pixels) IPS LCD display with a refresh rate of 90Hz and a peak brightness of 480nits. The device runs on Realme UI 2.0 based on Android 11 and has dual nano SIM slots. The device features a Snapdragon 680 chipset based on the 6nm processor which is combined with the usual 6GB of LPDDR4X RAM which is virtually expandable up to 11GB. Additionally, the handset also features onboard storage of 128GB that can be expanded up to 1TB via a microSD card. Talking about the camera module of the device, Realme 9i features a triple rear camera setup headlined by a 50MP primary camera with an f/1.8 aperture and Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF) along with a 2MP macro camera with an f/2.2 lens, and a 2MP monochrome camera with an f/2.4 lens for portrait images. The front of the device features a 16MP selfie snapper. The device is backed by a 5,000mAh battery and supports 33W fast charge technology. Connectivity options on the device include 4G, dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and USB Type-C port for charging and the device also features a side-mounted fingerprint scanner. Price and Availability Realme 9i has been launched in India at a price tag of Rs 13,999 for the base 4GB + 64GB storage variant and the device with a 6GB + 128GB storage configuration has been priced at Rs 15,999. The device will be available in two distinct colours – Prism Black and Prism Blue. The official sale of the device is scheduled for January 25 while an early sale of the device will be available from January 22 on the company's official website and Flipkart shopping platform.

Reliance Jio Reports Rs 3795 Crore Net Profit for Q3 FY22, ARPU Up to 151.6 Posted: 21 Jan 2022 07:10 AM PST Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), the parent company of Reliance Jio, India's number one telecom service provider, today released its quarterly earnings report for Q2 FY22. Jio's gross revenue for the quarter was Rs 24,176 crore ($3.3 billion), which is 13.8% higher YoY (adjusted for IUC). The telco's EBITDA (earnings before interest tax depreciation and amortisation) stood at Rs 10,008 crore, which is 18% higher YoY during the December 2021 quarter. Note that this is the first time Jio's quarterly EBITDA has crossed Rs 10,000 crore. Reliance Jio's ARPU Rises to Rs 151.6 Reliance Jio's average revenue per user (ARPU) figure rose to Rs 151.6 per month, which is a healthy 8.4% YoY growth during the December 2021 quarter. This helped the telco report a net profit of Rs 3759 crore ($511 million), up by 8.9% YoY during Q3 FY22. Jio's total customer base as of December 31, 2021, stood at 421 million, the highest amongst all the private telecom operators in the country. The rise in ARPU was helped by the 20% prepaid tariff hike that got implemented from December 1, 2021. The telco's total data traffic during the quarter was 23.4 billion GB which is 47.8% up on a YoY basis. Further, the voice traffic for the quarter also grew by 17.9% YoY to 1.15 trillion minutes. Jio's ARPU should rise further during the last quarter of Q4 of FY22 as the full impact of the prepaid tariff hikes will come into effect. The telco said that it has over 5 million connected wireline customers now, which utilise its FTTH (JioFiber) and Set-Top Box (STB) services. Reliance Jio had also launched its much anticipated affordable smartphone – JioPhone Next during Diwali of 2021. The JioPhone Next is also expected to help the telco in adding new active 4G subscribers which will further push the telco's ARPU upwards. According to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), Jio offered 22 Mbps download speed which was the fastest amongst all the 4G network service providers in the country.

Vodafone Idea ARPU Rises to Rs 115 in Q3 FY22 Posted: 21 Jan 2022 06:43 AM PST Vodafone Idea has just released its quarterly earnings report for Q3 FY22. The telco has reported a significant rise in average revenue per user (ARPU) to Rs 115 during the quarter compared to Rs 109 in Q2 FY22. The rise in ARPU can be attributed to the prepaid tariff hikes. Though the tariff hikes got implemented close to the last month of the quarter, the rise in ARPU is a positive sign for the telco. Vodafone Idea also invested in networks and increased the 4G coverage of its networks from 1012 million Indians in Q2 FY22 to 1015 million population in Q3 FY22. Vodafone Idea Reports a Loss of Rs 7,230 Crore During the Quarter The telco's subscriber churn rate worsened to 3.4% in the December quarter as compared to 2.9% in the previous quarter. This is because the capex levels of the telco aren't similar to what its competitors, including Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, are doing. The 4G subscribers of the telco grew to 117 million in the December 2021 quarter from the 116.2 million figure in September 2021 quarter. During the December quarter, Vodafone Idea's loss widened to Rs 7230 crore. In the previous quarter, the telco had reported a loss of Rs 7,132 crore. The revenue for operations fell to Rs 9717 crore in Q3 FY22 compared to Rs 10,894 crore in Q2 FY22. The rise in ARPU should continue for the telco as the complete effect of the tariff hikes will be seen in Q4 FY22. But at the same time, Vodafone Idea's subscriber churn rate might rise further due to the increase in tariffs. If the telco can't increase capex to where its competitors are, it will be hard to add new subscribers any time soon. Vodafone Idea is in desperate need of funding so that it can invest in its networks and be able to compete with Airtel and Jio.

Minister of State for Communications Praises the Revolution Brought in the Indian Telecom Sector Posted: 21 Jan 2022 06:31 AM PST Minister of State for Communications, Devusinh Chauhan on Friday praised the steps taken by the current government to bring a reform in the telecom sector of the country. Chauhan was speaking at an industry event organised by the Digital Infrastructure Providers Association (Dipa) where he said in a statement that India has witnessed a massive revolution in the telecom sector in the last seven years due to the policies of the current government. He further added that the government under the leadership of Narendra Modi is committed to taking telecom service to more than 6 lakh villages in India. The Growth of the Indian Telecom Sector As initially reported by ET Telecom, Devusinh Chauhan talked about the plan figured out by the telecom department of bringing fibre connections to villages across India. Earlier under the UPA-II government in 2012, BharatNet set off on a path to connect around 2.5 lakh gram panchayat or villages blocks or 6 lakh villages but failed to meet various deadlines since then. Chauhan further stated that the current government is pretty aware of the challenges or issues such as the right of way (RoW) and the telecom department has been instructed accordingly to hash out the challenges faced by infrastructure companies. The minister of state for communications further highlighted the sturdiness and capacity of the Indian telecom infrastructure stating that even during the Covid-19 crisis, telecom networks were able to perform efficiently. He said that the telecom sector has witnessed extraordinary growth since 2014 and India currently has the second-largest user base of 1.3 billion and 800 million broadband connections. In addition to this, there has also been an increase in the number of base transceiver stations from 8 lakh to 23 lakhs. Furthermore, according to a finding by EY-DIPA a total investment of Rs 1.8 – 2.2 trillion is required for the development of the infrastructure of the country over the next three to five years. The chairman of DIPA, Akhil Gupta said in a statement that a robust digital infrastructure is a necessity for India to become a leading digital economy and its future competitiveness. He added that building an infrastructure large enough will require investments in billions of dollars. Devusinh Chauhan also stated that not only telecom networks have expanded in India but there has been significant growth in network usage as well. The study from EY-DIPA suggests that there has been a 36% rise in data traffic during the pandemic and a 400% increase in rural data consumption via the BharatNet fibre connection.

Xiaomi 12 Ultra Camera Module Design Surfaces Before Worldwide Launch Posted: 21 Jan 2022 05:11 AM PST Chinese smartphone giant Xiaomi had launched its Xiaomi 12 Series in China last year. Original rumours had suggested that the series will arrive with four devices – Xiaomi 12, Xiaomi 12 Pro, Xiaomi 12X and Xiaomi 12 Ultra. However, during the launch of the series, Xiaomi 12 Ultra wasn't a part of the lineup. Previous reports have suggested that the company is preparing for a global launch of Xiaomi 12 Ultra after some of its key specifications were apparently revealed. Now, the rear design details of the device have surfaced online on the micro-blogging website Weibo. The new leak suggests that the device might come featuring a larger camera at the back. Details on Xiaomi 12 Ultra The new details on Xiaomi 12 Ultra have been revealed by renowned tipster Digital Chat Station via Weibo. It is being speculated that Xiaomi 12 Ultra will feature a large rear camera module that spreads almost across the width of the smartphone. The camera module will feature a circular interior section where all the cameras will be placed and the outer part of the module will be in a rectangular shape. The tipster has suggested that the upcoming Xiaomi 12 Ultra might have the camera design quite alike with the design of an upcoming Vivo flagship smartphone which might have its circular camera island aligned to the left. Earlier reports that have emerged around Xiaomi 12 Ultra have suggested that the handset will feature a quadruple-camera setup which will consist of a 5x periscope telephoto lens. This lens is expected to be the highest optical zoom lens available on any smartphone across the world at the time of the launch of the device. In addition to this, Xiaomi 12 Ultra is also anticipated to feature Leica cameras. The rumours that surfaced previously suggest that Xiaomi 12 Ultra will feature a 6.6-inch AMOLED 2K display and will have a curved display with a centrally placed hole-punch selfie camera. The device just like other handsets in Xiaomi 12 series is expected to operate on Xiaomi’s in-house Surge chips. These chips have been designed by the company to enhance the overall image quality of the handsets. The smartphone could feature a Snapdragon 8 Gen1 SoC under the hood and could arrive in February.

Google Is Working on This Product in Secret Posted: 21 Jan 2022 04:16 AM PST Google is reportedly working in an ultra-secret facility on its augmented reality (AR) headset. The company has named it 'Project Iris'. This new device from Google uses outward-facing cameras for recording the real world and then adding computer graphics on top of it to create an immersive and mixed reality experience. Verge reports that the early prototypes of the product are being built at a company's facility in San Francisco Bay Area, and they look very much like the Ski Goggles. The alleged AR glasses from Google do not require being connected to an external power source through a wire and will be powered by the custom processor from Google, the report says. Google AR Glasses to Run on Android Platform To no one's surprise, Google might launch its AR glasses running on the Android platform. Note that Google is finding people for building a new OS for an 'innovative AR device' which could mean that the company might just shock (in a good way) people with a brand new operating system (OS) for its alleged AR glasses. Since there will be power constraints, Google is expected to use its data centres for rendering some of the graphics remotely then beaming them to the headset connected to the internet. The Google Pixel team is also very much involved in Project Iris. But it is hard to say right now whether the AR glasses from Google would come with the Pixel branding. But there's one thing for sure; the search engine giant can't utilise the name 'Google Glass' as it is already registered for more than a decade now. Given the secret nature of the project, it seems like quite a big deal for Google. Even Apple has been reported to be working on its AR headset expected to launch in 2023. As for the expected launch date of Google's AR glasses, it could be somewhere around 2024, along with Project Starline, an ultra-high-resolution chat booth that was demoed last year.

WhatsApp for Desktop Receives Enhanced Voice Note Update Posted: 21 Jan 2022 02:48 AM PST The globally renowned social media platform WhatsApp is known for rolling out new features and updates for its customers. Users can not only get WhatsApp for their Android or iOS devices but also for their desktop. Now in a new development, WhatsApp is rolling out a new update that will allow an enhanced version of the voice notes for the users who use the desktop version of the messaging app. WhatsApp has already started rolling out the ability to pause and resume voice recordings. The New Update The new feature being rolled out by WhatsApp will only be limited to the beta version which would mean that only the users who have opted for the beta version of the platform will be able to try this feature. A recent report from WABetaInfo informs that the latest update on WhatsApp desktop has added a new pause button. This pause button is a replacement for the stop icon that is available in the stable version of the platform. The new feature being rolled out is pretty useful for the users as it lets them pause any recording on the app. The introduction of this feature will allow users to hear the voice notes before sending them. Users can further choose to delete or continue recording if they want to add more to the voice note. Once a user pauses the recording, a new recording button will be displayed by WhatsApp and users can simply tap on it to resume recording the voice note. As far as the current stable version of WhatsApp is considered, it only has the option to delete or send the voice not after recording it. Moreover, there is no feature to hear the voice note before sending it. It is to be noted that the feature is already available for the users of iOS devices whereas it is not available for the users of Android devices as WhatsApp is currently working on it. In addition to this, the report also informs that the social media messaging platform is also working on an update to add a new colour to its Windows and macOS apps with WhatsApp beta for desktop 2.2201.2.0. This update might only be available in the dark mode of WhatsApp but with much greener chat bubbles. Furthermore, the Android version of the platform is also reported to be receiving a drawing tool that will give users the option to draw on images and videos.

OneWeb Disregards Jio’s Claim of Auction for Spectrum Being a Global Trend Posted: 21 Jan 2022 01:57 AM PST In a new development regarding the 5G spectrum auctions, the low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite operator OneWeb has told TRAI that there wasn't any auction of spectrum for Fixed Satellite Services (FSS) in Brazil, and it is most likely not going to happen in Mexico, Saudi Arabia or Thailand as well. This submission from Bharti-backed satellite operator discredits the claims made by Jio that the auction of spectrum for broadband-from-space is gaining popularity across the globe. In a recent submission, Jio had rather urged TRAI to allocate spectrum for broadband-from-space services only via auctions following the global trend and "discard all demands" of global players who are looking for allocation of airwaves via the administrative process. OneWeb Backs Administrative Process for Allocation According to a report from ET Telecom, Chief of Government, Regulatory Affairs and Engagement for OneWeb Communications, Christopher McLaughlin has written a letter to TRAI without directly naming Jio, stating that a submission has claimed that auctions have been carried out in several countries but has confused either intentionally or mistakenly, the auction for domestic satellite orbital slots from that administration with its geostationary satellites. In the submission made a few days ago, Jio also cited the examples of countries like Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Thailand and Brazil, which have opted for auctions as a mode of allocating spectrum. The telco stated that auctions of the spectrum are feasible and is also gaining popularity globally. OneWeb disproving the claim mentioned in the submission from Jio, stated that the company is already building earth station gateways in all the four mentioned countries and has even received spectrum authorization through the regular administrative process. OneWeb also went on to state that the administrative process is the most common way of allocating spectrum for satellite service globally, and there's no indication of the auction process replacing it a time soon. The counterclaim from OneWeb for the submission made by Jio is sure to pile on the latter's ongoing battle with the global satellite players over the mode of allocating spectrum for satellite services. OneWeb has also stated that satellite service operators differ from terrestrial mobile operators as the second needs exclusive access to a particular spectrum range. The LEO satellite operator said that FSS operators have the option of sharing spectrum through international coordination, particularly when the spectrum is being used at a spot location instead f nationwide, which is exactly the case for satellite earth stations. It is to be noted that Jio already has ongoing strife with the global satellite operators over the auctions of the sought-after 28 GHz mmWave spectrum band.

BGMI Releases a Patch for Enhancing Spider-Man Web-Shooters Posted: 21 Jan 2022 01:34 AM PST Battlegrounds Mobile India, one of the most popular battle royale games in India has rolled out a patch for enhancing Spider-Man Web-Shooters on Thursday. The Spider-Man themed content and gameplay was introduced by BGMI early in January 2022 following the release of Spider-Man: No Way Home. The Spider-Man gameplay comes with a set of new weapons, a new map, special Spider-Man themed content and promises an exciting gaming experience for the users. Krafton Reducing the Cool Down Time of Web-Shooters With the fresh update, Krafton is reducing the cool downtime of the web shooter from seven seconds to three seconds with this patch. It will allow the gamers to use the web-shooters quicker. Further, the cool down time of changing the web-shooters from three seconds has been changed to zero seconds.

VVDN Announces Setup of New 5G Testing Lab in India for O-RAN Tech Posted: 21 Jan 2022 01:30 AM PST VVDN Technologies, on Thursday,  announced the setup of a new end-to-end 5G lab for 5G Open-RAN based RU devices in India. This testing lab will enable telecom operators, telecom device manufacturers, and system integrators to follow protocol and test Open-RAN, Inter-operability testing (IOT), Radio Conferencing Testing (RCT) in a real 5G environment. Open-RAN is referred to as the technology that the future generation mobile networks will be based on. It significantly reduces network rollout costs for the telcos and also helps avoid relying on a single vendor for the network equipment. VVDN’s 5G Lab Will Allow Ecosystem Operators to Test Their O-RAN Solutions Device manufacturers, along with the telcos and system integrators, require a testing bed to validate their products and services before launching them commercially. This 5G testing lab from VVDN will act as a base for the relevant ecosystem players to test their O-RAN technologies. A detailed insight into how the products are actually working will help the companies in accelerating time to market for their O-RAN solutions.

LG Electronics Pledges Rs 1 Crore to Indian Armed Forces Posted: 21 Jan 2022 01:25 AM PST LG Electronics, a consumer electronics giant, has pledged Rs 1 crore to the Indian Armed Forces in the coming Republic Day, under its #KarSalaam initiative. The company had launched the initiative back in 2017, and it is dedicated to the veterans of the Indian Armed Forces, saluting their spirit of generous contribution and service towards the nation. The contributions made by LG towards this initiative were used for the education of children in 2021. LG to Run Awareness Campaign in 7000 Retail Stores LG will go a step further and help with spreading public awareness and urge and request citizens of the country to show support for the cause by contributing to the Armed Forces Flag Day Fund. The company will be running a digital campaign, ads on TV and radio between January 20 to January 31, 2022, for reaching out to more people. In addition to this, the awareness campaign will also run in over 7,000 retail stores across the country.

WhatsApp Might Soon Make Users Very Happy Posted: 21 Jan 2022 01:09 AM PST WhatsApp, one of the biggest social media platforms in the world might soon make its users very happy by introducing one of the most demanded features. WhatsApp is currently testing the chat import feature from Android to iOS so that users can access their chat history of WhatsApp when they shift from an Android smartphone to an iPhone. Currently, WhatsApp doesn't offer an in-house solution or feature that allows the importing of chat history from an Android device to an iPhone. While the Facebook-owned social media giant had offered the support of this feature to select Samsung and Google smartphones in 2021, a majority of the Android smartphones can't send their chat data to an iPhone. WhatsApp Might Soon Allow Importing of Chat History from Android to iOS According to a WABetaInfo report, WhatsApp is working on a new feature on the iOS version of the application where some references about the ability to import chat from an Android device are there. The beta users can't yet access the feature, but it is expected to be rolled out soon in full capacity for the beta testers. The stable rollout might still take quite a bit of time as it is a complex process to transfer data from Android to iOS for WhatsApp. This is majorly because iPhones store all the data in iCloud while Android devices store the data in Google Drive. There's a possibility that users may need to connect both the devices (Android and iOS) for the chat data transfer to be possible. Further, Android users may also need to install Apple's Move to iOS application on their devices. As mentioned above, the feature has already been rolled out for select Samsung and Google Pixel smartphones. This could prove to be a game-changer for Apple as many Android users don't shift to iPhones because they can't access their WhatsApp chat data stored in Google Drive via an Android phone.

5G Smartphone Shipment in India Grew 6x in 2021: Counterpoint Research Posted: 21 Jan 2022 12:42 AM PST 5G smartphones shipment grew in India by 6x in 2021 as compared to 2020 and contributed to about 17% of the total smartphone shipments in the country, shared Counterpoint Research in a report. As the competition in the market intensifies amongst the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and more 5G smartphone options are available at declining prices, the growth of 5G smartphone shipments will rise further. In the last six months alone, the cost of entry-level 5G smartphones has come down by 40%, which is a huge decline. This is one of the contributing reasons to the adoption of more 5G devices in India. India Witnessed Highest Ever Smartphone Shipments in 2021 As per Counterpoint Research, India witnessed its highest-ever smartphone shipments in 2021. The total shipments crossed 169 million units in 2021, which helped India register an 11% growth in smartphone shipments. Despite the widespread of COVID-19 in the first two-quarters of CY21, there was a lot of resistance from the consumers, and even though the price of the components and most smartphones went up, Indians kept on purchasing new devices. More Indians Want Better Smartphone Experience According to the data shared by Counterpoint Research, 47% of the market share in smartphone shipments was for devices priced between Rs 10,000 and Rs 20,000. The market share of smartphone shipments for devices priced under Rs 10,000 fell by 5% YoY, which signifies that Indian users don't just want a 4G smartphone for the sake of having one, but they also want a good experience. Further, there was close to a 100% YoY gain in shipments for both the category of devices priced between – a) Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000 and b) more than Rs 30,000. This is also proof of the fact that Indians are spending more and more on their smartphones as years pass by, and this is an encouraging sign for the OEMs as well as Smartphone manufacturers and assemblers. The shipments of 5G devices is expected to grow further in 2022.

Mavenir Announces Successful Completion of Dynamic Network Slicing Posted: 20 Jan 2022 11:45 PM PST Mavenir, a network software provider has just announced the successful completion of Dynamic Network Slicing and fulfilment as part of the recently concluded 2021 TM Forum "Ecosoft eHealth" Catalyst Program. Now, due to this catalyst, service delivery to the international medical facilities via 5G slices will be possible. It will also address virtual reality (VR) and artificial reality (AR) and the use of virtual intelligent counselling agents (VICA) in use cases, including remote patient care and surgeries. To carry all the use cases and tasks mentioned above, a powerful 5G network with low latency and high performance is required in surgeries and remote patient care. Mavenir Collaborated With Orange, NTT, TIM and Others to Demonstrate Catalyst Project Mavenir had collaborated with Orange, NTT, TIM, and other vendors to demonstrate the "Ecosoft eHealth" Catalyst project. The project was focused on adopting dynamic network slicing and advanced service assurance capabilities in the field of healthcare and medicine. This project will continue to enhance future use cases with advanced intelligence and integration in different layers of the network. Bejoy Pankajakshan, Chief Technology and Strategy Officer, Mavenir said, innovation with collaboration through industry is enabled by the catalyst projects, and this engagement is a proof point of 5G capabilities that are applicable in the field of healthcare. Global network services are needed for remote critical real-time communication secured dynamically, and Mavenir's TM Forum also monitors them for Service Level Agreement (SLA) so that the application service provider can adjust the channel of delivery in case there are any issues to meet the SLA at all times, added Pankajakshan. George Glass, Chief Technology Officer (CTO), TM Forum, said the project took an intent-based approach for making remote medical use cases a priority and also securing mission-critical traffic. Glass further said that the goals of the project included enabling dynamic scalability and operational automation of inter-carrier network resources. Note that Mavenir is a member of the TM Forum, and Bejoy Pankajakshan also serves on the Open Digital Framework Advisory Board.

Tikona Broadband 100 Mbps Unlimited Data Plan Available for Rs 699 Per Month Posted: 20 Jan 2022 10:55 PM PST Tikona Broadband offers multiple 100 Mbps plans to the users. If you are going with the three months plan from the internet service provider (ISP), it will cost you a total of Rs 3064. Note that while this amount looks a little more than what you would have to pay to other ISPs for a 100 Mbps plan, you won't have to pay anything extra for installation. The total amount includes installation charges as well as taxes. Tikona Broadband Plan With 100 Mbps Speed Tikona offers its 100 Mbps broadband plan for Rs 699 per month. It is not a heavy cost given almost every other major ISP in India on average charges Rs 700 or more for its 100 Mbps plan. Tikona Broadband is a regional internet service provider (ISP), so you won't find it everywhere but in select areas/cities of the country. You can visit the company's website to check how you can request for a connection at your home or office. There is no fair-usage-policy (FUP) limit on the amount of data the user can consume with Tikona Broadband's 100 Mbps plan. This is a truly unlimited data plan, according to the company's website. However, one downside of this plan is that there are no over-the-top (OTT) benefits offered to the users. Most of the major ISPs in India today offer their high-speed broadband plans with OTT benefits. This is an area where Tikona can also work in to raise the stakes of the competition in the fiber broadband market of India. The 100 Mbps broadband plan from Tikona is also available for longer validities for users who are interested in taking long-term plans. The costs for such plans is different. You can get up to 200 Mbps speed plans from Tikona. The company doesn't take installation charges from customers going for the 200 Mbps speed plans for the long term.

How to Start and Stop Call Forwarding on Airtel, BSNL, Jio and Vi Posted: 20 Jan 2022 09:07 PM PST Call forwarding is perhaps one of the most widely used features on phones. Once activated on a contact number, the feature will forward or divert the calls coming to that number to another previously assigned number, under various circumstances. The call can be made to redirect to the other number when the number is busy, not reachable, or there is no answer. You may choose to activate the facility for each circumstance, as preferred. Call forwarding, a.k.a. call diversion feature, is primarily handset dependent and is based on handset compatibility. If the users have the feature encompassed, one may need to visit the settings of the phone and activate call forwarding to enable the service. Alternatively, the facility can be activated by dialling some activation codes. The user may also deactivate the service by switching it off within the phone settings or by dialling deactivate codes. Call Forwarding Codes For Airtel If the Airtel user wishes to forward calls when there is no answer, dial **61*<a contact number to forward calls>*, add how many seconds the user wants the phone to ring before forwarding it to another number and finally add #. The seconds should be added in the multiples of five seconds. Tap on the call button after entering the details in the said format and wait to see the activation confirmation message on the screen. To deactivate the service, the user has to dial ##61#. If the user intends to forward the call when the number is not reachable, one has to dial **62*< a contact number to forward calls>* and click the dial button. The screen will show a message indicating activation. Dial ##62# and press the 'call button' to deactivate this provision. There are cases when the user is on a call with another person, and another caller will get a 'busy' tone while calling. The user can choose to divert calls when you are on another call by dialling **67*<a contact number to forward calls>* and tap on the call button. To deactivate the service, call ##67#. In case, if the user prefers to forward all incoming calls regardless of availability, type **21*<a contact number to forward calls>*. A message confirming activation will appear on the screen. To deactivate the service, dial ##21# from the phone. Call Forwarding Codes for BSNL If a BSNL user wants to activate call forwarding when the number cannot be answered, call **61*number# from the phone. The user may need to add the number of seconds the phone wants to ring before forwarding. The seconds need to be in multiples of five. To deactivate the feature, enter ##61#. To forward calls while the user is speaking to someone else, call **67*number# from the phone. To deactivate, enter ##67# on the dial screen and press the call button. To forward calls, if the phone is switched off or out of reach in a BSNL number, dial **62*number# from the phone. To deactivate, dial ##62#. There is also a provision to forward all calls coming to a number. The user has to dial the code **21**number# from the number to activate this provision. To stop the facility, dial ##21#. Remember to enter the international country code before the contact number, while entering a phone number. Now, to cancel all pre-set conditions and to make it default, dial ##002# from the phone. Call forwarding codes for Jio Jio users may use the following codes to activate call forwarding on their Jio number. For unconditional call forwarding from the user's Jio number, dial *401*<10-digit number to where the call has to be forwarded>. To deactivate the unconditional call forwarding, dial *402. To forward calls from a Jio number while the user is unable to answer, use the code *403*<10-digit number>. To deactivate the facility from the number, dial *404. To forward the calls while busy, the user can dial *405*<10-digit number> from the Jio phone. To deactivate this feature from the Jio number, dial *406 from the phone. To forward calls while not reachable, dial *409*<10-digit number> from the phone. To deactivate this, dial *410 from the phone. To stop the facility for all calls, dial *413. Call forwarding codes for Vodafone Idea (Vi) For Vi users, the call forwarding for all calls can be activated through the code **21*<Mobile Number>. To stop the service for all calls, dial ##002# from the phone. If the user wishes to forward calls to another number while the number is busy, he/she can dial **67*<Mobile Number>. To deactivate this feature, the user can dial ##67#. The user can activate call forwarding while the calls are unanswered by dialling **61*<Mobile Number>. To deactivate this, dial ##61#. Similarly, Vi subscribers can enable call forwarding for not reachable calls by dialling **62*<Mobile Number> from their phone. The user may also deactivate this by dialling ##62# from the phone.

5G in India Won’t be a Threat to Aviation Services Posted: 20 Jan 2022 08:16 PM PST There are a lot of discussions going on regarding the use of the C-band spectrum for 5G services and the threat that it poses to sensitive aircraft equipment such as altimeters. Not just in India, but other major countries such as the United States (U.S.) is also trying to resolve the issues related to 5G and the aviation industry. But according to the ITU APT Foundation of India, there's no threat to the altimeters if Indian telcos start deploying 5G services using the C-band spectrum (3.3 GHz to 3.6 GHz band). This is because there's enough spectrum guard of 500 MHz maintained between the spectrum used for 5G service and the spectrum used by the altimeter. According to a PTI report, the altimeters inside the aircraft utilises spectrum in the 4.2 GHz – 4.4 GHz while the 5G services will use spectrum in the 3300 MHz – 3670 MHz bands. So there's enough gap maintained in India. Scenario With U.S. Is Not the Same The issue that's been going on in the U.S. is the same in nature, but the scenario is completely different. The U.S. government availed the telcos with spectrum above 3.7 GHz for 5G services which pose the threat of interference with the aircraft equipment. The telcos in the U.S. have been working with the federal bodies and the aviation groups to ensure that a proper rollout of 5G can be ensured. Verizon and AT&T, two of the biggest private telecom operators in the United States, have already launched 5G services using C-band spectrum but have avoided switching on 5G towers within a 2-mile radius from the runways of select airports. For the unaware, an altimeter is a crucial equipment for the aircraft as it helps the pilots in descending in the right manner to land when the visibility is very low due to outside conditions. With 5G interfering with the altimeters, it could result in service disruptions, flight delays and cancellations throughout the country.

BSNL Super Affordable 4G Prepaid Plans Posted: 20 Jan 2022 06:51 PM PST Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) offers the most affordable 4G prepaid plans in India. The state-run telecom operator has some great options for consumers if they are looking for a super-affordable prepaid plan or any plan under Rs 200. Note that BSNL is currently working to roll out 4G networks, and the telco was the only one in the industry which didn't go ahead with the prepaid tariff hikes, which make its plans the most affordable in the industry. Let's take a look at the super affordable 4G prepaid plans from BSNL. BSNL Prepaid Plans That Are Super Affordable and Under Rs 200 BSNL offers multiple prepaid plans under Rs 200. The first plan costs Rs 99 and comes with 22 days of service validity. There are no data or SMS benefits bundled with this plan; users only get unlimited voice calling for 22 days. Then, the next plan users can look at co costs Rs 118. This plan carries a service validity of 26 days and offers unlimited voice calling, 0.5GB of daily data, and free PRBT service from BSNL. There are no SMS benefits included with this plan either. Moving on, with the Rs 139 prepaid plan, users get 2GB of daily data with unlimited voice calling. Note that this plan is only meant for inactive2 customers. Then there is the Rs 147 plan which offers a lump-sum 10GB of data for 30 days along with unlimited voice calling and a free PRBT service from BSNL. BSNL recently launched three new prepaid plans under Rs 200, which cost Rs 184, Rs 185, and 186. These plans offer identical benefits but with one slight difference in additional benefits. If you wish to know more about the three newly launched prepaid plans, kindly click here. Lastly, users can choose the Rs 187 prepaid plan, which comes with a service validity of 28 days and offers 2GB of daily data along with 100 SMS/day and truly unlimited voice calling.

Half-Yearly High-Speed Broadband Plans from Jio, Tata Sky, BSNL and More Posted: 20 Jan 2022 05:27 PM PST Broadband connectivity has become a necessity ever since the pandemic has arrived, be it for working from home, online learning or running businesses. While a lot of users may stick to the monthly broadband plans offered by the Internet Service Providers (ISPs), there can also be a section of users who want to go for broadband plans with longer validity. For such scenarios, many ISPs offer broadband plans with six months of validity that could help customers save some cost or receive some additional benefits. Mentioned below are a few of the select high-speed half-yearly broadband plans offered by ISPs such as Jio, BSNL, Tata Sky and more with benefits that come along. Broadband Plans with Six-Month Validity The first plan on the list is in fact a bestselling plan from Jio. JioFiber offers a 150 Mbps broadband plan at a cost of Rs 5,994 for six months. However, the users receive a long-term plan benefit as the actual validity of the plan is 180 days + 15 days extra at no additional cost. With this plan from JioFiber, users receive a symmetrical upload and download speed of 150 Mbps. Moreover, the plan from JioFiber comes with subscriptions to 14 OTT platforms and two Jio applications. The OTT subscriptions include the likes of Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar and more. Moving on to the next is a plan from government-owned telecommunications company BSNL which under Bharat Fibre Broadband provides only one half-yearly plan. Users can get access to the 'Fibre Premium Plus Half Yearly' plan from the telco that offers an internet speed of 200 Mbps at a cost of Rs 7,024 for a validity period of six months. The mentioned price is exclusive of GST and the plan comes with a FUP limit of 3300GB or 3.3TB. Beyond the data limit, users can enjoy an internet speed of 15 Mbps and the 'Fibre Premium Plus Half Yearly'' plan also offers a 90% discount of up to Rs 500 on rent on the first bill. Next on the list is a plan from Tata Sky Broadband. India's one of the most prominent service provider Tata Sky Broadband offers a half-yearly subscription offer with all its broadband plans. Tata Sky is one of the key players in the market and has always been coming up with plans according to the need of the user. Users can get the 200 Mbps plan from Tata Sky Broadband at a price tag of Rs 5,550 for six months. The plan actually helps users save about Rs 1,350 in comparison to what they would have paid monthly. The 200 Mbps plan from Tata Sky Broadband is actually cheaper but doesn't offer any added benefit such as subscriptions to OTT platforms. Talking about the half-yearly plans, India's rising internet service provider Excitel offers broadband connectivity at only three speeds. All three plans come with six-month validity. Users can get either the 100 Mbps, 200 Mbps or 300 Mbps plan from Excitel for a price tag of Rs 490, Rs 545 and Rs 600 respectively. The mentioned prices are for a monthly basis and GST is not included. Moreover, the plans from Excitel are truly unlimited and no FUP data limit is levied upon. Last on the list is a broadband plan offered by You Broadband. The ISP is powered by Vodafone Idea and offers its services in select 18 cities of India. The telco offers a broadband plan with a speed of 200 Mbps for a price tag of Rs 6,372 with a validity period of 190 days. The price of the pack is inclusive of GST and the FUP data levied on the plan is 3.5TB or 3500GB. The mentioned plan is based on the city of Chennai and might differ a bit across the country.

Realme 9 Pro+ Official Launch Confirmed, Specifications and Render Surfaces Online Posted: 20 Jan 2022 07:17 AM PST The launch of the much-awaited device from the Chinese smartphone manufacturer Realme – the Realme 9 Pro+ has been teased by the company itself. The Realme 9 Pro+ is expected to be launched along with the other two models in the lineup – Realme 9 and Realme 9 Pro. The company is yet to reveal details about the upcoming Realme 9 Pro+ but there has been a recent tip providing intel on the upcoming device. In addition to this, a few renders have also emerged suggesting details about Realme 9 Pro+. Details on Realme 9 Pro+ The news comes in as Realme India made a tweet via its official Twitter account where the brand shared the teaser image for the smartphone. The Twitter post has confirmed the launch of Realme 9 Pro+ as a part of the upcoming Realme 9 series. The teaser image exhibits the Pro+ marking of the upcoming handset. Additionally, a render and specification details of the Realme 9 Pro+ have also been shared by OnLeaks in collaboration with Smartprix. The leaks suggest the design details of the device as well. One can see the Realme 9 Pro+ being available with a gradient back and a hole-punch display design at the front. Moreover, a triple camera setup is visible on the back with a LED flash. The renders shared on the web display the device in the Midnight Black colour option, however, the handset is also expected to feature Aurora Green and Sunrise Blue colour options. Rumoured Specs for Realme 9 Pro+ The latest tipped rumours for Realme 9 Pro+ suggest that the device will come featuring a 6.43-inch full-HD+ Super AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate. The handset could be powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 920 chipset paired up with 8GB of RAM. The device, as mentioned above, will feature a triple rear camera setup headlined by a 50MP Sony primary sensor along with an 8MP and a 2MP secondary sensor. The front of the device might arrive with a 16MP selfie snapper. Additionally, the device will be backed by a 4500mAh battery and is expected to feature 256GB of internal storage.

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