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Realme Overhauls Samsung in Smartphone Shipments in Q4 of 2021

Posted: 02 Feb 2022 06:30 AM PST

Smartphone Shipments in India

The latest research report suggests that Realme was able to take over Samsung to get to the second spot in the total smartphone shipments in India in the fourth quarter of 2021. The report comes in from Counterpoint Research according to which, Realme became the only brand in India's top five to witness growth in the final quarter and also managed to get to second place for the first time ever. All the other smartphone manufacturers witnessed a decline in shipment units.

Smartphone Shipment in India

The report informs that the country's smartphone shipment witnessed a growth of 11% year-over-year (YoY) basis reaching 169 million units in 2021. However, the overall smartphone shipments in the final quarter of 2021 registered an 8% decline YoY mainly due to the supply chain restrictions and component shortage issues. However, industry experts believe that situation will get better and things will turn to normalcy by the end of 2022.

Talking specifically about the brands, Xiaomi managed to retain its top position in the Indian smartphone market in 2021 with 2% YoY growth. The slower growth can be once again attributed to the component shortage. Xiaomi witnessed a growth of 258% in the premium segment which accounts for devices with price tags greater than Rs 30,000, all thanks to the company's Mi 11x series. Xiaomi is expected to focus on its premium segment devices in the future as well.

South Korean smartphone manufacturer Samsung stayed in second place, however, witnessed an 8% YoY decline in shipments. Many factors such as supply chain issues, lack of attention on entry-level smartphones, fewer smartphones available in the mid-segment led to the overall drop in the company's shipments. Samsung was on the top of the table when it came to 5G smartphones shipments in the fourth quarter of 2021 and the company also managed to lead the INR 20,000-INR 45,000 price segment with a 28% share.

Realme not only captured the second spot in the fourth quarter of 2021 for the first time but also managed to become the fastest-growing brand among the top five with 20% YoY growth. Realme chose to switch to the 'Unisoc' processor in order to face the challenges posed by the component shortage. The brand also witnessed high demand for its C series and Narzo series. The company also entered the premium segment with the newly launched 'GT series.'

Vivo and Oppo managed to secure the fourth and fifth in India with 2% and 6% YoY growth respectively in terms of smartphone shipments. Oppo was also the fastest-growing brand in the premium segment. Though Apple isn't on the top five list, it was one of the fastest-growing brands with 108% YoY growth in shipments and managed to retain it’s leading the premium category with 44% market share.

Asus ExpertBook B5 Flip OLED (B5302) Launched in India with 11th-Gen Intel Core-i7

Posted: 02 Feb 2022 05:13 AM PST

Asus ExpertBook B5 Flip OLED (B5302)

The consumer electronics company Asus has launched its Asus ExpertBook B5 Flip OLED (B5302) in India on Wednesday. The all-new laptop from the Taiwanese PC manufacturer comes with exciting features such as a 360-degree hinge design and an anti-glare HDR OLED display with touch support. Asus ExpertBook B5 Flip OLED is one of the premium offerings from the company and was initially launched in the US last year. Mentioned below are the pricing and specification details of the new Asus ExpertBook B5 Flip OLED.

Specifications of Asus ExpertBook B5 Flip OLED

The newly launched Asus ExpertBook B5 Flip OLED (B5302) operates on Windows 10 and can be updated to the new Windows 11. The laptop features a 13.3-inch full-HD (1,920×1,080 pixels) OLED display with a 16:9 aspect ratio and offers 400 nits of peak brightness as well as a 100% DCI-P3 colour gamut. Customers can choose from either Intel Core i5-1135G7 or Core i7-1165G7 for the processor on the device. The device also features Intel Xe graphics and up to 16GB of DDR4 RAM at 3200MHz frequency. Furthermore, the RAM is upgradable up to 48GB. The laptop also has two SSDs with up to 2TB of dual storage capacity.

The latest ExpertBook B5 Flip OLED comes with a MIL-STD 810H US military-grade build which the company claims will allow the laptop to survive extreme weather conditions. The device also features a full keyboard Asus NumberPad 2.0 LED-illuminated numeric keypad set above the touchpad. The device can be used in both tent and tablet modes using the hinge. Making the new ExpertBook B5 Flip OLED more unique, a 3DNR camera is installed which can reduce noise by up to 23% and offers good video quality in artificial and low-lighting conditions as well.

The latest laptop from Asus comes with a four-cell 66W battery that apparently offers up to 12 hours of battery life on a single charge. The device also features a fast charge, which according to the company can charge the device 0% to 60% in 39 minutes. Moreover, I/O ports on the new ExpertBook B5 Flip OLED include two Thunderbolt 4 as well as HDMI 2.0b ports.
Pricing and Availability

The newly launched Asus ExpertBook B5 Flip OLED (B5302) comes at a price tag of Rs 1,49,000 for the variant with an 11th-generation Intel Core-i7 processor and 16GB of RAM. The laptop has been made available for purchase starting from February 2, Wednesday and will be available at all the Asus Authorised Commercial PC Partners across the country.

How to Set Caller Tune in Vi in 2022

Posted: 02 Feb 2022 04:18 AM PST

Vi

Vodafone Idea (Vi), the third-largest telecom operator in the country, offers users an option to set caller tune on their own. Both prepaid and postpaid customers can learn how to set caller tune in Vi as the service is available for everyone. For those who don't understand, the caller tune is different from the ring tone. The ring tone is the music or the sound you hear when someone calls you, while the caller tune is the music that the person calling you hears before you pick up the call. Let's see how a prepaid or a postpaid customer of Vi or Vodafone Idea can set caller tune.

Vi Caller Tune Setting Process

Vodafone Idea has a dedicated mobile app called "Vi Callertunes" that is available for both iOS and Android users. With the app, it becomes very easy for Vi customers to search and select the song they want to use as their caller tune. One of the best things about this mobile application is that it supports multiple languages, including Tamil, English, Hindi, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, Odiya, Bengali, Bhojpuri, Marathi, Punjabi, and Bhojpuri.

Further, Vodafone Idea users also get the option to set a caller tune directly through the Vi mobile app or the Caller Tune online store.

Here are the steps that you need to follow for setting a caller tune in Vi in 2022.

a) Either download the telco's mobile app, Vi Callertunes app, or go to its dedicated online website for caller tunes. Login in by entering your mobile number and OTP (One Time Password).

b) You will get a list of caller tunes curated by Vi, which will include the trending tunes, latest releases, and more.

c) To check how a tune sounds, click on the 'Play Button'.

d) Once you have decided which tune you want, you can tap or click on the 'Set' button for checking the price that comes with it. Vi offers monthly, quarterly, and yearly plans to subscribers.

e) There are also free caller tunes that are provided by Vi, which will tell the callers whether you are busy in a meeting or travelling or more.

f) The money will be deducted from your main balance if you are a prepaid subscriber or will be charged on the monthly bill if you are a postpaid user.

Samsung Galaxy A53 5G Spotted at NBTC and FCC Certification Site

Posted: 02 Feb 2022 02:52 AM PST

Samsung Galaxy A53 5G

Samsung Galaxy A53 5G is going to be one of the next smartphones joining the portfolio of the company's A-series smartphones. There have already been multiple reports of the device being spotted at certifications sites which hints towards an impending launch of the device. It is rumoured that Samsung Galaxy A53 5G is going to be launched alongside Galaxy A73 and the speculated timeline for the launch is in the month of February or March. Now, the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G has been spotted at NBTC and FCC certification sites ahead of the launch, which has revealed some major specs of the handset.

Details on Samsung Galaxy A53 5G

The listings of Samsung Galaxy A53 5G on the NBTC and FCC certification sites has provided technical intel on the device. The handset is going to feature 5G, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth, and NFC. Moreover, the FCC listing suggests that the device will support 25W fast charging technology, and the charger will come with the box. It contradicts the previous spotting of the device at the 3C certifications site, which hinted at an upsetting 15W charging support for the device.

In addition to this, the device will be available in both single and dual SIM variants, and both have been spotted at certification sites as well. The dual SIM device featured the model number SM-A536E/DS, whereas the single SIM variant had the model number SM-A536E. The device was also previously spotted at BIS certification and Geekbench revealing multiple information of the specifications and features.

Samsung Galaxy A53 5G is expected to be powered by an Exynos 1200 SoC for the Indian version. Previous rumours have suggested that Samsung Galaxy A53 5G will have a similar design to its previous version Samsung Galaxy A52 which would mean that the former will come with a punch-hole display with a bezel-less design. It is also speculated that the device will come featuring an AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. The camera module of the device will feature a quadruple rear camera setup which could be headlined by a 48MP camera. The smartphone could also come with a 5000mAh battery and an in-display fingerprint scanner.

Lenovo Leads the Global Notebook PC Market in 2021 as the Market Witnesses 19% Growth in Volume

Posted: 02 Feb 2022 02:18 AM PST

Global Notebook PC Shipment

According to the latest report, Lenovo has emerged as the leading notebook PC seller in 2021 when it comes to annual shipments. The market gained 19% in terms of volume on a year-over-year basis. As per the report around 268 million units were shipped in the year 2021. The notebook PCs witnessed a huge surge in commercial demand during the fourth quarter of 2021, however, the market also witnessed a 1% decline on a year-over-year basis in the fourth quarter of 2021 as compared to the fourth quarter of 2020.

Global Notebook PC Market

The report comes in from Strategy Analytics according to which annual global notebook PC shipments in 2021 grew by a strong 19% because of the rising demand with the introduction of high-performance Windows 11 growth of DaaS (Device-as-a-Service) and huge holiday discounts for SMBs as well as consumers. According to the report, the manufacturers prioritized the production of notebook PCs to meet the hybrid demands of the consumers because of the ongoing pandemic. The report also warned about the supply chain restrictions as well as increased freight and production cost in the year 2022.

Talking about the performance of the manufacturing companies, in particular, Lenovo topped the leader board by shipping 16.2 million units in the fourth quarter of 2021. The company managed to get hold of 24% of the market share and witnessed a 9% negative growth. While in the whole year, Lenovo managed to ship about 63.4 million units and was able to register a growth of 16% on a year-over-year basis while having a 24% market share.

Another leading manufacturer, HP was able to get hold of the second position as the company's shipments reached 14.5 million units in the fourth quarter of 2021 and witnessed a negative growth of 4%. The company managed to ship 59 million units in 2021 and logged in 14% growth on a year-over-year basis with a 22% market share. Dell followed the suit by logging in a 14% growth in the fourth quarter as the company shipped 13.2 million units and had a 19% market share. Annually, the manufacturing company was able to ship 45.7 million units grabbing 17% of the market share and registering 29% annual growth.

One of the most prominent players in the market, Apple was able to get in fourth place with 6.6 million units shipped in the fourth quarter of 2021 registering an 11% growth and 10% market share. The company managed to ship 24.4 million units in the whole year with 26% growth and 9% market share. Consumer electronics manufacturer Acer was able to get on the fifth position in terms of shipment.

5G Ecosystem to Improve in India Ahead of Budget 2022 Announcements: Industry Experts, Analysts

Posted: 02 Feb 2022 01:09 AM PST

5G

On February 1, 2022, Nirmala Sitharaman, Finance Minister of India, made the union budget announcements for the coming financial year. Focusing on the telecom sector and 5G, the finance minister said that the government would come up with a production linked incentive (PLI) scheme for the manufacturing of 5G equipment as well as confirmed the 5G rollouts for FY23 with the spectrum auctions slated for CY2022.

Along with this, Sitharaman said that 5% of the annual collection from the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) would go towards helping with the proliferation of broadband in rural India.

Vishwakumara Kayargadde, Co-Founder and COO, Saankhya Labs, said the announcements from the finance minister would help with the rollout of 5G mobile services within FY23.

"We welcome the Finance Ministry's intent to launch a design-led manufacturing scheme that will help build a strong ecosystem for 5G in the country. In addition to this, the government's measures towards promoting a semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem will attract young talent and make the industry more efficient and competitive. This will further boost fabless companies such as ours and other MSMEs working in the deep tech space, helping them engage in product R&D and design," said Kayargadde.

Kayargadde added that the government's move to promote R&D and commercialisation of tech and solutions for enabling a faster broadband rollout in the rural areas of the country is laudable.

Edtech Players Will Appreciate the Government's Efforts for Faster Digitisation of India

Mahalakshmi Satish, Director, Prodigy Education India, said rising internet penetration across their three cities and towns because of the boost to the country's digital infra will be the necessary help in the direction of access and affordability that edtech requires.

TR Dua, Director General, Digital Infrastructure Providers Association (DIPA), said more job opportunities would be created as the usage of telecom services and digital infrastructure boosts in the rural areas.

At the same time, Dua was a little disappointed with the government excluding the budget recommendations for the amendment to make input tax credit available on telecom towers and increase the depreciation on batteries used by telecom infrastructure service providers and industries users so that 95% of the cost can be depreciated in the next three years.

Josh Foulger, Managing Director, Bharat FIH Ltd, said the demand for 5G smartphones would boost with the confirmation of 5G spectrum auctions in CY22 and will enable more customers to be a part of the next level of the digital economy.

Ankit Agarwal, MD, Sterlite Technologies (STL), said the government's decision on investing in digital infrastructure would be essential for building a robust digital economy.

Sabyasachi Majumdar, Senior Vice President & Group Head – Corporate Ratings, ICRA Limited, said, "the budget focused on increasing the digital penetration in the country by way of e-learning, digital health programmes and digital banking. This is likely to propel the usage of telecom services."

Lt. General Dr S P Kochhar, DG, Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), said the body is glad to see the government's focus on digital connectivity and announcement of the 5G spectrum in 2022 along with the PLI scheme for 5G equipment manufacturing and proliferation of broadband in rural India.

Kochhar added that COAI is a little disappointed to see some of the long-standing demands still being unaddressed by the government.

Netweb Has a Deep Understanding of Tech Used by Telcos: Sandeep Lodha

Posted: 02 Feb 2022 12:17 AM PST

Netweb

Netweb has been in the customised server business for more than 18 years. We understand that customisation can take care of – 1. Optimal requirement 2. Future upgrades and expansion, and 3. The costs. We do have to Make in India server products, and we are the first in India to do so, Sandeep Lodha, Co-founder, Netweb Technologies, told TelecomTalk.

1. How has the cloud been at the core of Telecom’s digital transformation, and how this sector is leveraging intelligent technologies like Artificial Intelligence, High-Performance Computing?

A Groundbreaking telecom revolution is coming with 5G; apart from a sea change in the radio side of the technology, there has been a tremendous change in the underlying technology to complement the scope. A major part of these technologies will benefit from cloud solutions on edge as well as the core.

5G itself is quite digitised with on-demand scaling; it will also be getting into the new use cases and customer bases. Soon the major source of revenue for Telecom will come from machine-generated data. For any meaningful analytics and insight, data is the most important component.

Hence AI workload will be a much-integrated technologies part of the 5G offering, which will need to be tackled at Edge as well as core and the base of Cloud-based technology with Microservices and other technology are just going to make this work.

2. What are your views on the announcements made for the technology sector in the Union Budget: 2022 – 23?

It is very good to see the Indian government focus on the rural areas of the country. This can accelerate the government’s earlier declared digital banks and overall enhance and enrich the rural economy. Digital banking and fintech spending by the government is going to enhance the financing and overall support the entrepreneurial spirit as well as benefit the IT sector to provide the required infrastructure.

Emphasis on 5G:

The government's announcement of 5G spectrum auction by 22- 23 was on the expected line. It is good to see the announcement of the PLI scheme for manufacturing; this will help in getting ready with Make in India products and solutions. We welcome the government commitment to R&D and formalising the same design-led by allocating 5% of Universal service obligation to this but will need to see when this can be effective on the ground. R & D has a cycle, and the sooner we get in, we can start rolling the products when the actual implementation starts.

3. What does Netweb Technology do and its USP?

Netweb supports Telecom in many ways. We do have our Make-in-India servers which can be used for building such cloud & AI Infrastructure. We have already been setting up telecom clouds for telecom companies worldwide, and hence those services are also available with us to do the same and integrate with the critical components required by the telecom companies.

We also do have a deep understanding of products and solutions on Microservices and their orchestration, as well as a good team of Data Scientists, to work on the AI use cases coming out in this segment. Our USP is that we have a deep understanding of all these pieces of technology, and we have got the deployment experience with the world top Telecom providers already; we can bring in all these pieces together for a successful journey of the companies.

4. How are Netweb’s servers more secure and affordable for domestic and international players?

Netweb has been in the customised server business for more than 18 years. We understand that customisation can take care of – 1. Optimal requirement 2. Future upgrades and expansion, and 3. The costs. We do have to Make in India server products, and we are the first in India to do so. By implementing a large-scale scientific computing infrastructure, the company creates indigenous compute and storage components to meet the growing demand in the domestic market.

5. Any new products/services that you are looking forward to launching this year?

We are working on some of the AI use cases and trying to productise them, and we will be launching them soon so as we have the 5G technology ready, they can be used for early adoption and to provide customers of the telecom companies to benefit from them.

6. How did you sail through the pandemic years while keeping the operational efficiency on a positive trajectory?

The first few months of the pandemic were those of uncertainty, but that time also made us sit and see the future workload more clearly and align ourselves more towards that. Pandemic actually did help us in many ways – 1 Requirement of computing and servers have actually not reduced, but it has accelerated. 2. Adoption of technology like Cloud, Microservices and its orchestration has been increasing 3. Many AI requirements and use cases are coming from the users.

BSNL to Get Billions of Dollars from Government, Does the Telco Deserve It?

Posted: 01 Feb 2022 11:38 PM PST

BSNL

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), the state-run telecom operator in India, is expected to get another big monetary help from the Government of India (GoI) in FY23. BSNL had already asked for help from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) for rolling out 4G and meeting capex demands.

Back in 2019, BSNL had received a Rs 70,000 crore monetary package from the government. It majorly went into the Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) for employees aged 50 and above. Now, almost two years after, BSNL wants more help from the DoT.

According to a PTI report, the GoI is planning to infuse around Rs 44,720 crore, which is more than $5 billion in FY23. This money would go towards the 4G spectrum, technology up-gradation, and restructuring in the state-run telecom operator. Some funds would again be allocated to the VRS. Further, BSNL would also be given Rs 3550 as a grant-in-aid for the payment of GST on the 4G spectrum.

This brings up an important question, does the telco need it?

BSNL Can Change 4G's Outlook in India

Right now, Indians have only three options to look at with 4G. All the private telcos have sort of similar tariffs now. With BSNL, there would be a fourth option available for the users. This fourth option would also bring in more affordable tariffs. While the quality of 4G networks might not be the same, it would still offer users a strong option to be the secondary SIM on their devices in urban cities.

One of the major reasons why BSNL's 4G needs to be successful is to ensure that people in rural and backward regions get access to mobile network services at more affordable rates. The private telcos can't look at rural regions as a good business because the return on investment would be really low.

However, the state-run telco exists to provide connectivity services to the people of India. Further, with BSNL's 4G, the load on the private telcos' networks would reduce as well, which would again allow consumers to get better services.

BSNL can also play the role of bringing indigenous network technology to India. The state-run telco is already working with the Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to roll out homegrown 4G. It can do the same with 5G in the foreseeable future.

In simple words, BSNL is too big a company to fail. Right now, the state-run telecom operator is working to ensure that its 4G networks are out as soon as possible. So, yes, BSNL needs the relief package. The state-run telco might not deserve it after so much of losses and really poor performance, but then it's not really the telco's fault at the end of the day. With BSNL, there have been a lot of interferences by many influential organisations, bodies, and at some level, the government, which has led to the current condition of the telco.

Vodafone Idea Share Price Surges by 10% on Wednesday

Posted: 01 Feb 2022 10:38 PM PST

Vodafone Idea

Vodafone Idea (Vi) investors have been on a rollercoaster ride for the last few months. Developments just keep on coming, be it positive or negative, and they keep affecting the telco's share price majorly. Vodafone Idea share price has surged by 10% on Wednesday morning as Care Ratings Limited (CARE) upgraded the telco's outlook to 'stable' in the long run.

At the time of writing, Vodafone Idea shares are trading at Rs 11.65, up by 8.88% from the previous close price of Rs 10.70. Vi stock has touched a high of Rs 11.95 so far, which is up by more than 10%.

Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea, and RIL Shares All in the Green on Wednesday

Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea (Vi), and Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), the parent company of Reliance Jio, are all trading in the green on Wednesday.

Bharti Airtel is trading at Rs 723.80, which is 0.10% in the green, and RIL shares are trading at Rs 2391.20, up by 0.53%.

All the telecom stocks are rallying ahead of the budget announcements by Nirmala Sitharaman, Finance Minister of India. Sitharaman announced that the Indian government would come up with a production linked incentive (PLI) scheme for the manufacturing of 5G equipment, and the 5G rollouts will also happen in FY23.

While Vodafone Idea's outlook has been turned to stable, there's still a lot of challenges that the company needs to address. The telco had announced that it would be converting its debt into equity for the government, and that is one of the big reasons why its rating has been turned into stable. While the company's future doesn't look too dim now, it had to pay a huge cost for the same. Because of the equity conversion, the government will be the largest shareholder in the telecom operator. Vodafone Idea has been losing subscribers heavily, and it needs to address the situation really fast.

5G Won’t Affect Aircraft in India Says IT Minister

Posted: 01 Feb 2022 09:07 PM PST

5G

After reading what is happening in the United States (U.S.), many people are worried about 5G affecting the aircraft equipment in India. But the doubts and air regarding this have been cleared by Ashwini Vaishnaw, communications and IT minister of the country. Vaishnaw has confirmed that 5G is not an issue for the Indian airline industry. The problems won't even come on aircraft from international airlines flying within India.

In the U.S., the aircraft have altimeters that utilises the spectrum that is near to what is being used for 5G services. However, in India, there's enough spectrum guard between the frequencies that will be used for C-band 5G and what is used by the altimeter inside the aircraft. Thus, no issues or interference should come in airline operations with 5G in India.

The altimeter is important aircraft equipment that is used for determining the height at which the plane is flying at. But speaking at a post-budget conference, Vaishnaw has confirmed that there will be no issues caused by 5G in the airline operations, reports ET Telecom.

5G Can Cause Troubles in the U.S., But Not in India

A few weeks back, Air India had cancelled all its flights to the U.S. because of the possible interferences that 5G would cause in its jets. In the United States, the spectrum that is used for 5G is very close to that is what is used by the aircraft altimeters. This is why interferences can come. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the telecom bodies in the U.S. are working together to carve out a permanent solution for this issue. There are already many countries that have rolled out 5G services and are operating flights without any issues at all.

There's still some time in the rollout of 5G networks in India. As confirmed by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the 5G spectrum auctions will take place in the calendar year 2022 and the rollout will happen in FY23.

Tata Teleservices Backs Out from Giving Equity to Govt

Posted: 01 Feb 2022 08:21 PM PST

Tata Teleservices

Tata Teleservices has announced that it won't be going ahead with its plan of giving equity to the government against the dues. This is because the company had wrongly analysed its dues to be Rs 850 crore. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) informed Tata Teleservices that its dues are only Rs 195.22 crore and not Rs 850 crore.

Thus, after getting to know the actual amount, the board of directors, in a meeting held on February 1, 2022, have expressed their desire of withdrawing the conversion of debt into equity and informed DoT of the same.

Tata Teleservices Would Have Had to Give Up 9.5% of the Company

For the total dues of Rs 850 crore wrongly assessed by the company, the government would have got approximately 9.5% equity. However, since the amount is much less, Tata Teleservices should be able to pay it instead of giving equity to the centre.

So the only private telecom company in the country that is giving equity to the government is Vodafone Idea (Vi) now. Vodafone Idea is giving up 35.8% of the company to the government, which is more than what each individual promoter would hold post the conversion.

For the unaware, the Indian government had given an option to the telecom companies that they can convert their outstanding dues into equity for the centre. Bharti Airtel had denied exercising this right, and the same was expected of Vodafone Idea. But on January 11, 2022, the third-largest telecom company in the country announced that it would be giving equity to the government.

Even though the Government of India (GoI) will hold the maximum shares of the company, Vodafone Idea won't become a public sector unit (PSU). The government has cleared its intention with the company and said that as soon as things stabilise, it will exit from the business by selling its shares back to the private sector.

How to Apply for BSNL Broadband Online

Posted: 01 Feb 2022 07:04 PM PST

How to Apply for Broadband

Amidst the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, most telecom service providers offer their services online. The subscribers can simply visit the service providers' website and apply online to avail of the services. The state-run service provider Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is no different. Incorporated in 2000, BSNL provides a wide range of services, from landline, mobile, broadband, FTTH services to data centre services. The company provides telecom services throughout the country.

The subscribers can avail of BSNL services through the BSNL UDAAN portal. Besides online, BSNL also offers subscribers the option to apply via text message. Let's check out how to apply for broadband service of the government-owned provider online and through SMS so that the installation services are offered at the doorsteps.

Apply for BSNL Broadband Online

To apply for BSNL Broadband Online, the customer has to visit BSNL Portal and fill out the online application form.

  • Visit www.selfcare.bsnl.co.in/tungsten/UI/facelets/udaanRegistrationPageBeforeLogin.xhtml for the login page.
  • Choose state and district from the respective dropdowns.
  • The portal will now list the available BSNL services in the chosen state and district under the head 'Service Type'. The customer has to select the desired service from the list shown (New landline, new landline & broadband, new broadband over existing landline, Bharat Fiber and new Bharat Air Fibre).
  • Fill the personal details in the respective field below (name, mobile number, email ID and landline number with STD code)
  • Fill in the address details, including locality, sub locality, etc.
  • Click Submit.
  • BSNL promises a standard call back within 48 hours once you submit the form for a new broadband connection. An executive will visit your place to collect the documents for BSNL broadband services.

Apply for BSNL Broadband Through SMS

Now, if you find submitting an online form tedious, BSNL provides an alternative – to apply through SMS. The codes differ for BSNL users and for the subscribers using other telecom connections.

  • To apply for broadband connection, a BSNL customer can text ‘BB*STD Code of your place’ to 54141 from the BSNL Number.
  • If you are from other service providers such as Airtel/Vodafone Idea/Reliance Jio/etc., text ‘BB*STD Code of your place’ from your mobile to 9400054141.

Most Affordable Postpaid Plans from Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea

Posted: 01 Feb 2022 05:37 PM PST

Affordable Postpaid Plans

The telecom operators in the country offer both prepaid plans and postpaid plans for their users across the country. While the prepaid plans help keep your budget in check, the postpaid plan comes with added benefits and bundled subscriptions one cannot overlook. However, the telcos also offer affordable postpaid plans that offer a good amount of data at cheaper price tags. Moreover, telcos offer postpaid plans for both individual users as well as family connections. Mentioned below are some of the most affordable postpaid plans offered by the three major telcos – Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea along with the pack details.

Reliance Jio Budget Postpaid Plans

The leading telecom operator Reliance Jio offers budget postpaid plans with some amazing added benefits. The most affordable offering from the telco comes at a price tag of Rs 199. Jio offers a total of 25GB of data at a cost of Rs 199 per month. After the completion of 25GB of data, users can get access to the internet at Rs 20 per GB. The plan also offers unlimited calls and 100 SMS/day. However, the most popular affordable plan from Jio comes at a price tag of Rs 399.

For Rs 399, Jio offers a total of 75GB of data per month after which users can access the internet at Rs 10/GB. The pack offers a data rollover of 200GB as well as unlimited voice calls and 100 SMS/day. In addition to this, despite being a low-cost plan, Jio offers multiple OTT subscriptions along with this plan. Users can get access to popular platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ Hotstar. The plan also comes with complimentary access to a few Jio applications.

Bharti Airtel Affordable Offer

Airtel postpaid plans are one of the country's most efficient networks and reach the remotest corner of India. Airtel offers 4G plans with a lot of amazing benefits. The cheapest plan offered by the telco is Infinity Family Plan 399. Airtel offers a postpaid plan at a price tag of Rs 399 per month which provides 40GB monthly data with rollover up to 200GB along with unlimited calls. The unlimited calls include local, STD and roaming.

In addition to this, users also get 100 SMS per day. Users only get 1 regular SIM along with this plan. Even though it is the cheapest postpaid plan from Airtel, the telco does offer some Airtel Thanks rewards with the plan. Users can get one year of access to Shaw academy along with Airtel X-stream App premium and Wynk as well as Juggernaut books.

Vodafone Idea Postpaid Plans

Vodafone Idea or Vi offers postpaid plans for both individual connections as well as family connections. First-time individual users can go for the affordable Rs 399 plan from Vi which is also a best seller. The plan offers 40GB of data a month with rollover data of 200GB as well as 100 SMS/month. Users also get access to Vi Movies and TV along with this plan.

In addition to this, Vi also offers family postpaid plans and the cheapest is Rs 699 plan which offers connections for two members. The plan offers a total of 80GB of data with 40GB for the primary connections as well as the secondary. Users can get up to 200GB of rollover data along with 3000 SMS/month. Along with unlimited local, STD and national roaming voice calls, the only additional benefit that comes along with this plan is access to Vi Movies and TV.

Redmi Note 11S and Redmi Smart Band Pro Price Details Surface Before the Launch in India

Posted: 01 Feb 2022 07:41 AM PST

Redmi Smart Band Pro Price

The Chinese consumer electronics brand Xiaomi has scheduled a launch event for February 9 where the company has officially confirmed the launch of four devices namely Redmi Note 11, Redmi Note 11S, Redmi Smart TV X43, and Redmi Smart Band Pro. The smartphones were launched globally last week and therefore details about the devices are known. Now just ahead of the launch, the price of one of the smartphones in India has been tipped along with the price of the Redmi Smart Band Pro.

Price Details for Redmi Note 11S

The report comes in from Xiaomi Central according to which, Redmi Note 11S will be launched in India with three storage variants. The device will be available in 6GB + 64GB, 6GB + 128GB and 8GB + 128GB RAM and internal storage variants which is expected to be priced at Rs 16,999, Rs 17,999 and Rs 19,999 respectively. These prices might actually be correct as it falls in the similar price range of the previous report which suggests a starting price of Rs 16,999 or Rs 17,499.

Price Details for Redmi Smart Band Pro

The leak also provides intel on the price of the upcoming Redmi Smart Band Pro. The fitness tracker is expected to be launched in India under the price tag of Rs 5,000. Precisely, the device is being speculated to arrive at an introductory offer price of Rs 2,999. The price of the fitness tracker sounds impressive due to the lack of wearables with a rectangular AMOLED display in the market that are available at this price segment.

Redmi Note 11S Specifications

As mentioned above, Redmi Note 11S has already been launched in the global markets last week. The Redmi Note 11S comes with a 6.4-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate with a punch-hole design. The display of the device also has a Corning Gorilla Glass for protection along with Eye-care mode, 1000nits peak brightness, and a punch-hole camera. The device is powered by a MediaTek Helio G96 chipset coupled with up to 6GB RAM and 128GB storage expandable via a microSD card.

Talking about the camera module of the device, the handset features a quad-camera setup on the rear headlined by a 108MP primary sensor, 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens, and a couple of 2MP sensors for portrait and macro shots. On the front, it features a 16MP selfie shooter. The device also operates on Android 11-based MIUI 13 custom skins out of the box and is backed by a 5000mAh battery with a 33W fast charge technology.

Realme 9 Pro+ Confirmed to Feature Heart Rate Monitor and AMOLED Display

Posted: 01 Feb 2022 07:10 AM PST

Realme 9 Pro+

The Chinese smartphone manufacturer is gearing up for the launch of Realme 9 Pro and 9 Pro+ smartphones after it launched Realme 9i last month expanding the series further. Even though there have been some rumours surrounding the devices, nothing has been officially confirmed by the company. However, Vice President of Realme, Madhav Sheth has confirmed a specific feature of the upcoming Realme 9 Pro+ via his Twitter account. Let's find out more.

Madhav Sheth took on his Twitter account to share that the Realme 9 Pro+ will come with a heart rate sensor to measure the pulse of users. The device will be the first from the company to support such a feature. The VP also shared a video on his handle which shows that the fingerprint scanner on the device will be used to measure the pulse rate. However, the company advises to not use the feature as a replacement for medical equipment. The Realme 9 Pro+ smartphone featuring an in-display fingerprint scanner has confirmed that the device will have an AMOLED display and the shared video reveals a punch hole in the top-left corner for the selfie camera.

Specifications for Realme 9 Pro+ (Expected)

Some rumours have emerged in the past about the upcoming Realme 9 Pro+ device. 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. Moreover, 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.

Handset Prices Might Not Witness a Drop Regardless of Concessions on Custom Duty

Posted: 01 Feb 2022 06:22 AM PST

Mobile Prices

The government has announced some concessions in custom duty on certain mobile phone components in spite of which it is very unlikely that the prices of the handsets will witness any major decline. According to the Industry experts, these concessions will instead provide the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) with a cushion allowing them to absorb other expenditures related to component shortage and supply chain issues.

The Changes in Basic Customs Duty and its Effects

According to Techarc founder Faisal Kawoosa, the decline in BCD or Basic Customs Duty on some particular components will provide OEMs with some cushion to counterbalance the rising prices of some of the major components such as chipsets and displays used in the handsets. Therefore, the handset prices might not actually have any impact and are likely to remain the same.

A government notification informs that the BCD rate on camera lens for use in the production of the camera module of cellular mobile phone is being dropped from 15%/10% to 2.5% which will be in effect from February 2, 2022. The notification further added that the BCD rate on particular parts of transformers for use in the production of chargers or adapters are being dropped down from 10%/15% to 5% also effective from February 2, 2022, and the concessional rate will be valid till March 3, 2024.

For those unaware, the telecom sector has been going through issues of supply chain and component shortage and the introduction of concession on component duties will ensure a boost to the manufacturing of the devices. The finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman in a statement said that in order to facilitate manufacturing of wearable devices, audio devices and electronic smart meters, concessions are being introduced on custom duty for the parts of the transformer of mobile phone chargers, camera lens used in the production of mobile phones and other similar items. She added that this will ensure high growth in the domestic manufacturing of electronic items.

According to the leading industry body, Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), the high customs duty was causing hindrances to the cost efficiency of the telecom companies in the country. The association estimated that about 85% of equipment related to telecom in the country is imported on which BCD of 20% is levied.

OnePlus 10 Pro May Not Feature OnePlus and OPPO’s New Unified OS

Posted: 01 Feb 2022 05:47 AM PST

OnePlus 10 Pro

Against the widespread speculation that the OnePlus 10 Pro will feature OnePlus and OPPO's new unified operating system (OS), a tipster reveals that the OnePlus 10 Pro will run on OxygenOS 12 custom skin out of the box.

OnePlus 10 Pro has already made its debut in China in January with ColorOS skin. Its arrival in other global markets is expected in March 2022.

OnePlus and OPPO's unified OS – merging OxygenOS with ColorOS — was first announced in September 2021. OnePlus claimed that the upcoming OS will be 'faster, smoother, reliable and feature-rich,’ and run on both OPPO and OnePlus phones. Once launched, all existing OnePlus smartphones are likely to get an update to the unified OS, probably in a phased manner.

The launch of the new OS was expected in January 2022. According to the information received from the popular tipster Yogesh Brar (91Mobiles first published the news), the launch of the new unified OS is delayed, forcing the company to launch with OxygenOS 12 custom skin.

There were reports earlier that the OnePlus 10 Pro has entered a private testing phase in India as well as in Europe, indicating that the launch is nearing in these markets. This OnePlus flagship phone was also spotted on various certification sites such as the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and Bluetooth SIG certification websites with the model number NE2211.

OnePlus 10 Pro Specifications

OnePlus 10 Pro, launched in China, comes with Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC paired with up to 12GB LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB UFS 3.1 storage. It flaunts a 6.7-inch fluid AMOLED LTPO 2.0 display with a 120z refresh rate. It also features corning gorilla glass and a punch-hole camera. There is a 32MP snapper on the front for selfies and video chats. In terms of rear camera, this OnePlus phone comes with a triple camera set-up, with a 48MP primary sensor, a 50MP secondary lens, and an 8MP third lens. OnePlus 10 Pro carries a 5,000mAh battery with 80W SuperVOOC wired fast charging, a 50W AirVOOC wireless charging, and reverse charging support. Regarding connectivity, the phone will come with support for NFC and Bluetooth Ver. 5.2.

Boat Immortal 700 Headphones Launched in India With 50mm Drivers at Rs 2,499

Posted: 01 Feb 2022 05:15 AM PST

Boat Immortal 700 Headphones

Indian consumer electronic brand Boat has launched its latest Boat Immortal 700 headphones in India. The newly launched device is the company's latest addition to its Immortal gaming audio series which consists of other headphones such as Immortal 1000D, Immortal 1300, and Immortal 200. The new Immortal 700 is the fourth headphone of the lineup and despite its affordable price tag, it offers adequate features. Mentioned below are the specification and pricing details of the device.

Specifications and Features

The newly launched Boat Immortal 700 headphones feature a huge 50mm audio driver that delivers powerful audio outputs. The device also comes with 7.1 virtual channel surround sound support necessary for audio clarity. The headphone has been designed keeping in mind the PC gamers and therefore, comes only with a USB connectivity option. The USB cable is a braided cable that offers extra durability.

The latest Immortal 700 headphones come with RGB LEDs that have five different modes. The device also features an in-line remote control that gives users access to control audio, mic, and RGB LED modes. In addition to this, the headphone also has comfortably padded ear mufflers which are claimed to be sweatproof and are suitable for long gaming sessions. To ensure good quality voice output, the gear sports an adjustable mic with ENx technology. Moreover, the Boat Plugin Labz application can also be used to customize the output sound.

Pricing and Availability

Boat is known for providing good quality affordable products and the latest addition to its portfolio doesn't disappoint. The newly launched Boat Immortal 700 headphones come at a price tag of Rs 2,499. The device has been launched in a single black and red colour combination option. The wearable is available for sale on the company's official website as well as the e-commerce platform – Amazon India. The gadget also offers a 1-year warranty claimable via the company's official website.

Tata Play Netflix Binge Combo Packs Under Rs 400

Posted: 01 Feb 2022 04:18 AM PST

Tata Play

Tata Play recently announced the Netflix Binge Combo packs. It is the only way you can get Netflix with your Binge subscription as well as a TV channel pack. If you are looking for very affordable Netflix Binge Combo packs under Rs 400, you have two options currently at your disposal which are available on the website of the Direct-to-Home (DTH) operator. While there are multiple Binge combo packs under Rs 400, there are only two which also bundle the Netflix subscription, let's take a look at them.

Tata Play 'New Kids TV Netflix Basic Combo'

The Tata Play 'New Kids TV Netflix Basic Combo' pack comes for Rs 389 per month. Note that the final amount would also include Network Capacity Fee (NCF) charges. The channel pack brings 26 SD channels for the users and curates the best of kids and news channels.

This channel pack bundles the Binge subscription for the users which will give them access to over 12 different over-the-top (OTT) platforms as well as a free Netflix subscription.

Tata Play 'New Kids TV HD Netflix Basic Combo'

This is yet another pack that is priced under Rs 400 and comes with a Netflix subscription. The Tata Play 'New Kids TV Netflix Basic Combo' is priced at Rs 399 per month. Here as well the NCF charges will be applied during the final bill. The speciality of this channel pack is that it also bundles two HD channels along with 24 SD channels. This Binge combo pack also brings the best of kids and news for the users.

There are a lot more Binge combo packs available on the website and the mobile app of Tata Play. If you are looking to get a Binge subscription, the Binge Combo pack is a better way to go about it as it will result in more savings for you. Remember that every Binge combo pack doesn't include a free Netflix subscription.

Redmi K50 Might Initially Arrive With Snapdragon 8 Gen1

Posted: 01 Feb 2022 03:00 AM PST

Redmi K50 Series

The Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi is preparing for the launch of the Redmi K50 series in China and there have been multiple reports in the past providing intel on the devices of the lineup. Xiaomi is expected to announce the Redmi K50 series in China this month and the lineup is expected to consist of Redmi K50, K50 Pro, K50 Pro+, and K50 Pro Gaming Edition handsets. Redmi is yet to finalize the date of the launch of the devices; however, an executive has provided some intel on the launch of a Redmi K50 series smartphone.

Details on the Devices – Launch and Specs

The General Manager of Redmi, Lu Weibing via Weibo a microblogging site confirmed the launch of a smartphone from the Redmi K50 series with a Snapdragon 8 Gen1 chipset. He further informed that other models of the Redmi K50 series featuring MediaTek Dimensity 9000 chipsets will be introduced later this year. He confirmed the arrival of models with Dimensity 9000 SoC while replying to a user on the platform. It was anticipated that Redmi K50 series smartphones powered by MediaTek Dimensity 9000 SoC will be launched in the month of February. As a matter of fact, the K50 series was expected to be the first to introduce the Dimensity 9000 chipset, however, it appears that the company has run into some issues which have resulted in the delay of the launch of the devices. As far as particular models are considered, Redmi K50 Pro+ is expected to arrive with Dimensity 9000 chipset while the gaming edition handset is likely to feature Snapdragon 8 Gen1 chipset.

Quite the reverse, some reports suggests that it will be the gaming edition model that will feature Dimensity 9000 chipset while the vanilla K50 smartphone will come with Dimensity 8000 chipset. Xiaomi hasn't confirmed anything officially as of now and it is better to wait than come to a conclusion.

Talking about some of the specifications of the series, the K50 series is expected to feature a 6.67-inch AMOLED display and all four handsets could arrive with a 120Hz refresh rate. Moreover, the gaming edition model has already been confirmed to be backed by a 4700mAh battery and support 120W fast charging out of the box. The devices are expected to operate on Android 12-based MIUI 13.

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