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• Bharti Airtel, Hughes Announce Joint Venture
• BSNL Offers Free Amazon Fire TV Stick With Bharat Fiber Broadband Plans Above Rs 999
• Jio vs Airtel vs BSNL – Rs 999 Broadband Plans
• Telecom Operators Are Unhappy With Their Representation in 6G Task Forces
• Realme GT 2, Realme GT 2 Pro Launched with Snapdragon Chipsets and LTPO Display
• Airtel Withdraws Proposed Plan of Corporate Restructuring
• Google Pixel 6a Might Arrive in India in March, 2022 as a Budget Device
• Tata Sky Broadband ‘Try and Buy’ for 200 Mbps Plan Similar to Jio’s Strategy
• Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G vs OnePlus 9: Specs, Price Compared
• AT&T, Verizon Agree to Postpone Deployment of 5G
• Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G With One UI 4.0, SD 888 Launched, Check Price
• COAI Condemns BBMP Cutting Optical Fibre in Bangalore
• Excitel to Give One Day of Free Internet With New SLA to Customers
• Starlink India Asked to Refund All Pre-Orders by DoT
• What Has Led to Vodafone Idea Stock Rising More than 100% in Six Months
• Affordable Wi-Fi Routers in India Right Now
• OnePlus Might Introduce New Flagship With MediaTek Chipset
• All 4G Data Vouchers Offered by Jio, Airtel and Vi
• Realme to Increase its 5G Smartphones Portfolio by Investing 90% of its R&D in 5G Technology

Bharti Airtel, Hughes Announce Joint Venture Posted: 04 Jan 2022 08:44 PM PST To provide satellite broadband services in India, Bharti Airtel and Hughes have announced a joint venture. The joint venture will be operational as HCIPL and will combine the Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) businesses of both companies. This will enable the new joint venture in delivering scalable and flexible networking solutions using satellite connectivity for primary transport, backup, and hybrid implementation. According to a joint release, the agreement between both the companies has received all the statutory approvals, including approvals from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). This has cemented the formation of the joint venture between Bharti Airtel and Hughes. HCIPL Has a Combined Base of 200,000 VSATs The entity will serve VSAT customers of both companies and has over 200,000 VSATs. With this, HCIPL is the largest satellite service operator in the country. The company is well-positioned to serve customers despite changing regulatory environment. HCIPL provides services including broadband networking technologies, solutions, and services which include a full range of managed network services for enterprises, government offices across different segments like aeronautical, agriculture, maritime mobility, telecom backhaul and more. Partho Banerjee, President and Managing Director (MD), HCIPL, said this partnership between the companies would bring synergies to the forefront — including multi-orbit solutions which benefit the customers of entire India. Ajay Chitkara, Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Airtel Business, said that with the combined capabilities of Airtel and Hughes, customers would get access to next-gen satellite connectivity services backed by proven service support and enterprise-grade security. Bharti Airtel is also expected to form a partnership with OneWeb, a Bharti Owned satellite communications (satcom) company that is expected to make its entry in India in 2022. OneWeb has indicated that it would focus on forming B2B partnerships and not entertain the direct consumer approach not only in India but in international markets as well. These partnerships might help Airtel in enhancing backhaul and delivering better quality telecom services.

BSNL Offers Free Amazon Fire TV Stick With Bharat Fiber Broadband Plans Above Rs 999 Posted: 04 Jan 2022 07:10 PM PST Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), the government-owned telecom service provider, has launched a New Year Offer 2022 for its Bharat Fibre (FTTH), Air Fibre, and DSL Broadband subscribers across India. Subscribers of BSNL may now purchase an Amazon Fire TV stick with plans beginning at Rs 999. From January 1, 2022, the plan is offered across all telecom circles. Subscribers ready to apply for the Annual Advance Payment Scheme via the BSNL BOSS Portal would be eligible for the offer. The users who choose internet services that cost less than Rs 999 will have to upgrade to a plan that costs Rs 999 or more, according to BSNL. The subscribers can upgrade by going to the BSNL Selfcare portal or visiting one of the BSNL Customer Service Centres. Users can go to the BSNL BOSS Portal, choose a device, and make an online advance payment for a year under their plan’s Annual Payment Scheme. BSNL will deliver the device to the customer’s billing address following successful payment. “In all circles, BSNL has agreed to offer bundled ‘Amazon Fire TV stick lite’ as part of a yearly subscription to a DSL/Fibre/AirFibre Broadband plan with monthly prices of Rs. 999/- and above. During the annual subscription lock-in period, plan change requests with a lower FMC than Rs. 999/- will not be considered,” reported Kerala Telecom, which was the first to report on the BSNL New Year Offer 2022. Google Nest Mini, Google Nest Hub smart devices for Rs 99/month and Rs 199/month Recently, BSNL offered reduced Google smart devices to yearly broadband users. The annual BSNL broadband subscribers who paid a one-time price for their subscription of 12 or 13 months could acquire Google Nest Mini and Google Nest Hub smart devices for a monthly rate of Rs 99 and Rs 199, respectively, as part of the discounted offer. Subscribers who pay a minimum monthly fee of Rs 799 or more for annual broadband subscriptions are eligible for the promotion. BSNL Fibre plans start at Rs 449. The plan offers a speed of 30 Mbps to 3300GB. Post quota limit, the speed will get reduced to 2Mbps.

Jio vs Airtel vs BSNL – Rs 999 Broadband Plans Posted: 04 Jan 2022 05:38 PM PST For the last couple of years, the internet has become a dire need for everyone whether it is for working from home, online learning, streaming or anything else. The demand for broadband connections has gone significantly up and the Internet Service Providers (ISPs) for sure have capitalized on that. People need a consistent internet connection that can work seamlessly across multiple devices and the ISPs of the country have been providing it. They offer a wide range of broadband plans for users to choose from, starting from as low as 30 Mbps plans to up to 1 Gbps plans. These plans also come at different price ranges and it becomes important to compare across multiple ISPs before opting for a plan. Mentioned below is a comparison between Rs 999 broadband plans offered by three major ISPs – Reliance Jio, Airtel and BSNL and different benefits that come along. JioFiber 150 Mbps Plan JioFiber provides a 150 Mbps internet speed broadband 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 a 150 Mbps plan from JioFiber, customers can get access to smooth and seamless internet across multiple devices. The plan offers a symmetrical upload and download speed of 150 Mbps and is also listed as one of the most popular plans on the company's website. 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. The 200 Mbps Plan from Airtel Airtel, on the other hand, offers better data speed benefits at the same price range through Airtel Xstream Fiber. Airtel has been one of the most prominent players in the market when it comes to providing broadband services. Airtel allows one of the fastest broadband connections and users can get the 'Entertainment' pack which provides 200 Mbps of internet speed at a monthly cost of Rs 999 exclusive of taxes. The Airtel Xstream Fiber offered by Airtel offers the users a better, enhanced and faster daily broadband connection experience as it provides a Fiber optic internet connection. Users get 3.3TB or 3300GB of monthly fair-usage-policy (FUP) data with this plan. Airtel also provides 'Airtel Thanks Benefits' with its broadband plans which in this case includes subscriptions to OTT platforms including Amazon Prime and Disney+ Hotstar along with Wynk Music. This is also Airtel's bestselling plan. BSNL – 200 Mbps Plan India's public telecommunications company BSNL under Bharat Fibre Broadband also offers a plan at Rs 999 to its users. Users can opt for "Fibre Premium" from BSNL that offers 200 Mbps of internet speed as well. At the cost of Rs 999 a month, the Fibre Premium plan offers 200 Mbps of internet speed and the price is exclusive of GST. The plan also comes with a FUP limit of 3300GB or 3.3TB. In addition to this, the Fibre Premium plan also offers a subscription to the Disney+ Hotstar premium pack and users can enjoy 2 Mbps of internet speed after 3300GB. Moreover, users can also get a 90% discount of up to Rs 500 on rent on the first bill.

Telecom Operators Are Unhappy With Their Representation in 6G Task Forces Posted: 04 Jan 2022 08:46 AM PST Telecom operators are upset that the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has left them out of several of the main task force groups on 6G, formulated to conduct research and development, pre-standardisation, and market readiness for the latest telecom technology. On December 30, the Department of Telecommunications established six task teams within the technical innovation group on 6G to concentrate on various technology areas. Three task force groups are led by IIT professors, among which one is chaired by Member Technology (DoT), another by the chairman of TSDSI, and the third by an IISc Bangalore professor. Members of academia, equipment manufacturers, software and hardware firms comprise various groups, although no telecom operator is represented in any of the six. A representative from the Cellular Operators Alliance of India (COAI), an association of telecom operators, was present in the groups. According to a telecom sector executive, including a COAI representative is insufficient because carriers want to make specific remarks on particular problems. For example, the task force on multi-platform next-generation networks, chaired by IIT Madras professor Bhaskar Ramamurthi, will focus on network elements for multi-platform networks and drone communications LEO (low earth orbit) satellite overlay, among other things. The spectrum policy task force, led by an IIT Kanpur professor, will recommend secondary spectrum use options, consider new spectrum ownership and sharing models that enable flexible spectrum allocation, and consider the spectrum requirements of emerging coverage solutions such as satellites drones, and crewless aerial vehicles. The telecom sector is divided into some of these topics, and the COAI delegate may not be able to represent all of them. Operators like to express their opinions individually in such situations. Telecoms are Critical Stakeholders of Telecom Technology Furthermore, telecom operators believe that they are the most critical stakeholders in telecom technology and should be involved in any group working on 6G. Previously, during the consultation process on establishing spectrum policy for the next 10-years, the Department of Telecommunications had not invited telecom operators, despite the fact that technology firms such as Google, Facebook, Apple, and others were present. The telecoms, on the other hand, presented their opinions later. Telecom companies are most concerned about spectrum because they believe that if handled administratively or delicensed, technology firms will supply communication services, upsetting the level-playing field.

Realme GT 2, Realme GT 2 Pro Launched with Snapdragon Chipsets and LTPO Display Posted: 04 Jan 2022 07:08 AM PST Realme GT 2 and Realme GT 2 Pro smartphones have been launched in China on January 4 after a long wait. There have been multiple reports that surfaced online providing details on the specifications of the devices in the last few weeks. Seemingly, Realme GT 2 Pro has been launched with all the flagship specifications such as Qualcomm's latest and most powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen1 chipset and previously speculated LTPO OLED display. Mentioned below are the specification and price details of the newly launched Realme GT 2 and Realme GT 2 Pro. Specifications for Realme GT 2 Realme GT 2 comes with a display featuring a 6.62-inch full-HD+ E4 AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. The handset features a Snapdragon 888 SoC under the hood combined with up to 12GB of RAM along with up to 256GB of onboard storage. The all-new Realme GT 2 also features the brand's latest industrial heat dissipation technology and stainless-steel vapour cooling which is claimed to offer cooling of up to 3? for maximum performance. The smartphone operates on Android 12 with Realme UI 3.0 skin on top. The camera module of the device features a triple rear camera setup headlined by a 50MP primary camera featuring a Sony IMX776 sensor. Realme GT 2 Pro Specifications Realme GT 2 Pro features a 6.7-inch 2K (1,440×3,216 pixels) LTPO AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. It has been claimed by the company that the display of the device can offer a contrast ratio of 5,000,000:1 and supports a maximum brightness of 1,400nits. The handset has also received an A+ certification from DisplayMate. The all-new Realme GT 2 Pro features the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen1 chipset paired up with up to 12GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage. The device also operates on Android 12 with Realme UI 3.0 skin on top. Realme GT 2 Pro is backed by a 5000mAh battery backup and supports 65W fast charge technology. The handset also features Realme's GT modem which is capable of providing AI frame stabilisation 2.0 for improved gameplay and lower GPU power consumption. The device also features a triple rear camera setup consisting of a 50MP primary sensor along with a 50MP ultra-wide-angle camera and a 2MP macro shooter. The primary camera of the device is equipped with optical image stabilisation as well as electronic image stabilisation. Price and Availability Realme GT 2 has been set at a price tag of CNY 2,599 which is roughly Rs. 30,400 in China for its base 8GB + 128GB variant. The company will also sell variants of Realme GT 2 with 8GB + 256GB and 12GB + 256GB storage options and the handset is expected to be available in Paper Green, Paper White, Steel Black and Titanium Blue colour options. Realme GT 2 Pro on the other hand has been priced at CNY 3,699 which is somewhere around Rs. 43,300 for the 8GB + 128GB variant of the device. The company just like Realme GT 2 will also sell variants of Realme GT 2 Pro with 8GB + 256GB and 12GB + 256GB storage options and the handset is expected to be available in Paper Green, Paper White, Steel Black and Titanium Blue colour options.

Airtel Withdraws Proposed Plan of Corporate Restructuring Posted: 04 Jan 2022 06:22 AM PST Telecom giant Airtel has dropped its plans of complete corporate restructuring and will now resume operating according to the standing corporate structure as mentioned in a statement released by the company on Tuesday. The company has credited the decision to the latest reforms in the telecom sector which has resulted in making the planned changes superfluous. Airtel in its released statement said that the telecom sector reforms announced by the Indian government has substantially boosted the outlook and investor confidence for the industry and has simplified the licensing framework at the same time. Why Corporate Restructuring isn't Necessary? The statement released from Airtel added that the board of directors of Airtel believe that the prevailing corporate structure of the company is ideal for leveraging the emerging opportunities and unlocking value and at the same time continue to significantly grow Airtel's digital business. As a result, the new corporate structure which was announced on April 14, 2021, now remains renounced. The withdrawal of the proposed corporate structures was expected as soon as the government had redefined the contentious Adjusted Gross Revenue under the telecom reform package announced on September 15, 2021. The statement in its conclusion explains that with a sturdy balance sheet and 5G ready network, the telecom giant Bharti Airtel was already in a stable position to invest belligerently in the incipient growth opportunities offered by India's digital economy. Previously, in April 2021, Bharti Airtel had released its new corporate structure which was designed to separate the telecom business of the company from its other businesses. The new corporate structure was going to be implemented to list the digital and infrastructure assets of the company under the parent while the telecom business was going to be transferred to a completely new unit – Airtel Ltd. The statement released by the company also informed that under a modified scheme, Airtel was going to merge its entirely owned subsidiary Telesonic Networks Limited which would result in the amalgamation of its fiber assets into Airtel and the decision was also approved by the board members. The proposed structure was planned to remove the telecom regulatory loom over Airtel's digital business and result in the reduction of statutory liabilities related to its mobility income and ultimately enhancing the operating income of the company. Moreover, the statement released by the company also informed that Nettle Infrastructure Investments Limited will also be merged with Airtel. The statement said that as per the previous announcements, the company will work on its plan to unify its DTH business into Airtel to move towards the NDCP vision of converged services to customers. The statement released by Airtel mentioned the four key verticals in which the company can be categorised – India, Digital, International and Infrastructure.

Google Pixel 6a Might Arrive in India in March, 2022 as a Budget Device Posted: 04 Jan 2022 05:16 AM PST Image Credit – 91mobiles, OnLeaks There have been several reports revolving around the arrival of the much-awaited device Google Pixel 6a in India. Now the latest tweet by a renowned tipster has suggested that the device may be launched in India in the month of March. This happens to be the latest information on the arrival of Pixel 6a in India which is expected to be a budget device in the Google Pixel 6 lineup. Details About Google Pixel 6a Tech giant Google has once again decided to omit India from the list of countries that will witness the launch of flagship devices from the company. There's a high possibility that Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro might not arrive in the country at all and looking at the previous trends related to Google Pixel Series, customers should not wait for them either. However, there have been several speculations that the tech giant might be gearing up to launch a budget device from the Pixel 6 Series instead which is expected to be Google Pixel 6a. The launch of Google Pixel 6a will make it a successor to Google Pixel 4a in India and to Google Pixel 5a in the rest of the globe. Although Google skipped the launch of Google Pixel 5a in India, it is strongly rumoured that Pixel 6a will hit the Indian markets. Now a popular tipster Yogesh Brar has made a tweet affirming the fact that Pixel 6a might be launched in the country in the first quarter of 2022. Brar has also said that we can expect the device to be available on the BIS listing very soon as the launch is just three months away. It is to be noted that the tipster hasn't confirmed the name of the device in his recent tweet but has rather said that the upcoming device might be Pixel 6a. But it is quite safe to assume that the device will indeed be Pixel 6a as there are no other known smartphones in the works from Google. As a matter of fact, there have been numerous rumours about the Pixel 6a in the past suggesting a lot of details on the device. A recent leak has suggested that the device may feature a similar design language as Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro which means flat-edge design with a camera band at the back. The camera module is expected to feature dual lenses along with a LED flash. The front of the device could feature a selfie shooter at the top-centre of the display housed in a punch-hole cutout.

Tata Sky Broadband ‘Try and Buy’ for 200 Mbps Plan Similar to Jio’s Strategy Posted: 04 Jan 2022 04:46 AM PST Tata Sky Broadband, a leading internet service provider (ISP), is now providing users with a 'Try and Buy' offer wherein users can first try the services of the company and then choose whether they want to buy services from it or not. This way, consumers don't have to worry about losing their hard-earned money to a company they don't fully trust yet. Tata Sky Broadband is not the only company that is offering such an offer. Users can find the same offer with Jio as well. Here's everything you should know about the Tata Sky Broadband 'Try and Buy' offer. Tata Sky Broadband 'Try and Buy' Offer Complete Details Tata Sky Broadband is providing users with the 200 Mbps plan under the Try and Buy offer. If a user chooses to go with this offer, he/she will have to pay a Rs 1500 fully refundable security deposit to the company. The company will then provide users with a 200 Mbps speed plan along with 1TB or 1000GB of data for the month (30 days). Users can also get in touch with the customer care team of Tata Sky Broadband to subscribe to the landline service that will come completely free of cost. If the customer doesn't like the services of the company, he/she can cancel the service within 30 days during the trial period and get the Rs 1500 security deposit back. If the customer chooses to cancel the service after 30 days, he/she will have to pay a charge of Rs 500 and will only get Rs 1000 back. If the customer chooses to continue consuming services from the company, he/she can select any plan offered by Tata Sky Broadband. There are also refund offers provided by the company if the user goes for the long-term option. If the customer chooses to continue with the service and he/she opts for the 100 Mbps plan for at least three months or more, he/she will get Rs 1500 completely back. If the customer goes for the 50 Mbps plan for three months or more, he/she will get Rs 500 back, and the remaining Rs 1000 will stay in the security deposit, which will be refunded when the subscription is cancelled. Lastly, on a monthly recharge, customers will get Rs 1,000 back which will be processed after three months of an active subscription, and Rs 500 will remain in the security deposit wallet. This Try and Buy is a promotional offer and is currently available in select areas of Bengaluru, Chennai, New Delhi, Noida, Greater Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurgaon, Mumbai Navi Mumbai, Thane, Mira Bhayandar, Pune, Kolkata only.

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G vs OnePlus 9: Specs, Price Compared Posted: 04 Jan 2022 03:27 AM PST South Korean tech giant Samsung has finally launched its much-awaited smartphone Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2022. The year gone by also witnessed the launch of multiple smartphones from other brands that come with amazing flagship features as well. One such device was launched by OnePlus in the March of last year. OnePlus 9 came with features and specifications quite similar to the recently launched Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G, and here's a detailed comparison between both devices in order to help users who are looking to buy these smartphones make an informed choice. Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G vs OnePlus 9 Specifications Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G has quite a similar design to the base model of the Galaxy S21 series and comes with a display featuring a 6.4-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with support for a 120Hz refresh rate and 240Hz touch sampling rate. It also has a Corning Gorilla Glass Victus for an added layer of protection. OnePlus 9, on the other hand, comes with a display featuring a 6.55-inch FHD+ flat-edge, flexible OLED display with support for a maximum brightness of 1100 nits, HDR10+ format, 120Hz refresh rate, and Super Video resolution. Talking about the processors of the devices, Galaxy S21 FE 5G features both Qualcomm's Snapdragon 888 chipset along with Exynos 2100 chipset depending on the region the device is being sold. Devices with Qualcomm chipsets are usually sold in the US and China, whereas Exynos 2100 variant is released for the rest of the world. OnePlus 9, on the other hand, is powered by the octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SoC under the hood. Talking about the camera module of the handset, Galaxy S21 FE 5G comes with a triple rear camera setup featuring a 12MP ultra-wide-angle camera, 12MP wide-angle camera, and an 8MP telephoto camera along with a 32MP selfie sensor at the front. On the other hand, the OnePlus 9 also features a triple rear camera setup but comes with a 48MP Sony IMX689 primary sensor along with a revolutionary 50MP ultra-wide-angle free form lens and a 2Mp monochrome lens. The handset also features a 16MP sensor for selfies and video calling at the front. Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G features up to 8GB of RAM bundled up with 128GB or 256GB of onboard storage. OnePlus 9 features model variants with 8GB and 12GB of RAM along with 128GB and 256GB of internal storage. Galaxy S21 FE 5G is backed by a 4500mAh battery and supports 25W fast charging and 15W fast wireless charging. OnePlus 9, on the contrary, features a battery backup of 4,500mAh and supports Warp Charge 65T. Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G operates on One UI 4.0 based on Android 12 out of the box and comes with an IP68 rating, Eye Comfort Shield and Samsung Knox security. Moreover, the box of the device doesn't come with the charging brick, and it has to be purchased separately. OnePlus 9 comes with additional features, including support for Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2 and has a USB-Type C port for fast charging. Price Comparison of Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G and OnePlus 9 The price of the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G has been listed on the UK website of the company as GBP 699, which is approximately Rs 70,200 for the 128GB variant, whereas the 256GB variant of the device is available at EUR 749, which is somewhere around Rs 75,200. It is expected that the device will arrive in India with a price tag of somewhere around Rs 50,000. OnePlus 9, on the other hand, was launched at a price tag of Rs 49,999 for an 8GB RAM + 128GB internal storage variant, whereas the 12GB + 256GB variant of the smartphone was priced at Rs 54,999. The handset comes in three colour options – Astral Black, Winter Mist, and Arctic Sky.

AT&T, Verizon Agree to Postpone Deployment of 5G Posted: 04 Jan 2022 02:26 AM PST Officials from both AT&T and the airline industry have confirmed that the major telcos from the US – AT&T and Verizon have come to the terms to postpone the deployment of 5G wireless services due to the lurking fears of 5G services causing hindrance to flight safety equipment. AT&T released a statement confirming the deal in which it said that at the request of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg the company has voluntarily agreed to a two weeks delay on the deployment of its C-Band 5G services. The Current Scenario According to a report from AFP, the move from the telcos to delay the deployment comes after a day they rejected the request to delay the rollout of 5G technology scheduled for Wednesday and even warned the airlines of legal action. A representative from the airline industry informed that a draft agreement was reached at the eleventh hour firstly with AT&T followed by Verizon to postpone the deployment of their 5G wireless services by 15 days. The need for delay comes in as the airline operators have informed that the new technology might hinder the devices used in flights to measure altitude. The rollout of the services has already been postponed once before. An official from the airline industry also informed that nothing has been signed as of now, however, the industry is going to hold off the suspension for these two weeks as there are people who are working restlessly to come to an agreement. He further informed that during these two weeks of postponement, the air safety regulator FAA will have to review the changes that have been made in the airports in order to affirm that the mitigation factors in the deployment in those airports to be safe for flying. Previously, the 3.7 GHz – 3.8 GHz frequency bands were acquired by AT&T and Verizon after bidding tens of billions of dollars in the month of February. On postponing the deployment of 5G services AT&T also said in a statement that the company acknowledges the fact that aviation safety and 5G can coexist and it is confident that the issues can be resolved with further collaboration and technical assessments. FAA had also issued guidelines earlier to limit the use of devices in flights which can be hindered by the 5G wireless technology in select circumstances.

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G With One UI 4.0, SD 888 Launched, Check Price Posted: 04 Jan 2022 01:33 AM PST Samsung has unveiled the much anticipated Galaxy S21 FE 5G at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2022. The smartphone comes with flagship features and specifications, most of which were leaked before the launch. It is the successor of the Galaxy S20 FE 5G and is expected to come with both Snapdragon 888 SoC and Exynos 2100 SoC. Samsung is known for selling its smartphones in different markets with different chipsets. Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G Specifications The support page of the smartphone is already live on the India website. It will arrive in four colours — Olive, Graphite, Lavender, and White. The design is much like the vanilla Galaxy S21 but with certain differences. It comes with a 6.4-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with support for 120Hz refresh rate and 240Hz touch sampling rate. Further, there's Corning Gorilla Glass Victus on top of the screen to keep it more secure. It will run on One UI 4.0 based on Android 12 out of the box. As mentioned above, the smartphone would either feature a Snapdragon or Exynos chipset; it will be different for each country/region. The Galaxy S21 FE 5G comes bundled with up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. There's a triple-camera setup at the rear with a 12MP ultra-wide-angle camera, 12MP wide-angle-camera, and an 8MP telephoto camera along with a 32MP selfie sensor at the front. The camera comes with support for up to 30x zoom. The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G will come with a 4500mAh battery with support for wireless charging. Note that the box of the device won't contain the charging brick, which will have to be purchased separately. The smartphone comes with an IP68 rating, Eye Comfort Shield, fast charging (25W), Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 (15W), and Samsung Knox security. The smartphone will be soon available in India as its support page is already live on the website of Samsung. The Indian pricing will only be revealed once the device officially makes it to the Indian market. Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G Price According to the listing on the UK website, the smartphone’s 128GB variant is priced at GBP 699 (approximately Rs 70,200) and the 256GB variant is listed at EUR 749 (approximately Rs 75,200). India’s pricing of the device should be well around Rs 50,000 mark.

COAI Condemns BBMP Cutting Optical Fibre in Bangalore Posted: 04 Jan 2022 12:44 AM PST The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) is very unhappy with the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) for undertaking an optical fibre cutting drive in Bangalore, Karnataka. Because of the actions taken by BBMP, citizens of the city have to face outages and inconveniences. Mind that Bangalore is one of the most heavily populated cities of India and is also known as the IT Hub of the country. BBMP's move will handicap the internet service providers (ISPs) as well the telcos in providing seamless and consistent network services to people living in Bangalore. BBMP's Move Creating Panic and Unrest Amongst Telcos and Citizens of Bangalore The effects of the cutting of optical fibre in Bangalore is creating panic among telcos as well as the citizens of the city, said COAI in a statement. What's noteworthy here is that the fibre cut drive is being conducted without any prior notice or intimation to the telecoms service providers (TSPs). Areas where the fibre cutting activity is taking place, include Kaggadasapura; Yellankha zone, and Mahadevapura zone. Further, this move from BBMP is a huge blow to the Digital Bengaluru zone. It will impact essential services such as Point of Sale purchase applications at retail outlets and various government services in Bangalore. For the unaware, Karnataka has over 1,46,300 Base Transceiver Stations (BTSs) and 43,900 towers for supporting mobile internet and telephone communications. All the optical fibre cable (OFC) was laid after obtaining requisite permission from the concerned authorities and making necessary payments in accordance with the existing rules and regulations. COAI had requested BBMP to at least give a reasonable time period of six months to the member TSPs so that they could install overhead OFC underground. COAI had requested that the members TSPs should not be charged any additional fee for laying the overhead OFC underground. However, BBMP went ahead with its fibre cut drive in Bangalore in the key areas of the city, which is definitely going to affect telecom services negatively. The industry body has condemned the move from BBMP and has appealed to the authorities to not take any coercive steps which may impact the connectivity of the citizens living in the city.

Excitel to Give One Day of Free Internet With New SLA to Customers Posted: 03 Jan 2022 10:56 PM PST Excitel, one of the fastest-growing internet service providers (ISPs) in the country has just announced that it has updated its service level agreement (SLA) for strengthening the after-sales and customer service commitment. With the new update to its SLA, Excitel will give one day of free internet to customers if their connectivity or outage issues are not resolved for four or more hours. This announcement is in line with the company's commitment to resolving customer problems as soon as possible. Excitel Aiming to Resolve Any and All Problems Within Four Hours With the new announcement, Excitel has said that it is looking to resolve all the customer problems when it comes to connectivity within four hours. This is an excellent initiative that will give customers peace of mind as they won't have to live without strong and high-speed internet connectivity for long periods. If there's any instance where the company fails to resolve the service disruption issue within four hours, it will give the affected customers one full day of additional service. It is worth noting that this kind of SLA is not provided by any other broadband company in the country. Excitel already offers some of the most affordable broadband plans with no fair-usage-policy (FUP) limits on consumption of data in a month. Excitel Now Has 650k Subscribers Now Vivek Raina, co-founder and CEO, Excitel, said the company has seen exponential growth in the addition of subscribers and has over 650k users now. The internet service provider (ISP) is closing in on the million subscriber mark and also expanding services to new cities of the country. Excitel has also bumped up its broadband offerings with the inclusion of over-the-top (OTT) entertainment platforms. The 300 Mbps plan offers users OTT benefits if they purchase it for at least three months. Then there is the 100 Mbps plan that could be purchased by the users for at least three months on top of which a subscription to the OTT Entertainment 2.0 plan could be purchased for Rs 799 per month + taxes.

Starlink India Asked to Refund All Pre-Orders by DoT Posted: 03 Jan 2022 10:23 PM PST The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has asked Starlink India to refund all the pre-orders it has taken until now. Starlink reached out to the customers and asked them to claim their refund by signing in to their account and clicking on 'Cancel and Request Refund'. This is a big blow to the company and one that will certainly affect its business in India. The DoT and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) had already asked the company to stop taking pre-orders. But now, the company has also been asked to refund the pre-orders of the customers. Some Indian customers had paid for the pre-order in 2020 itself. Since there's no fixed timeline on when the services will arrive, DoT has asked Starlink India to refund the pre-orders. Starlink India Can't Take Pre-Orders Until It Gets License To provide services and even take pre-orders, Starlink India has been asked to get the necessary license first. "Unfortunately, the timeline for receiving licenses to operate is currently unknown, and there are several issues that must be resolved within licensing framework to allow us to operate Starlink in India," Starlink said. "Until that time, we have been directed by India's Department of Telecommunications to refund pre-orders until we are licensed," the SpaceX owned company added. Customers who are claiming a refund can do it anytime. Users just need to log in to their account and click on "Cancel and Request Refund'. The refund will be issued immediately and may take up to 10 days to reflect in the customer's account. Starlink is planning to apply for the commercial license by January 31, 2022, or before. If everything goes as planned, the company expects to launch commercial services as soon as April 2022. But there can be further delays, and one big thing that needs to be addressed is that there are no clear policies around satcom spectrum allocation yet.

What Has Led to Vodafone Idea Stock Rising More than 100% in Six Months Posted: 03 Jan 2022 08:52 PM PST Vodafone Idea's (Vi) stock has risen more than 100% comfortably over the last six months. The stock, once trading at Rs 4.55 a few months back, is trading at Rs 15.50 at the time of writing. Many in the market were expecting the telco to pack its business after continuous poor performance both in adding new customers and network coverage in India. But then, in September, an unprecedented thing happened. Vodafone Idea was saved by the government's decision to bail out private sector companies in the telecom industry. The government reduced the cash outflow burden from the telcos as well as returned their bank guarantees, and promised to take a part of the companies if they didn't want to pay the interest dues. 5G and Tariff Hike Played a Big Role Too Vodafone Idea also benefitted from the continuous developments in 5G. Investors mostly look for what the company is doing and where its stock is currently trading, and whether there's an upside or not. Since the telco has been unable to secure outside funding, the retail investors are mostly driving the stock of Vodafone Idea. Announcements related to 5G shifted the perspective of the investors in the market to a little positive towards Vodafone Idea. 5G is undoubtedly the future of the telecom industry, and it will interconnect a lot of industries. Then there were the prepaid tariff hikes that were announced by all the private telecom operators in November 2021. This would result in a higher average revenue per user (ARPU), ultimately resulting in more revenues for the companies. Vodafone Idea still has a lot of debt in its books. One thing that a retail investor needs to understand is, while there's an upside, there's an inherent risk as well. Regardless of how much help the telco gets from the market conditions, ultimately, it needs to convert that into good business performance and add in new 4G users along with deleveraging because 5G investments are going to require raising more debt.

Affordable Wi-Fi Routers in India Right Now Posted: 03 Jan 2022 08:19 PM PST In the current digital world, the internet is a necessity, and there is nothing much that can be done without it. Having said that, it is important to have an uninterrupted internet connection, especially if you are working from home or involved in online gaming. Mostly, the Wi-Fi routers that are provided by the ISPs are basic products lacking a significant range. Affordable Wi-Fi Routers In India If you want to buy an advanced and capable router, then you can get your hands on an affordable option out there that will enhance the network signal by extending the range of your home Wi-Fi. Here we have listed some affordable routers priced under Rs 2,000. TP-Link N300: Priced at Rs 1,079, the TP-Link N300 features support for internet speeds of up to 300 Mbps. The router features three 5bdi high gain antennas, IPv6 compatibility, Parental Control and Guest Network support. This TP-Link router is suitable for small and medium houses and has a Tether app support and an intuitive web interface for setup and controls. D-Link 4 Antenna Wireless N300: This D-Link router priced at Rs 1,999 features four antennas that will provide enhanced coverage. It offers multiple modes such as AP, Router, Client, Repeater, and WISP Repeater/Client. Mi Smart Router 4C: Another affordable router option is the Mi Smart Router 4C priced at Rs 999. It supports internet speeds of up to 300 Mbps and features four antennas and high performance. The router from Xiaomi comes with Mi Wi-Fi App and has parental controls as well. Tenda F3 Wireless Router: The wireless router from Tenda is priced at Rs 1,762 and features internet speeds of up to 300 Mbps. Also, the Tenda F3 Wireless Router comes with three antennas for good performance. TP-Link TTD-W8961N Wireless N300 ADSL2+: This is another affordable option from TP-Link priced at Rs 1,399. This router comes with two 5dBi omni-directional antennas. This router features a one-touch wireless security encryption feature with a WPS button and supports up to 300Mbps of internet speed. D-Link DIR-615: The D-Link DIR-615, priced at Rs 1,049, comes with WPA/WPA2 security and supports TP-069, VLAN, and IPv6, among other features. Also, it supports up to 300 Mbps speed and has two antennas.

OnePlus Might Introduce New Flagship With MediaTek Chipset Posted: 03 Jan 2022 06:53 PM PST In 2021, for the first time, OnePlus went ahead with a MediaTek chipset for one of its smartphones — Nord 2 5G. A thing worth noting here is that the Nord 2 isn't a flagship smartphone. It is a mid-ranger from the company, and thus the flagship smartphones from the company were still running on the Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets. This time around, the OnePlus 10 series might feature a device with a MediaTek chipset. OnePlus 10 series will be the company's flagship series in 2022 that is expected to launch around March. Which OnePlus Smartphone Will Feature MediaTek Chipset? The OnePlus smartphone that is expected to feature the MediaTek Chipset is the vanilla OnePlus 10. Again, the Chinese smartphone manufacturer is expected to launch at least two smartphones in 2022 in its flagship series — OnePlus 10 and OnePlus 10 Pro. There might be a OnePlus 10R as well. The OnePlus 10 is expected to feature the MediaTek chipset, so naturally, if there is a OnePlus 10R, it should also feature a MediaTek SoC, but nothing's confirmed yet. The OnePlus 10 might launch globally with the MediaTek Dimensity 9000 SoC. The Dimensity 9000 was announced by MediaTek in December 2021, and it is the company's flagship SoC for 2022. A popular tipster, Yogesh Brar, along with MySmartPrice, have indicated OnePlus is testing a smartphone with MediaTek Dimensity 9000 SoC. Further, one other very new thing that we might see with the OnePlus 10 series is the arrival of a unified OS from Oppo and OnePlus. The Dimensity 9000 SoC is a powerful chipset fabricated using the 4nm process. There's not a lot of time left for the OnePlus 10 series to launch globally. Again, it will be the first time that OnePlus will be launching a flagship smartphone with a MediaTek chipset. This might be because of the global chip shortage, or OnePlus might be getting the chipset at a lower cost from MediaTek.

All 4G Data Vouchers Offered by Jio, Airtel and Vi Posted: 03 Jan 2022 05:29 PM PST The use of the internet has grown exponentially in the country since the last six years as telecom operators in the country came up with affordable tariff plans. Users now have access to a variety of choices of prepaid plans that are affordable as well. The most commonly used plans are the daily data packs that not only provide unlimited calling but also offer a fixed amount of data each day till the validity of the plan. Users can choose from plans offering 1GB/day to up to 3GB/day. However, in many instances, the daily data limit might not be sufficient for users considering the need for the internet for almost everything from working to consuming content or anything else. For such users who are in need of additional data, the telcos of the country offer 4G data vouchers that provide additional data at a comparatively lower cost. Mentioned below are all the 4G data vouchers offered by the three telcos – Reliance Jio, Vodafone Idea and Airtel. Jio 4G Data Vouchers Reliance Jio offers two kinds of additional data packs. The first one is called 4G Data Vouchers that comes with the validity period just as the existing active plan or in simpler words the validity period of these vouchers are the same as the active daily data plan. Jio offers four 4G data vouchers – Rs 15, Rs 25, Rs 61 and Rs 121 that offer 1GB, 2GB, 6GB and 12GB of 4G data respectively. In addition to this, Jio also offers 'Work from Home' packs that also offer additional data and come with a validity period of 30 days. Users can purchase 'Work from Home' packs from the official website of the company at a price tag of Rs 181 which offers 30GB of data, at Rs 241 which offers 40GB of data and lastly Rs 301 that provides 50GB of 4G data. Vodafone Idea Data Packs Vodafone Idea or Vi is a prominent player in the market and also offers 4G data packs that come with varied validity periods and offer a wide range of additional data. The cheapest plan from Vi comes at Rs 19 that offers 1GB of data for a validity period of 24 hours and come in very handy for users in need of quick data packs. Vi also offers 2GB of data for 21 days at a price tag of Rs 48. Users can also get a total of 3GB of data for 28 days at just Rs 58. For a price tag of Rs 98 users can get a total of 9GB of data for a validity period of 21 days whereas, for Rs 118, users can get 12GB of data with a validity period of 28 days. In addition to this, Vi offers two work from home plans that offer considerably higher data. For Rs 298, users can get a total of 50GB of data for 28 days. Lastly, users can also get 100GB of total data at Rs 418 that comes with a validity period of 56 days. Airtel Additional Data Packs Just like the above two telcos, Airtel offers data packs as well, all of which have the validity period the same as the existing active packs. Moreover, some of the plans from Airtel comes with access to a few added benefits. To start off users can access the Rs 58 plan that offers 3GB of data. The next on the list is the Rs 98 plan that offers 5GB of data and comes with access to Wynk Music Premium. Rs 118 data pack from Airtel offers 12GB on the other hand. In addition to this, the Rs 108 plan from Airtel offers 6GB of total data but also gives access to the free trial of mobile edition Amazon Prime Video. For Rs 148, users can get 15GB of 4G data that also comes with the added benefit of the Xstream Mobile pack. Airtel also provides a data pack that offers higher 4G data. Rs 301 plan from Airtel gives access to 50GB of 4G data with added benefits of Wynk Music Premium.

Realme to Increase its 5G Smartphones Portfolio by Investing 90% of its R&D in 5G Technology Posted: 03 Jan 2022 08:24 AM PST Chinese smartphone manufacturer Realme is all set to introduce an out-and-out lineup of 5G devices in the year 2022. The report comes in as Realme CEO Madhav Sheth informed that the company is allocating about 90% of its resources for the development of 5G technology in its R&D department. As of now, Realme only offers 5G devices in the premium smartphone category and the majority of its devices are 4G enabled smartphones. However, the portfolio of the company will change with the smartphone manufacturer assigning 90% of its resources to the R&D department to develop 5G technology. Future of Realme in Indian 5G Smartphone Market CEO Madhav Sheth said in a statement that the company is going to invest millions of dollars in developing beautiful aesthetics of the Realme devices and the process of improving the performance on 5G smartphones. He said that the company wants to avoid bulky 5G devices and to ensure that the company has set up seven R&D plants in total including one in India. He further informed that the company aims to become one of the leading players in the 5G smartphone market in India. The rumours suggest that Realme might launch 5G handsets in India starting from the price tag of Rs 15000. The reason behind this pricing could be a substantial surge in the availability of budget 5G enabled chipsets in the market. Realme could launch its 5G smartphones with some of the popular budget chipsets available in the market such as Qualcomm's Snapdragon 480, 480 Plus and 690 5G as well as MediaTek Dimensity 700, 900, 920 and 810. To validate this information, Realme is already gearing up to launch its Realme 9 Series which will consist of Realme 9 and Realme 9 Pro. The spotting of the devices at multiple certification sites reveals that the devices will be powered by MediaTek Dimensity 810 and MediaTek Dimensity 920 chipsets. The rumours suggest that the devices will be 5G enabled and the launch is expected to be in the month of February. Realme 9 Series is expected to launch first in European markets followed by other regions such as India or China.

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