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• AGR Dues: PSUs and Private Firms Have No Difference in Eyes of TDSAT
• Jio, Airtel, Vi 2GB Daily Data Prepaid Plans Under Rs 500
• Realme, Redmi, OnePlus, Oppo Race to Introduce MediaTek Dimensity 8000 Series Chips
• COAI, GSMA Sign MoU for Advancement of Mobile Telecommunications in India
• STL, ASOCS and VMWare Collaborate to Launch 5G Enterprise Solution
• Redmi Note 11 Pro Series Price Details Leaked Ahead of the Launch
• BSNL Special Prepaid Plan Offers Will End on March 31, 2022
• HARMAN Partners with Microsoft to Offer Enhanced 5G and Connectivity Innovations
• Dizo Watch 2 Sports Launched With 150+ Watch Faces, 10-Day Battery Life and More
• 5G Smartphones in India: How Should You Select a Good One
• How Jio Data Loan Works
• Apple Event Poster Making Rounds Online is Probably Fake
• RailWire Silently Growing Fiber Broadband Business in India
• WhatsApp to Bring These Five Exciting Features Soon
• Huawei Confident for Business in Indian Market
• Vodafone Idea (Vi) Has Asked Govt for Close to $2 Billion in BGs
• BSNL, Jio, You broadband Plans With 150 Mbps Speed: Benefits and Price

AGR Dues: PSUs and Private Firms Have No Difference in Eyes of TDSAT Posted: 02 Mar 2022 07:01 PM PST The TDSAT (Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal) has decided that it won't look at the private companies and the public sector units (PSUs) in a different tone. Both the companies will have to be treated the same, and if there are any dues, both PSUs and the private companies will have to pay them. TDSAT said that it wouldn't treat any PSU differently from a private company. If any special exemption is to be provided to a PSU, then the same should be provided to the private companies too. According to a PTI report, TDSAT has ruled that the government cannot exempt the PSUs from paying adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues because they only get a small portion of their revenues from telecom services. The PSUs must be held liable to pay their share of AGR dues, if any, believes the telecom disputes appellate tribunal. DoT Says AGR Dues in Case of Mobile Operators Completely Different PSUs such as Railtel Corporation, PowerGrid, Noida Software Technology Parks, Delhi Metro, GAIL, Software Technology Parks of India, and more are required to pay AGR dues. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) said that AGR dues in the case of mobile operators are completely different. DoT argued that PSUs represent public funds and discharge governmental functions; thus, it is in the interest of the public that they are exempted from paying AGR dues. Further, DoT added that the revenues from telecom services form a very small part of these PSUs’ total revenues. However, TDSAT is firm in its view about not treating either of the companies differently. TDSAT said that to ensure a level playing field for everyone, every licensee holding similar licenses will be held liable to the same treatment. Thus, if the private companies have to pay AGR dues on their revenues if they are providing telecom services, the PSUs will have to do the same. TDSAT said there is no legal basis in giving exemptions to companies because they earn only a small part of their revenues from telecom services.

Jio, Airtel, Vi 2GB Daily Data Prepaid Plans Under Rs 500 Posted: 02 Mar 2022 05:39 PM PST Telecom operators in India provide a variety of prepaid plans for their subscribers to choose from. The most popular prepaid plan, however, remains the daily data packs offered by the telcos. The daily data packs have a wide range from high data expensive plans to low data-offering affordable plans. With a majority of the user base in India being budget-centric, the cheaper prepaid plans are always high in demand. Mentioned below are the 2GB daily data prepaid plans offered by Jio, Airtel and Vi that costs less than Rs 500 along with the pack details. Jio The cheapest 2GB/Day plan from Jio comes at a price tag of Rs 249. For Rs 249, Jio offers a prepaid plan that provides 2GB data per day for a validity period of 23 days. The plan comes with unlimited voice calls and 100 SMS per day. The next plan on the list from Jio costs Rs 299 and offers 2GB data per day for a validity period of 28 days along with unlimited voice calls and 100 SMS per day. Lastly, just under Rs 500, Jio offers one of its most popular prepaid plans. Jio offers a Rs 499 plan that comes with a validity period of 28 days and gives 2GB data per day until the validity period. The plan also offers unlimited voice calls and 100 SMS per day. Moreover, new users also get a subscription to Jio Prime Membership with the purchase of these plans. In addition to these benefits, the Rs 499 prepaid plan also comes with access to the Disney+ Hotstar OTT platform as well as a few Jio applications. Airtel Airtel provides multiple 2GB daily data plans, however, only two plans from the telco cost less than Rs 500. In fact, Rs 499 plan from the telco is similar to that of Jio. Airtel offers a 2GB/day plan at a price tag of Rs 499 plan that comes with a validity period of 28 days along with unlimited voice calls and 100 SMS/day. The plan also gives access to Disney+ Hotstar mobile along with a free trial of the Amazon Prime Video mobile edition. In addition to this, Airtel offers another prepaid plan that comes at a price tag of Rs 359 and provides 2GB data per day for a validity period of 28 days along with unlimited voice calls and 100 SMS per day. This plan as well offers a free trial of the Amazon Prime Video mobile edition. Vodafone Idea Vodafone Idea or Vi has several 2GB daily data plans in its portfolio, although only one costs less than Rs 500. The plan is actually identical to that of Airtel. Vi offers a prepaid plan that comes at a price tag of Rs 359 and provides 2GB data per day for a validity period of 28 days along with unlimited voice calls and 100 SMS per day. Vi also offers some added benefits with the plan such as the "Binge All Night" benefit with which users can binge through the internet with no limits during the time period of 12 midnight to 6 am. Additionally, Vi offers a "Weekend Roll Over" feature using which users can carry forward the unused daily data from Monday-Friday to Saturday and Sunday. Apart from this, Vi also offers up to 2GB of additional backup data every month along with access to Vi Movies and TV.

Realme, Redmi, OnePlus, Oppo Race to Introduce MediaTek Dimensity 8000 Series Chips Posted: 02 Mar 2022 08:11 AM PST The Taiwanese fabless semiconductor manufacturer MediaTek announced its latest Dimensity 8000 and Dimensity 8100 chipsets at the MWC 2022. Both the chipsets are being promoted as the flagships by the company and have been placed just below the company's most powerful MediaTek Dimensity 9000 chipset in the hierarchy. In just a day of the announcement of these processors, multiple smartphone manufacturers have announced to feature the new chipsets in their devices and apparently, the brands are on the move to be the first to feature the Dimensity 8000 series of chipsets. The Smartphone to Arrive with Dimensity 8000 Series Chipsets The Chinese smartphone manufacturer Realme has informed that its upcoming Realme Gt Neo 3 will feature the latest MediaTek Dimensity 8100 chipset which happens to be the more powerful processor among the two. On the other hand, Redmi's General Manager Lu Weibing has also announced the much-awaited Redmi K50 Pro will also be one of the first devices to feature the said chipset. Moreover, Oppo and Oppo backed OnePlus are also planning to launch smartphones powered by MediaTek’s Dimensity 8000 series chipsets. Talking about the devices expected to arrive with MediaTek Dimensity 8000 series chipsets, Realme GT Neo 3 is going to be launched as a successor handset of the Realme GT Neo 2. The device is also expected to feature the company's latest 150W Ultra Dart fast charging tech which was introduced recently. For those unaware, the 150W charging tech can charge the phone from 0 to 50% in just five minutes. Redmi K50 Pro, on the other hand, is going to be a part of the company's much-waited K50 lineup and has been in talks for a while now. The smartphone is expected to arrive in the latter half of this month and the brand has confirmed that the smartphone will be equipped with the MediaTek Dimensity 8100 chipset. Furthermore, OnePlus is also planning to launch a device with the MediaTek Dimensity 8100 chipset and the smartphone could actually be OnePlus Nord 3. OnePlus usually launches its major flagships with Snapdragon processors and hence, it is highly likely that the brand might introduce OnePlus Nord 3 with the latest MediaTek processor. Also, Oppo has revealed that its K10 series which is expected to be launched in the Q2 of 2022 will be feature one of the two newly launched chipsets from MediaTek.

COAI, GSMA Sign MoU for Advancement of Mobile Telecommunications in India Posted: 02 Mar 2022 07:08 AM PST The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), the Indian non-governmental industry body of telecom operators of India and GSMA have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to advance mobile telecommunications in India. Both the Industrial bodies announced their collaboration to the world on mutual interests on Wednesday. While COAI represents telecom, digital services and internet companies in India, GSMA is a global organisation unifying the mobile ecosystem to discover, develop and deliver innovation that brings about positive business environments and societal change. COAI and GSMA to Work Towards Mutual Interests The Director-General of COAI, Lt. Gen. Dr SP Kochhar along with Mr Julian Gorman, Head of APAC at GSMA signed the MoU. Both the entities will work together for their common objectives which includes supporting the advancement of world-class mobile infrastructure, products, and services as well as delivering the benefits of innovative and affordable mobile communication services to the people of India. The step has been taken in light of the growing need for robust mobile experiences as well as the availability of mobile broadband. Talking about the partnership, Director General of COAI, Lt. Gen. Dr SP Kochhar said in a statement that COAI is extremely excited to enter into this strategic partnership with GSMA. He said that the partnership will allow both the bodies to have a regular and continuous policy discussion which will help in advancing the mobile telecommunications contribution in India and consequently, will raise the profile of the mobile network operators. On the other hand, Mr Julian Gorman, Head of APAC at GSMA stated that the MoU reaffirms the long-standing partnership between GSMA and COAI. He said that it will help in achieving the Digital India vision as both the bodies will work together and leverage each of their advantages with joint advocacy. Gorman added that both COAI and GSMA will support the telecommunications market to deliver to the people of India a world-class mobile broadband ecosystem. As far as the commitments made by signing the MoU are considered, GSMA will be responsible for providing insights on "global event best practice" planning and execution whereas COAI will provide local intelligence on current and upcoming policy/regulatory issues and initiatives that may have implications for the mobile industry.

STL, ASOCS and VMWare Collaborate to Launch 5G Enterprise Solution Posted: 02 Mar 2022 06:26 AM PST The industry-leading integrator of digital networks, STL in partnership with ASOCS and VMWare announced the launch of the industry’s first end-to-end 5G Enterprise solution on Wednesday. The step has been taken to meet the growing demand for private 5G enterprise connectivity for the campus, industrial and venue applications. The said 5G enterprise will consist of Garuda, STL's O-RAN 5G indoor/outdoor small cells, CYRUS, Open Distributed Unit and Centralised Unit from ASOCS and VMware Edge Compute Stack. More on the 5G Enterprise Solution STL had also announced the launch of Firebird which is a path-breaking line of ORAN-based macro radios for dense and wide-area 5G coverage at the Mobile World Congress 2022 held in Barcelona. It is expected that the 5G enterprise network will have a market value of US $14 billion by 2028. These future-ready 5G networks will be enabled by open standards-based architectures and will be able to handle dense environments required for seamless indoor coverage. Moreover, STL's Garuda small cell radio is apt for small, medium and large enterprises as it is capable of supporting more than 30 concurrent user devices per radio. Talking about the ASOCS' CYRUS, it is a fully virtualized O-RAN CU/DU enterprise solution that can deliver standalone and 5G connectivity in a single software stack. VMware Edge Compute Stack, on the other hand, is an edge computing solution that enables to build, run, manage, and protect edge-native applications at the Near and Far Edge. ASOCS CEO, Gilad Garon said in a statement that the company's partnership with STL and VMware brings a strong end-to-end Private 5G enterprise network solution which is already being adopted in Smart Manufacturing and the digital transformation to Industry 4.0. On the other hand, the vice president of edge strategy at VMWare Munyeb Minhazuddin said that the company is delighted to associate with STL and ASOCS to bring the 5G enterprise networks solutions to provide compelling benefits to businesses. He stated that VMware Edge Compute Stack provides a purpose-built, integrated VM and container-based stack that enables organizations to deploy and secure edge-native apps at the far edge.

Redmi Note 11 Pro Series Price Details Leaked Ahead of the Launch Posted: 02 Mar 2022 05:13 AM PST The Chinese smartphone manufacturer Redmi is all set to launch its Redmi Note 11 Pro and Note 11 Pro+ 5G smartphones in India on March 9. While we have some intel on the specification of the devices, a new report has revealed price details of the smartphones ahead of the launch. The leak also reveals colour options and the sale date of the device. The devices have already been launched in global markets in January. Price Details for Redmi Note 11 Pro Series The report comes in from PassionateGeekz according to which the Indian variant of the Redmi Note 11 Pro will be priced at Rs 16,999 for the 6GB RAM + 128GB storage option whereas the 8GB RAM + 128GB internal storage variant will cost Rs 18,999. The colour options on the device will include Phantom White, Sky Blue, and Stealth Black. On the other hand, the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G device is said to have a price tag of Rs 21,999 for the base 6GB RAM + 128GB storage variant whereas the top-of-the-line 8GB RAM + 128GB storage model is said to costs Rs 23,999. The Note 11 Pro+ model will be available in Mirage Blue, Phantom white, and Stealth Black colour options. The report also suggests that the devices will go on sale starting March 15 and the company has already revealed the launch date for Redmi Note 11 Pro Series to be March 9. Redmi Note 11 Pro Series Specifications The Note 11 Pro Lineup consists of two different Pro models that are not only powered by different processors but surprisingly have different camera specifications as well. But firstly, talking about the display, both Pro models feature a large 6.67 FHD+ AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate along with 1200nits peak brightness, DCI-P3 colour gamut, and a 360Hz touch sampling rate. The devices also feature a Corning Gorilla Glass 5 for an added layer of protection. However, the 4G model of the Note 11 Pro will be powered by a MediaTek Helio G96 chipset while on the other hand, the Pro+ 5G model features the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 chipset. As far as the camera module of the device is considered, Redmi Note 11 Pro features a quad camera setup headlined by a 108MP primary sensor paired with an 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens and a couple of 2MP sensors. On the other hand, Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G comes with a triple rear camera setup consisting of a 108MP primary, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle, and a 2MP macro sensor.

BSNL Special Prepaid Plan Offers Will End on March 31, 2022 Posted: 02 Mar 2022 04:15 AM PST Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is offering a special offer to the users with its prepaid plans which will end on March 31, 2022. The offer is available on two prepaid plans, which are both in the slightly expensive end. Both the plans will come with additional days of validity. The plans that we are talking about come for Rs 2999 and Rs 2399. Let's take a look at the individual benefits of both these plans and see whether they are worth it or not. BSNL Rs 2999 Prepaid Plan With Additional Validity Under Offer BSNL is offering its Rs 2999 prepaid plan with an additional validity of 90 days. That's right, almost three months of free service will be provided to the user with the Rs 2999 prepaid plan if he/she recharges before the end of March 31, 2022. Usually, this plan offers 365 days of validity. But with the bundled 90 days of additional service, users will get 455 days of service. Further, with this plan, users get 3GB of daily data, unlimited voice calls, and 100 SMS/day. Let's jump to the Rs 2399 plan now. BSNL Rs 2399 Prepaid Plan With Additional Validity Under Offer BSNL's Rs 2399 prepaid plan also comes with 365 days of usual validity. However, under the special offer, which will be there till March 31, 2022, users will get 60 days of additional service with this plan. So the total validity that this plan will ship with is 425 days. Users get 2GB of daily data, 100 SMS/day, and unlimited voice calls with this plan. Both are pretty good offers, considering the benefits and comparing them with what the private operators offer for the same amount. However, there's one big difference between the services of the private operators and BSNL. It is of the 4G network availability, which BSNL doesn't have but is working with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT).

HARMAN Partners with Microsoft to Offer Enhanced 5G and Connectivity Innovations Posted: 02 Mar 2022 03:08 AM PST The Samsung Electronics subsidiary HARMAN has announced on Wednesday that its Digital Transformation Solutions (DTS) Unit has entered into a partnership with Microsoft that will now allow the former to integrate with Microsoft Azure private multi-access edge compute (PMEC). The integration is going to enable HARMAN to provide high-performance and ultra-low latency solutions by combining the network functions, applications, as well as edge, optimised services. This will help the entity to fulfil the demand for modern-day business needs of its enterprise customers. Benefits of the Integration The Senior Vice President and General Manager of Digital Transformation Solutions at HARMAN, David Owens said in a statement that technological advancement in 5G will generate important opportunities to fasten the process of innovation across multiple industries whether it is transportation, healthcare, education or manufacturing. It is to be noted that as a result of this integration, HARMAN will now be able to accelerate digital transformation solutions with private 5G networks. Owens further added that combining the deep knowledge and experience of HARMAN in the communications department with the Azure private MEC will now enable the provision of comprehensive solutions to the enterprises. The company informed that the success of the collaboration can already be witnessed at one of the largest US airports where the digital transformations solution has been enabled. The company further informed that with the help of HARMAN's expertise in application and integration services combined with Microsoft Azure private MEC, it has been able to convert the airport's manual cargo handling system to a process that is IoT enabled and far more effective and efficient. This has already resulted in tangible improvements in the airport when it comes to efficiency, optimization and the general handling of the cargo tracking system as the transformation has resulted in saving significant resources such as operational costs. According to a Microsoft executive, transportation hubs have been one of the primary entities to adopt emerging edge computing capabilities and private 5G connectivity allowing them to deliver innovative offerings that serve their operations teams, business customers and travellers.

Dizo Watch 2 Sports Launched With 150+ Watch Faces, 10-Day Battery Life and More Posted: 02 Mar 2022 02:15 AM PST Realme's subsidiary tech brand Dizo has launched a new smartwatch in India called Dizo Watch 2 Sports. The newly launched smartwatch has been launched as a successor to Dizo Watch 2. Dizo has launched its latest smartwatch with more than 110 preloaded sports modes and a TFT touch display that can be customised via more than 150 watch faces. Let's check out the features and pricing of the all-new Dizo Watch 2 Sports. Dizo Watch 2 Sports Features and Specs The latest addition to the portfolio of Dizo, the Watch 2 Sports comes with a 1.69-inch TFT touch display with 240x280pixels resolution that offers 600nits of peak brightness and also has an anti-fingerprint coating. The watch gives users an option to customize the display by selecting a watch face from over 150 different options. Moreover, the new Dizo Watch 2 Sports, as claimed by the company, weighs 20% lighter than its predecessor. Talking about the health and fitness features, Dizo Watch 2 Sports is equipped with more than 110 indoor and outdoor sports modes. The smartwatch can be connected to the Dizo App, using which users can check their GPS running route, workout reports sharing, and exercise reports. In addition to this, the smartwatch comes with multiple health monitoring features such as real-time heart rate monitoring, blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) monitoring, sleep tracking, menstrual period tracking, step counter, calorie tracker, water drinking reminder, and sedentary reminders. The smartwatch is equipped with a 260mAh battery as well as a smart power-saving which can make the watch last up to 10 days via a single charge. The watch can be completely charged from zero to 100 in 2 hours and has a standby time of 20 days. Further, the watch is connectable to Android 5.0 or higher and iOS 10.0 or higher devices. The watch also offers connectivity via Bluetooth v5 up to 10 metres range. Dizo Watch 2 Sports Price and Availability The new Dizo Watch 2 Sports has been launched in India at a retail price of Rs 2,499; however, the smartwatch will be available for sale via Flipkart for Rs 1,999 for a limited time offer. The smartwatch is available in six colour options – Classic Black, Dark Green, Golden Pink, Ocean Blue, Passion Red, and Silver Grey. The wearable will go on sale starting March 8.

5G Smartphones in India: How Should You Select a Good One Posted: 02 Mar 2022 01:07 AM PST 5G smartphones are the trend in the smartphone market of India today. Almost every customer going for a new device in the mid-range or the premium category wants a 5G device. Even the budget phone users want a 5G smartphone in their hand. Compared to a year ago, customers today have a ton of options at their disposal. 5G smartphone demand is growing, and every brand is launching multiple new 5G phones at regular intervals. So if you are an Indian and you want a good 5G smartphone, how will you select a good one? The answer to this is basic and very simple to understand. How to Determine if You are Buying a Good 5G Phone or Not Simply, the way you look for value in a 4G phone, do that with a 5G phone too. 5G phones have only one thing different from a 4G phone, and that is the support for 5G spectrum bands. Not to forget the chipsets. 5G phones also have chips that come with a 5G modem. First of all, look at the price of the device. Match it with your budget (the amount that you can afford). Don't overspend just for the sake of 5G. So know your budget firmly and then look for options. Look for the device which offers support for multiple 5G bands. The smartphone manufacturers list it on their website, or you can also ask a salesperson if you are buying it locally. Then look at whether the display is good enough or not. Almost any decent phone today has 90Hz refresh rate supported display. Check the maximum brightness it can support. If you are a performance geek, check the Geekbench scores for satisfaction. Ensure that you are going for a device with enough RAM as per your usage. Internal storage is also something that you need to consider. Go for a higher storage model if you are looking for a device for long-term use. Speakers do matter, but not that much as most people use earphones. Regardless, check the sound levels and quality for your satisfaction. The camera has become one of the biggest selling points for smartphone manufacturers. Thus, check the camera output by clicking pictures, recording videos at a local store if possible. Otherwise, check for camera samples in online reviews of smartphones. See how many years is the device slated to get Android and security updates. It is mostly two years for Android updates and three years for security updates. Then, also see how the battery is performing. Check online for reviews of the devices, and based on all this data, choose a device that fits your budget and satisfaction levels.

How Jio Data Loan Works Posted: 02 Mar 2022 12:14 AM PST Reliance Jio had earlier announced the 'Jio Emergency Data Voucher' facility. Using this facility, users can get data loans from the company. It is meant for users who don't have access to money to pay for purchasing data from the telco. There are many 4G data vouchers offered by Reliance Jio. If you are going to purchase one, you will have to pay for it upfront. But in case you need it desperately and don't have the money to pay for it, you can get it as Jio data loan under the Emergency Data Voucher facility from the company. The Jio data loan can be taken by going to the MyJio app, logging in with your Jio number, going on the top left menu, selecting Emergency Data Voucher under mobile services, and clicking on proceed. Then select the 'get emergency data' option and click on the 'activate now' button. Your emergency data will be activated. How Much Data Will I Get from Jio With the Data Loan Facility? You will get 2GB of data from Jio under the Jio data loan facility, and its pack value is Rs 25. You can pay this amount later to Jio from your MyJio account. All prepaid users are eligible to apply for the Jio data loan. How Do I Repay MyJio Data Loan? To repay the data, log in to your MyJio app and select 'Emergency Data Vouchers'. After this, click on the proceed button and select 'Pay' for emergency data voucher. Any outstanding amount that needs to be paid back to Jio will appear there, and you can make the payment by choosing any online method. Is Jio Data Loan Free? Obviously not! As mentioned above, the company charges Rs 25 for 2GB of emergency data, which is reasonable and is the same cost as the prepaid voucher of 2GB 4G data availed to the customers. What Happens If I Don't Pay Jio Data Loan? In case you fail to pay for the Jio data loan, the company won't offer it to you again until and unless you clear the past dues. Further, if the amount is not paid for a prolonged period, Jio has the right to take legal action against the customer.

Apple Event Poster Making Rounds Online is Probably Fake Posted: 01 Mar 2022 11:23 PM PST There's an Apple event poster that is making rounds online. Most likely, the poster is a fake one as nothing has been updated on the official website of Apple. For the last month, rumours have been flying around that Apple will hold its first event of 2022 on March 8. While the date is only a week far from today, nothing has officially been announced by Apple. Most likely, the company might not have any plans of holding an event right now. Many Twitter handles have been posting the fake image of the event invite probably made by a fan, and it has led to #AppleEvent trending on Twitter. Apple Expected to Launch Multiple Products in the First Event of 2022 The first event of Apple for 2022 should bring the iPhone SE 2022 to the market. The company has been reported to be working on a super affordable iPhone for the upcoming event. It is expected to be the most affordable iPhone ever. The iPhone SE 3 or iPhone SE 2022 is expected to run on A15 Bionic SoC with iOS 15 out of the box. The device is expected to retain the design of the previous generation of iPhone SE 2020. But along with this, Apple is also expected to launch other products during the event. If Apple is indeed planning an event, the invites for it should most likely arrive today. If it doesn't, that would mean there is no Apple event scheduled for March 8 after all. Regardless, from the upcoming event, whenever it may be, we can expect a new iPad Air, a new iPhone SE, and new Macs. Apple could launch a revamped MacBook Pro with an M2 chipset during the event. Nothing's been confirmed by the company officially, thus, take all of this information with a pinch of salt. Keep checking Apple's website for the invite for the event (if there is any).

RailWire Silently Growing Fiber Broadband Business in India Posted: 01 Mar 2022 10:34 PM PST RailWire, the fiber broadband arm of RailTel is silently and swiftly growing its fiber broadband business in India. RailWire is available in a lot of Indian cities now and is expanding business aggressively but without much marketing. However, according to a statement from the company, it has achieved the milestone of 1 lakh fiber broadband subscribers in the Tamil Nadu region. This is a great number for one internet service provider (ISP) in a particular state. But the interesting thing about this is that RailWire has grown its fiber broadband business in rural India as well. The company said that out of its achievement in Tamil Nadu, 50% of its customers live in the rural areas of the state. This is a positive sign. It also makes sense because RailTel is expanding its fiber infrastructure in rural and remote India as well to connect Railway stations with the internet. RailWire Helping Improve Lifestyle of People in Rural India The company said that the introduction of fiber broadband in rural areas is accelerating the digital progress of India and bringing technological advancement as well as improving the quality of life for people living in these areas, reported PTI. This will also help businesses online in growing their market size and bring easy and affordable solutions to common problems for people living in the rural and remote parts of Tamil Nadu. RailWire is also available in almost every state of the country and is trying to reach as many cities as possible. It has over 1650 partners in Tamil Nadu alone which is helping the company in building a customer base in Tier-3 cities. RailWire said that its fiber broadband services are available in 36 districts out of 37 in Tamil Nadu, which is a big achievement for the company. Despite the presence of JioFiber, Airtel Xstream Fiber, and BSNL Bharat Fibre, the fiber broadband subsidiary of RailTel is doing decent work in capturing the market and acquiring new customers.

WhatsApp to Bring These Five Exciting Features Soon Posted: 01 Mar 2022 09:07 PM PST WhatsApp has been rolling out new features, one after another, to keep its users happy and retain them for the long run. There's no bigger texting app than WhatsApp globally. This Meta owned social media platform is going to bring five very exciting features to its stable app for Android and iOS very soon. Even the desktop/web app is going to be updated and get the support of new security features. Here are the five features that we are talking about. WhatsApp Upcoming Five Features That Have Got Us Excited Feature number one — very soon, WhatsApp group admins will be able to delete the messages of other users for all users. Right now, be it admin or a normal user inside the app, he/she can only delete his/her own message for all users. But now, WhatsApp admins will be able to delete any message by any user for all users. This will bring better moderation of the content that goes inside a group. Feature number two — the web/desktop app of WhatsApp is getting support for 2-step verification. It will make your WhatsApp using experience more secure and offer you the peace of mind that no one will be able to log in on your WhatsApp account through a computer. Feature number three — WhatsApp users will soon be able to send reactions to particular messages like they do on Messenger and Instagram. This is a much-needed feature to make the communication more understandable between two or more people. Feature number four — WhatsApp is trying to bring more animated emojis for users. This is what Telegram already offers to its users. Thus, WhatsApp will not like to be left behind here. The company is already working on the feature. Feature number five — On a very interesting note, WhatsApp is working on something called Communities. This is a group chat feature. If you are confused, understand that this is a group chat feature within a group chat.

Huawei Confident for Business in Indian Market Posted: 01 Mar 2022 08:19 PM PST Huawei is confident in doing long-term business in India. The company has a long-term outlook towards the country and isn't perplexed or defeated looking at what's happening currently. For context, India is not allowing Chinese telecom vendors to become a part of the future infrastructure of connectivity. The government has communicated with the telcos to avoid awarding any new contracts to the Chinese telecom vendors such as Huawei and ZTE. This is because of the security threats. It is not just India, but many other countries are excluding Chinese telecom gear providers from their 5G and new 4G networks. This is all because of the alleged ties between Huawei and the Chinese government. Huawei has cleared its stance by saying that it doesn't reveal the data it has to any government organisation. Huawei to Cover India Under all Its Initiatives During a virtual roundtable at Barcelona, Jay Chen, Vice President, Huawei Asia Pacific, said India is a very big market with huge potential, and the company has a long-term strategy for the country, reports PTI. Chen added that Huawei is very confident about doing business in the Indian market as there is a huge requirement and space for growth and development in the country. It is worth noting that the Indian government didn't allow the telcos to partner with Chinese vendors for conducting their 5G trials. So there's no doubt that the telcos are not going to rollout 5G with Huawei or ZTE in India. At least for the initial phase of 5G, there would be no Chinese presence in India. The government is also very firm about its stance of 'Make in India' and is forcing Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) to use homegrown equipment for 4G rollout. Thus, it looks hard for Huawei to do big business in India for the foreseeable future as India looks to reduce dependence on the Chinese.

Vodafone Idea (Vi) Has Asked Govt for Close to $2 Billion in BGs Posted: 01 Mar 2022 06:49 PM PST Vodafone Idea (Vi), India's third-largest telecom operator, has asked the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) for releasing up to Rs 15,000 crore (approximately $2 billion) in bank guarantees (BGs) kept against the payment of adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues. Since the AGR dues have been deferred for the next four years, the need of maintaining bank guarantees right now is unnecessary, believes Vodafone Idea. According to an ET Telecom report, Vi has also asked the government to freeze October 24, 2019, as the date for freezing AGR dues. This is the same date of the Supreme Court judgement on the AGR dues case. Vodafone Idea Already Giving Govt Equity Vodafone Idea has provided the government with the security of converting dues into equity. The telco has thus asked DoT that it releases the BGs worth Rs 15,000 crore as it services no purpose right now. Vodafone Idea has communicated with the DoT that its potential investors are looking for these problems to be resolved before they can make up their minds to invest in the company. Vi would benefit a lot if the government decides to release Rs 15,000 crore of BGs kept against the AGR dues. It would give the telco more freedom during the 5G spectrum auctions, enable a higher capex level, and might also get some new investors interested. Vodafone Idea's (Vi) AGR dues were assessed to be Rs 58,254 crore by the DoT, and the telco has already paid Rs 7,854 crore out of the said amount. The telcos, including Vodafone Idea (Vi), don't need to pay the AGR dues right now because of the relief measures announced by the Indian government. The government said that the telcos could opt for a deferment in the payment of AGR as well as spectrum dues for the next four years. Vodafone Group Plc, the largest promoter of Vi, is also trying to infuse fresh capital in the telco by selling stake from Indus Towers.

BSNL, Jio, You broadband Plans With 150 Mbps Speed: Benefits and Price Posted: 01 Mar 2022 05:35 PM PST While the internet service providers or ISPs in India offer a variety of broadband plans, there are some plans that are sufficient to fulfil the majority of users' needs. One of the high-speed plans offered by the operators is the 150 Mbps plan that fulfils a majority of purposes such as e-learning, gaming, entertainment and more as well as provides seamless high-speed connectivity in multiple devices simultaneously. Mentioned below are the 150 Mbps broadband plans provided by some of the major ISPs in the country such as Jio, BSNL, You and more along with the plan details. Reliance Jio One of the leading ISPs in India, Jio offers a 150 Mbps broadband plan that comes with access to a few OTT Platforms. Being on the list of most reliable service providers in India, JioFiber offers a 150 Mbps internet speed data plan at the price of Rs 999 for a validity period of 30 days. The FUP limit set on this plan is 3300Gb or 3.3TB. Users get access to symmetrical upload and download speeds of 150 Mbps with this plan. The plan is listed as a popular plan on the website and offers subscriptions to 15 OTT platforms including yearlong access to Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar, Eros Now and more. BSNL The state-owned telco, BSNL via its Bharat Fibre connection as well offers a plan that comes with OTT benefits and provides 150 Mbps speed. SuperStar Premium Plus pack from BSNL offers 150 Mbps of speed at a monthly cost of Rs 999. The plan offers a 2000GB data limit beyond which the speed reduces to 10 Mbps. SuperStar Premium Plus pack from the telco comes with multiple OTT subscriptions which include Disney+ Hotstar, Lions Gate, Sony LIV and more. Moreover, users can also get a discount of 90% up to Rs 500 on their first month of rent. You Broadband A subsidiary of Vodafone Idea, You Broadband offers reliable connectivity across multiple cities in India as well. The service provider offers multiple plans for its users and the 150 Mbps speed plan comes at a price tag of Rs 944 for a period of 30 days. The ISP also offers the plan for different validity periods. Users can get the 150 Mbps broadband plan from You Broadband for a period of 95 days at Rs 2,832. For a validity period of 190 days, the plan costs Rs 5,664. Lastly, You Broadband offers the 150 Mbps plan with a 380 days validity at a price tag of Rs 11,328. It is to be noted that the mentioned plans are based on the city of Mumbai and varies across India. Moreover, the mentioned price tags from You Broadband are inclusive of taxes. ACT 150 Mbps Plan The Internet Service Provider based in Bengaluru; ACT as well provides a 150 Mbps unlimited data plan called ACT Blaze. Using state-of-the-art fibre technology, the connection provides incredible speed and equal upload and download speed. Users can get an ACT Blaze pack from the provider at a monthly cost of Rs 1,085. The FUP data limit levied is 1500GB post which the internet works at speed of 1 Mbps. Users can also get free trials to some of the Over-The-Top (OTT) platforms and various add-ons with this pack. These OTT platforms include Zee5, Sony Liv and more. It is to be noted that this plan is for the city of Bengaluru and it may vary across the country.

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