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• Nothing Launcher Now Supports All Devices Running Android 11 and Above
• TRAI Asks Government to Make a Decision on Auction of 28 GHz Spectrum Band
• Realme GT Neo3T Smartphone Name Confirmed Via NBTC Listing, Could Launch Soon
• Google Pixel 6a Might Not be the Powerhouse You Were Expecting it to Be
• Broadband – Ultimate 1 Gbps Plans For Work Places
• iPhone 12 Series Devices Available for Attractive Price – Check Out
• India Smartphone Shipments Registers Significant Decline in Q1 2022, Realme Shows Growth
• iQOO Neo6 SE Introduced With Snapdragon 870 Chipset, 120Hz Refresh Rate and More
• Telecom Department Might Remove License Fees for Fixed Broadband, IPTV Services
• Reliance Jio All 1.5GB/Day Prepaid Plans – Is It Worth For Budget Users
• OnePlus Nord 2T Geekbench Listing Confirms Dimensity 1300 SoC, 8GB RAM and More
• Vi Brings New Rs 82 Prepaid Plan With SonyLIV Subscription
• Reliance Jio Testing 5G VoNR With 5G Core Using 4G VoLTE Network
• iPhone 14 Max Might Feature 90Hz Refresh Rate Display
• Reliance Offering New Revenue Streams for Kirana Merchants
• Telecom Consumer Spends Has Finally Crossed Pre-Jio Levels: ICICI Securities
• Motorola Moto Edge 30 Arrives in India This Week – Here’s All You Need to Know
• Kerala Govt to Offer Free Internet to Select BPL Families: Report
• DoT Makes Positive Announcement for Satcom and Telecom Sector of India
• Jio, Airtel and Vi – See Which 3GB Daily Data Prepaid Plan is Right For You

Nothing Launcher Now Supports All Devices Running Android 11 and Above Posted: 10 May 2022 12:09 AM PDT Nothing, a fresh and exciting consumer electronics company, is all set to launch a new smartphone very soon. This will be the first smartphone from Nothing, and it will be interesting to see what the device will look like after all the promises from its founder Carl Pie. A few days back, Nothing launched the Nothing launcher for select smartphones. But now, this launcher will also be available for all users owning a smartphone running Android 11 and above. What's worth noting here is that Nothing's launcher app might give users an idea about what the UI of Nothing phones would look like, but the actual OS and its design might be completely different. Nothing Launcher Details and Should You Install It? What's Nothing really doing here is taking feedback from other Android device users about its launcher and its features. Note that the Nothing Launcher available on the Google Play Store is in its beta phase. This means that you might not get a very stable experience with it. The app's rating is 2.8, which is not an encouraging sign for the users to install it. At present, there isn't a lot on the launcher that can help you customise the look of your device. One of the reviews present on the Google Play Store says that it doesn't look any different than a regular stock Android launcher. This might be true for the final version as well. Carl Pie, who played a major role in the growth of OnePlus, understands that users love a clean UI and a little bit of stock Android experience. We will be testing the Nothing Launcher and will give you a detailed review of the same. The size of the application is 4.5MB which is fairly light and can be run on any device that has been updated to Android 11 and above. For now, it is better that you avoid installing the launcher on your device.

TRAI Asks Government to Make a Decision on Auction of 28 GHz Spectrum Band Posted: 09 May 2022 10:32 PM PDT The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has stated that the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) should make a decision on whether the frequencies in the 27.5-28.5 GHz band to be auctioned or allocated administratively. TRAI also added that the 5G airwaves reservation for state-run telco – BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd) could be decided soon. The comments from the sector regulator came in response to the telecom department's back reference on Monday. The Current Scenario The top decision-making body of the department Digital Communications Commission (DCC) a couple of weeks ago asked for the opinion of the sector regulator on the 28 GHz band sought by space broadband companies to allocate administratively. TRAI in response has stated that it is for the DoT to decide whether the frequency range 27.5-28.5 GHz is to be allocated/auctioned for IMT/5G. However, when TRAI released its recommendations for the auction of the 5G spectrum, it had stated that both terrestrial networks and satellite services can co-exist in the 28 GHz band with protection measures so that airwaves can be optimally utilised. TRAI has also said that any spectrum available should be put on sale in the upcoming auction. As far as the 24.25-28.5 GHz bandwidth is considered, the sector regulator said that it had put it on sale to avoid any delay in the rollout of the 5G network. TRAI has recommended that in 600 MHz (APT 600 Option B1), 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2300 MHz, 2500 MHz, 3300-3670 MHz and 24.25-28.5 GHz spectrum bands, every available spectrum should be put on auction that is going to take place in June. As far as BSNL and MTNL are considered, TRAI stated that the reservation of the spectrum for the state-owned telcos should be decided by the telecom department. For that unaware, last month TRAI recommended a base price of Rs 317 crore a unit for airwaves in the premium 3.3-3.67 GHz band which is about 36% less than its previous recommendations back in 2018. The price for the 700 MHz band has also been reduced by 70% bringing it down to Rs 3,297 crore. The government plans to auction more than 100,000 MHz of airwaves valued at about Rs 5 lakh crore in June and expects to roll out 5G networks in August.

Realme GT Neo3T Smartphone Name Confirmed Via NBTC Listing, Could Launch Soon Posted: 09 May 2022 09:29 PM PDT The popular Chinese smartphone maker Realme is apparently working on a new smartphone called the Realme GT Neo3T. The moniker of the smartphone has been confirmed via a listing in the database of Thailand's NBTC certification site. The Realme GT Neo3T will come as a successor to the Realme GT Neo2T which was launched last year with MediaTek Dimensity 1200 chipset. The details of the upcoming smartphone from Realme have surfaced via the listing spotted by a tipster. Let's find out. The popular tipster Mukul Sharma was the first to spot the NBTC certification of the Realme GT Neo3T. The information on the certification site reveals that the Realme phone with the RMX3371 model number will be debuting with the Realme GT Neo 3T name. The device has also been previously spotted at known certification sites such as BIS (India) and TKDN (Indonesia). This could mean that the launch of the device is impending and we might soon be getting a launch date. Let's take a look at everything we know so far about Realme GT Neo3T. Realme GT Neo3T Specifications (Expected) The previous listing of the smartphone at the BIS certification site revealed no specs related information. However, the NBTC certification has confirmed that the device will be 5G enabled. Another listing shows that the Realme GT Neo3T will arrive with a 6.5-inch display but it is yet to be discovered whether it will be an LCD or AMOLED screen. It is also expected that the smartphone will come with 256GB of internal storage. As far as the camera specs of the device are concerned, the device was spotted in the Camera-V5 database according to which, it will arrive with a 64MP primary camera on the back panel and a 16MP selfie snapper at the front. Other specification details of the device such as processors and battery are yet to surface. Talking about its predecessor, the Realme GT Neo2T – it arrived with a 6.43-inch AMOLED FHD+ 120Hz display with an in-screen fingerprint scanner. The device also features a triple camera setup on the back headlined by a 64MP primary camera. The smartphone was powered by Dimesnity 1200 chipset and was backed by a 4,500mAh battery with 65W charging.

Google Pixel 6a Might Not be the Powerhouse You Were Expecting it to Be Posted: 09 May 2022 09:04 PM PDT Google is expected to launch its next budget Pixel smartphone very soon in multiple markets across the world. The device that we are talking about is obviously Pixel 6a. The Pixel 6 series was launched back in 2021 and it was the first to bring the Android 12 to the market. Pixel 6 series devices are flagships which host a lot of power. But the Pixel 6a might not be the kind of powerhouse you were expecting it to be. There were multiple reports recently that hinted at the specifications of the Pixel 6a. But the thing is, according to a new leak from the popular tipster @shadow_leak on Twitter, the device will not be that powerful. Google Pixel 6a Specifications and Launch Period Hinted According to the tipster, the Google Pixel 6a might feature a 6.2-inch FHD+ OLED display with support for 90Hz refresh rate. The earlier reports had said that the device might come with a 120Hz refresh rate display. However, we will again see the Tensor chip inside, which should be a comfort for many. The device could come with up to 6GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 128GB of internal storage. There might be a 4500mAh battery inside the device with support for 25W fast-charging. In the camera department, the device could come with a dual-camera setup at the rear with two 12MP sensors from Sony and one 8MP sensor at the front for selfies and video calling. The device will obviously run-on Android 12 out of the box. The launch date of the smartphone isn't out yet. However, it is expected to be announced at the Google I/O 2022 annual developers conference. Hopefully, for Pixel fans in India, Google launches the Pixel 6a for the Indian market. The Pixel 6 series never made it to India officially as Google doesn't consider India as a market for its flagship devices.

Broadband – Ultimate 1 Gbps Plans For Work Places Posted: 09 May 2022 06:31 PM PDT The most high-end plan a service provider can offer in India is the 1 Gbps broadband plan. The super-high-speed broadband plans offer exceedingly fast connection seamlessly across multiple devices and are suitable for places such as offices or any enterprise which requires multiple devices to be connected to the internet at once. Mentioned in the article are some of the ultimate 1 Gbps broadband plans offered by popular service providers along with the pack details. Jio Offers These Two Plans When it comes to 1 Gbps plans JioFiber offers two plans with different data limits. The first plan offered by JioFiber comes at a price tag of Rs 3,999 per month (30 days) and offers 1 Gbps of internet speed with a FUP data limit of 3.3TB or 3300GB. The other 1 Gbps plan from JioFiber comes at a cost of Rs 8,499 for a validity period of 30 days and offers 6600GB of total data. Both of these plans offer unlimited calling and an equal upload and download speed set at 1 Gbps. In addition to this Jio offers a ton of OTT subscriptions which include access to Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar and thirteen others. The Amazon Prime Video that comes bundled with this plan has a validity period of one year. It is to be noted that the prices of these plans are excluding GST and it will be charged as applicable. Users can access these plans from the official website of Reliance Jio. 1 Gbps Plans From ACT The Internet Service Provider based in Bengaluru provides a 1000 Mbps unlimited data plan called the 'ACT GIGA' pack. Using state-of-the-art fibre technology, the connection provides incredible speed and equal upload and download speed. Users can get the ACT GIGA pack from the provider at a monthly cost of Rs 5,999. No FUP data is levied on the plan and users can enjoy truly unlimited data with this plan from ACT. The 1 Gbps plan from ACT also offers access to multiple OTT platforms including a free trial to Zee5, Sony Liv, ACT TV 4K and more. ACT also offers multiple office plans with varied data limits that are also available on the company's website. The telco offers ACT Enterprises plans namely 'Exceptional Plus', 'Phenomenal Plus', and 'Giga Plus' that offer 1 Gbps of internet speed with 3.6TB, 5TB and 10TB monthly data limits respectively. Exceptional Plus plan comes at a price tag of Rs 9,000 a month, Phenomenal Plus for Rs 12,000 a month and Giga Plus for Rs 15,000 a month. Airtel's Infinity Plan Airtel offers a 1Gbps unlimited data plan as well which is called the Infinity plan. Users can get the Airtel Xstream Fiber connection to access the 'Infinity' plan. The plan offers 1Gbps of high-speed internet data at a cost of Rs 3,999 for a month. The FUP data for all unlimited plans is 3500GB or 3.5TB. The price of the plan is excluding GST and it may be charged as applicable. It is to be kept in mind that this plan is for the city of Delhi and plans may slightly vary across various cities. The plan also comes with a subscription to some of the major OTT platforms in India such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ Hotstar along with access to Wynk Music. The FTTH technology of Airtel is capable of connecting up to 60 devices at once and provides high-speed downloads.

iPhone 12 Series Devices Available for Attractive Price – Check Out Posted: 09 May 2022 09:28 AM PDT The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini smartphones are currently available at attractive price tags on two of the most prominent e-commerce platforms – Amazon and Flipkart. The discount offered on the devices depends on the storage and colour options and varies accordingly. Moreover, users can also get bank and exchange offers on iPhone 12 models. Although, some of the colour variants and certain storage options of the Apple iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Mini are unavailable on both Amazon and Flipkart. Let's find out more. The Offers on iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini iPhone 12 with 64GB internal storage and black colour option is currently available for a discount of Rs 11,910 from its MRP of Rs 65,000 on Amazon India. The Blue and White colour options of the same model currently have a discount offer of Rs 11,000 whereas the red colour option is available for a discount of Rs 9,910. Lastly, the green and purple colour options of the same storage variant can be purchased for a discount of Rs 8,910. On the other hand, iPhone 12 with 128GB internal storage is currently available at a discount of Rs 11,000 on the MRP of Rs 70,900 on Amazon. The iPhone 12 with 256GB storage is available at a discounted price of Rs. 26,901 from the MRP of Rs 94,900. Moreover, users can also get a discount of up to Rs 11,650 upon exchange and up to Rs 2,000 off on a Bank of Baroda credit card. Talking about Flipkart, the e-commerce platform is currently offering iPhone 12 with 64GB internal storage at a discount of Rs 10,910 from an MRP of Rs 65,900 for all colour options. For the iPhone 12 with 128GB storage, the platform is providing a discount of Rs 9,910 from an MRP of Rs 70,900 for all colour variants. The 256GB model of the iPhone 12 is currently unavailable. In addition to these, the iPhone 12 Mini with 64GB storage and in Black, Blue, Red, and White colour options are available for a discount of Rs 9,901 from an MRP of Rs 59,900. Interested buyers can also get iPhone 12 Mini with the 256GB internal storage option at a discount of Rs 9,901 from an MRP of Rs 74,900.

India Smartphone Shipments Registers Significant Decline in Q1 2022, Realme Shows Growth Posted: 09 May 2022 08:08 AM PDT The smartphone shipment in the Indian market has witnessed a decline for the third consecutive quarter. According to a report, there was a 5% year-on-year decline in shipment in the first quarter of 2022. Xiaomi managed to maintain its first position in the market whereas Realme was the only brand which witnessed an increase in its shipments in the quarter. The major reason behind the plunge is probably the Covid outbreak which resulted in supply constraints for the smartphones. The Indian Smartphone Market The report comes in from the market research firm International Data Corporation (IDC) according to which smartphone shipments in the country dropped to 37 million units in the first quarter. Even though the shipment and the market share for Xiaomi dropped, it still managed to be at the top position. The brand witnessed an 18% year-on-year decline in the first quarter of 2022. South Korean smartphone manufacturer Samsung stayed in second place, however, witnessed a 5% YoY decline in shipments. Samsung was on the top of the table when it came to 5G smartphone shipments in the first quarter of 2022 because of its Galaxy M32 5G and Galaxy A22 5G smartphones. Realme continued to show the growth it has witnessed in the last quarter of 2021 as it captured the third spot in the Indian markets. The brand was able to register a growth of 46% year on year. Realme also had the lowest average selling price among the top players of just about $ 142 or Rs 11,000. Moreover, when it comes to market share, Realme was in second place and only behind Xiaomi with 23% of the market share. The popular Chinese smartphone maker Vivo managed to stay at the fourth spot as it witnessed a 17% decline year-on-year in its shipments. However, with the introduction of its new T-series and iQOO phones, the brand expects growth in its shipments. Oppo, on the other hand, registered a 25% decline in the first quarter despite once being the biggest subsidiary of BBK Electronics and the parent company of Realme.

iQOO Neo6 SE Introduced With Snapdragon 870 Chipset, 120Hz Refresh Rate and More Posted: 09 May 2022 07:25 AM PDT The popular smartphone maker Vivo's sub-brand – iQOO has launched its new iQOO Neo6 SE smartphone in the Chinese market. The latest smartphone from iQOO comes with a number of exciting specs and features including a Qualcomm chipset, triple cameras on the back, 120Hz refresh rate and more. The newly launched smartphone is the latest addition to the Neo 6 series of the gaming-focused brand iQOO. Let's take a look at the specifications and price details of the new iQOO Neo6 SE. iQOO Neo6 SE Specifications iQOO Neo6 SE has been launched with a 6.62-inch FHD+ E4 AMOLED display with 1300nits peak brightness and 120Hz refresh rate. The display panel of the device supports HDR10+ and an astonishing 1200Hz touch sampling rate while gaming. As far as the design goes, the smartphone comes with a punch-hole on the top centre for the selfie camera and thin bezels. It has a flat design on the back with a matte texture finish. iQOO Neo6 SE is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 chipset coupled with up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage. To prevent the device from heating, the brand has installed a liquid cooling system. iQOO Neo6 SE runs on Android 12 based OriginOS Ocean. The device is backed by a 4700mAh with support for 80W charging technology. The battery can be charged completely in 30 minutes as claimed by the brand. a 64-megapixel main camera with optical image stabilization For the camera part, iQOO Neo6 SE comes with a triple rear camera setup headlined by a 64MP main camera with optical image stabilization along with a 12MP ultra-wide camera and a 2MP depth sensor. The front of the device features a 16MP selfie snapper. The cameras on the back come with an AI multi-frame fusion noise reduction algorithm enabling amazing results in low-light conditions. iQOO Neo6 SE Price iQOO Neo6 SE has been launched in three storage options – 8GB +128GB, 8GB +256GB and 12GB + 256GB. The starting variant of the device has been priced at 1,999 Yuan which is roughly about Rs 23,000. The latest smartphone from the brand comes in Orange, Gradient Blue, and Gradient Green colour options.

Telecom Department Might Remove License Fees for Fixed Broadband, IPTV Services Posted: 09 May 2022 06:48 AM PDT The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has proposed the removal of licensee fees (LFs) from the fixed-line broadband internet services, including the IPTV service. The development has been reported by ET Telecom, quoting sources that the telecom department is looking to provide a 10-year relief to the fixed-line broadband internet services along with the IPTV service. The final decision on the matter will be taken by the Digital Communications Commission (DCC) in a meeting scheduled for May 12, 2022. This will be a big step towards the proliferation of fixed broadband internet services in the rural and backward areas of the country. It will give Internet Service Providers (ISPs) a lot of legroom for faster investment into expanding services throughout the country and be more profitable. Will DCC Side with the Proposal of DoT The decision from DCC hasn't arrived yet, so there is no confirmation whether this will happen or not. At this stage, it is just a proposal from the DoT! But DCC's decision will be something that the entire fixed-broadband internet service industry would be looking out for. Currently, the ISPs have to pay a licensee fee of 8% on their adjusted gross revenue (AGR), both for wireless and wireline services. If the DCC sides with the proposal from DoT, it would mean that the fixed-line broadband ISPs will not need to pay 8% LF on their AGR. This should also affect the profitability of both Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, who run two of the largest FTTH service brands in India, namely, JioFiber and Airtel Xstream Fiber. Note that the LF removal has only been proposed for the fixed-broadband service providers. Wireless service providers will continue to pay LF on their AGR. The government of India is trying to expand the reach of fiber connectivity across the country through its national broadband mission. This decision for DCC should be easy in light of that, given that it will only promote the reach of connectivity across India at a faster rate.

Reliance Jio All 1.5GB/Day Prepaid Plans – Is It Worth For Budget Users Posted: 09 May 2022 05:44 AM PDT The leading telecom operator of the country – Reliance Jio recently added a few new 1.5GB daily data prepaid plans expanding its portfolio even further. The newly added plans include the ones that come with Disney+ Hotstar subscriptions. 1.5GB daily data plans are most suitable for budget users who are looking for a moderate amount of data at reasonable price tags. Let's take a look at all the 1.5GB daily data packs offered by Reliance Jio to determine whether it is worth the money or not. 1.5GB/Day Plans The cheapest from Jio comes at a price tag of Rs 119 which offers 1.5GB data per day for a very short validity of 14 days. Jio offers another 1.5GB/day plan for a 23-day validity period at a price tag of Rs 199. The next two plans on the list are also short validity plans. Jio offers a 1.5GB/day pack for Rs 239 with a validity period of 28 days. The other pack comes with a validity period of a 1-month which has been made mandatory for all the telcos. For one month, Jio offers 1.5GB data per day at a price tag of Rs 259. The next plan on the list is a mid-term plan that offers 1.5GB data per day at Rs 479. The validity period of this pack is 56 days. Jio offers another plan with 56-day validity but there's a difference. For Rs 583, Jio offers 1.5GB/day with an added subscription to the Disney+ Hotstar OTT platform. Apart from these, the telco offers two long-term plans. The first long-term plan comes at a price tag of Rs 666 and is one of the trending plans on the company's website. For Rs 666, users get 1.5GB data per day for a validity period of 84 days. The other plan also comes with an 84-day validity period but offers a Disney+ Hotstar subscription along with 1.5GB data per day. The cost of this plan is Rs 783. Lastly, Jio offers an annual plan which comes at a price tag of Rs 2,545 and offers 1.5GB data per day for 336 days. It is to be noted that the Disney+ Hotstar Mobile subscription is worth ?149 for a period of three months. All the mentioned plans come with unlimited voice calls and 100 SMS/day.

OnePlus Nord 2T Geekbench Listing Confirms Dimensity 1300 SoC, 8GB RAM and More Posted: 09 May 2022 04:16 AM PDT The Chinese smartphone manufacturer, OnePlus, is soon going to launch its OnePlus Nord 2T smartphone globally. The specification and design details of the new smartphone joining the Nord series have emerged online as it was spotted on the Geekbench benchmarking site. The Nord 2T handset is arriving with a MediaTek Dimensity 1300 chipset, making it the first device to feature the chipset in global markets. The Dimensity 1300 chipset comes as a successor to the Dimensity 1200 SoC, which was featured in Nord 2T. Let's take a look at the specification and features of the upcoming OnePlus Nord 2T. OnePlus Nord 2T Specifications and Features The Geekbench listing of the OnePlus Nord 2T smartphone shows that the device comes with the model number CPH2399. The listing has confirmed that the smartphone will be powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 1300 chipset. The processor is built on the 6nm process, and Nord 2T will be the first smartphone to feature in India. As far as the performance of the device is considered, Nord 2T scored 474 and 2933 in Geekbench's single-core and multi-core tests. The processor on the device will be coupled with 8GB of RAM, as seen in the listing, and the handset will operate on Android 12 with Oxygen OS 12 on top. Previous reports have informed that the device is most likely going to be backed by a 4500mAh battery with support for 80W fast charging. The smartphone is expected to feature 128GB of internal storage. OnePlus Nord 2T is expected to launch with a 6.43-inch display with a Full HD+ resolution which was also available in the previous version. The device has an AMOLED display and comes with a hole-punch cutout at the top left corner of the screen housing the selfie camera. The display of the device supports a 90Hz refresh rate. As far as the camera specifications are considered, the device features a triple rear camera setup headlined by a 50MP Sony IMX766 main camera sensor with support for OIS. The secondary cameras include an 8MP ultrawide camera and a 2MP monochrome sensor. The front of the smartphone will come with a 32MP selfie camera.

Vi Brings New Rs 82 Prepaid Plan With SonyLIV Subscription Posted: 09 May 2022 04:09 AM PDT Vodafone Idea, India's third-largest telecom operator, has just announced the arrival of a new prepaid plan for its customers. Vodafone Idea (Vi) has partnered with SonyLIV and launched a new plan worth Rs 82 which will come with the benefit of SonyLIV Premium. The Rs 82 plan is not a regular unlimited benefits prepaid plan but a data only voucher which will be offered to the consumers with a short validity of 14 days only. Let's take a look at the complete benefits of this plan. Vodafone Idea Rs 82 Prepaid Plan Benefits Vodafone Idea (Vi) is offering its Rs 82 prepaid plan with a total of 4GB of data. This means that each GB of data will cost users Rs 20.5, which is not too expensive given the fact that it will also offer a major OTT (Over-the-top) benefit. As mentioned above, the total validity of this plan is 14 days only. So, all the unused data after the end of the first 14 days will expire. However, the SonyLIV Premium will be available for users for 28 days. SonyLIV Premium will give users access to the complete library of content on the platform. There are some very popular titles, such as Scam 1992 – The Harshad Mehta Story, and more. SonyLIV is also known for streaming some popular Hindi television shows such as The Kapil Sharma Show and more. Then users also get to see live sports that are being broadcasted by the Sony-owned channels. Some of the cricket series that India or some other nation plays are available on SonyLIV. Further, there will be a selection of international entertainment TV shows and movies that users can enjoy via a subscription to the SonyLIV Premium. Note that users can also purchase the subscription of SonyLIV Premium outside Vi's plans as well by going to the official website of SonyLIV or by downloading its mobile app.

Reliance Jio Testing 5G VoNR With 5G Core Using 4G VoLTE Network Posted: 09 May 2022 02:52 AM PDT Reliance Jio, India's largest telecom operator, is now testing the interoperability between the 5G VoNR and 4G VoLTE. Aayush Bhatnagar, Senior Vice President, Reliance Jio, said in a LinkedIn post that Jio has upgraded its 4G VoLTE network and has integrated 5G core for testing 5G VoNR with 4G VoLTE. Bhatnagar said that the trial would include testing seamless interoperability between the devices that are 4G voice and video-capable with the devices which support enhanced 5G voice and video and are connected to a 5G network. Reliance Jio Working in the Background to Offer Multiple 5G Services to Enterprises Apart from the consumer demand, Jio will also be working to fulfil the demands of enterprises. The telco is already looking to offer 5G-as-a-service to industries and enterprises, said an ET Telecom report. To offer 5G services to the enterprises, Jio will leverage Jio 5G Hyperlite Stack, which is an indigenously built 5G solution/technology. According to the publication's report, Jio is also working to develop a 5G network slicing platform (NSP) which will allow the telco to offer Network Slicing-as-a-service. It is worth noting that while Jio is conducting these tests using its own technology, it won't be shy to look at third-party technology if need be. Mathew Oommen had told the publication that the company is focused on building the right platforms for its 5G services and is open to using technology built by a third-party company as well. 5G is not very far from India now. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is expected to conduct the 5G spectrum auctions around July – August 2022, and users can expect commercial 5G networks to be rolled out within a period of three to four months post the conclusion of the spectrum auctions. The price cut recommendations weren't too enthusiastic from the regulatory body, and thus it will be interesting to see how much will the telcos spend in the upcoming auctions.

iPhone 14 Max Might Feature 90Hz Refresh Rate Display Posted: 09 May 2022 02:10 AM PDT Apple's iPhone 14 Max would be an interesting smartphone to watch later in the year. Now, while Apple hasn't confirmed the launch of the device, all the rumours and whispers give a strong indication that there will be no mini but Max devices in the iPhone 14 series. The iPhone 14 Max is supposed to be the larger variant of the vanilla iPhone 14 and could be as large as the iPhone 14 Pro Max (which is likely to be as large as the iPhone 13 Pro Max). Let's take a look at the specifications of the iPhone 14 Max that we might get to see on the actual device. iPhone 14 Max Specifications (Leaked) The iPhone 14 Max is expected to come with a 6.68-inch flexible OLED display with support for 90Hz refresh rate. It would be interesting to see whether the vanilla iPhone 14 also comes with 90Hz refresh rate display. This would be the first time that Apple will introduce a smartphone with support for 90Hz refresh rate. Note that the iPhone 13 Pro devices were the first ones to get support for 120Hz refresh rate. The leaks have been shared by @shadow_leak on Twitter. The fellow tipster has also shared that the iPhone 14 Max might come with the A15 Bionic instead of the A16 Bionic. The A15 Bionic was introduced with the iPhone 13 series. Maybe this is a way for Apple to distinguish between the Pro and the non-pro models, but then, you don't really need to worry about using the A15 Bionic powered iPhone 14 as the chipset is more than powerful enough to handle almost any task that an iPhone demands. What will be interesting to watch is whether Apple reserves some of the features for the A16 Bionic powered iPhones. For example, the iPhone 13 series only gets the support for Cinematic Video as only A15 Bionic powered devices can support the feature. The iPhone 14 series is expected to go live in September 2022.

Reliance Offering New Revenue Streams for Kirana Merchants Posted: 09 May 2022 12:58 AM PDT Reliance Retail has brought a new revenue stream for the small and micro Kirana Merchants to grow faster in their journey. The company is installing small TV screens in the Kirana stores which is an innovative way for the merchants to earn extra money and the brands to showcase their products to consumers. With these small TVs, brands can advertise their products by paying a certain fee to the merchants. Every customer that's walking into the store can see the advertorials of the brand. These brands could be both local and national. Reliance Retail Is Building and Enhancing Fulfilment Facilities For meeting the increasing demand from the network of merchants which are being onboarded aggressively, Reliance Retail is building and enhancing its fulfilment facilities, partner acquisition capacity, delivery fleet, and other supporting infrastructure. This will help the company in catering to the millions of kiranas around the country. Reliance Retail has also brought merchants access to working capital by partnering with multiple credit and payment platforms with which the merchants can request required capital without any collateral. Further, the Kirana partners are able to sell more via the new commerce model which brings their end consumers access to digitised coupons which can be redeemed by the users at particular kirana stores. Since these offers are brought to the end consumers by Reliance Retail, the merchants/kiranas don't have to pay for the incentive from their pocket meaning their margins remain intact but sales grow. Reliance Retail's new commerce model has also helped the company in growing its chemist channel segment. Note that in the last quarter alone, the pharma segment's new commerce operations scaled up to 1,900 cities and the merchant base was up 2x quarter on quarter. Kiranas are also able to access a comprehensive digital platform for ordering their supplies, acceptance of digital payments, managing inventory, and more with the help of Reliance Retail.

Telecom Consumer Spends Has Finally Crossed Pre-Jio Levels: ICICI Securities Posted: 08 May 2022 11:43 PM PDT The consumer spends on mobile services has finally crossed the pre-Jio levels in Q3 FY22. The previous high was in Q1 FY17. The total consumer spends during the quarter post-GST rose 4.2% QoQ and 8% YoY to Rs 420 billion, said ICICI Securities taking data from the TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) report. The rise in consumer spends will be attributed a little to the prepaid tariff hikes introduced by the private telecom operators in December 2021. Prepaid net revenues rose 3.1% QoQ and 10.8% YoY as ARPU (average revenue per user) rose 5.7% QoQ and 13.7% YoY to Rs 108. Postpaid revenues also jumped 15.7% QoQ and 20.9% YoY on rising subscriber (sub) base. 4G Subscriber Base Dipped During the Quarter During Q3 FY22, the 4G subscriber base dipped overall because of the inactive user base clearance of Reliance Jio. Bharti Airtel's subscriber market share improved by 26.3% while Jio's market share fell to 55.9% (down 90bps). Fixed broadband subscribers grew during the quarter by 8.6% and 4.1 YoY (net add 2.1 million). The numbers were driven by the growth in FTTH subscribers and the decline in DSL subscribers. The telecom operators will be happy looking at the data as they want the consumers to spend more. The data for Q4 FY22 should be even better as the complete effect of the tariff hikes came during the last quarter. This is in line with the telcos' strategy of raising the tariffs to increase ARPU. The more the telcos earn, the more stable the sector will become. This will make the telecom sector of India an ideal ground for investors to dump their money for growth. Almost after five years, the figures for consumer spends on mobile services have gone past the pre-Jio numbers. This is a positive development for the sector and the operators who will be pushing the tariffs up even further to cover more ground for making fresh investments.

Motorola Moto Edge 30 Arrives in India This Week – Here’s All You Need to Know Posted: 08 May 2022 10:05 PM PDT The Lenovo backed smartphone manufacturer Motorola is all set to introduce its Moto Edge 30 smartphone in India this week. The company has previously announced that the smartphone will be launched on May 12 and has advertised it as the "world's thinnest 5G smartphone." It is expected that Motorola Moto Edge 30 will be a mid-premium smartphone and is going to be the same as its global version when it comes to the specifications. Let's take a look at the specifications, pricing and other details related to Moto Edge 30 which is arriving this week. Motorola Moto Edge 30 Specs Motorola Moto Edge 30 will come with a 6.5-inch FHD+ display with HDR10+ and a 144Hz refresh rate. The device has a centrally placed punch-hole design housing the selfie camera. Edge 30 is powered by a Snapdragon 778G+ SoC which is an enhanced variant of the well-known Snapdragon 778 chipset. The processor on the device is paired with up to 8GB of LPDDR4x RAM and 128GB or 256GB of storage. The smartphone operates on Android 12 Based My UX out of the box which provides a near-stock Android experience. One notable downside of the smartphone is its smaller battery of just 4020mAh which supports 33W fast charging tech. The battery of the device has been sacrificed because of its super-thin design. As far as the camera module is considered, Motorola Moto Edge 30 comes with a triple rear camera setup headlined by a 50MP primary lens with OIS and all-pixel focus. The device has another 50MP sensor for its ultra-wide camera with 118° FOV which can also be used as a macro camera and a 2MP depth sensor. On the front, there is a 32MP selfie camera. Other features on the smartphone include dual-sim 5G (sub-6 GHz), Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, and a USB-C port. Moreover, the 3.5 mm headphone jack is absent on the smartphone and it comes with IP52 dust and water resistance rating. Motorola Moto Edge 30 Price Motorola Moto Edge 30 is expected to launch in India with a price mark somewhere between Rs 30,000 – Rs 40,000. The company is yet to officially reveal the price details of the device. However, it has been confirmed that the smartphone will be available for sale via Flipkart, Reliance Digital and leading retail outlets in India.

Kerala Govt to Offer Free Internet to Select BPL Families: Report Posted: 08 May 2022 09:18 PM PDT The Kerala government is gearing up to provide select BPL families with free internet service by the end of May in all assembly segments. The free internet would be offered under the government's ambitious plan of providing free internet service to over 20 lakh (2 million) families. This project was launched by the Pinarayi Vijayan government in 2017 and was named Kerala Optical Fibre Network (K-FON). According to a TNN report, the project is overseen by the Kerala State IT Infrastructure Ltd and the body has already invited expression of interest (EoI) from the local internet service providers (ISPs) who can provide last mile internet connectivity to the users. Initially, the Project Would Target a Less Number of Families Santhosh Babu, the head of the K-FON project said that initially, only 100 families from each of the assembly constituencies would be focused on. The number of families getting free internet would be scalped up with time. Babu emphasised the development that the government has almost reached its goal of offering high-speed internet services in over 30,000 government institutions. As per the plans of the project, the government will be offering 1.5GB of data free to select families every day with a speed of 10 Mbps to 15 Mbps. Tenders for the project have already been floated to identify which local internet service providers (ISPs) can do the job. The plan of the state government is to offer this free internet to select families by the end of May 2022. So there's not much time left, and the local ISPs need to be identified fast if the government wants to stay on track with its plans. In the first phase of the project, the government will be identifying around 500 families to get internet service free of cost. This will definitely help with boosting the economy and awareness in the state. Families who can't afford internet connectivity will not be able to explore the world of connectivity and opportunities with the help of the state government.

DoT Makes Positive Announcement for Satcom and Telecom Sector of India Posted: 08 May 2022 07:58 PM PDT Amidst the ongoing battle between the telecom sector and the satellite communications (satcom) sector, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has announced a new rule that will favour both sectors. The rule says that the telecom service providers will not have to pay network operation and control centre (NOCC) charges which are levied on the use of space segments for satellite broadband, telephony, etc. The DoT introduced the NOCC regime in 2003. Under the regime, DoT charged Rs 21 lakh per transponder every year for 36 MHz of spectrum on a pro-rata basis. In addition to this, the Indian government also charged Rs 6,000 for every trial of antenna that was used for transmitting and receiving signals. According to a recent notification from DoT, none of the DoT licensees is required to pay NOCC charges for use of space segment for commercial and captive VSAT services, NLD (National Long Distance), GMPCS (satellite phone service), and more. This is a positive development for both sectors as it would encourage the telecom service providers (TSPs) for leveraging the satcom technology more along with boosting the growth and presence of the satcom in the country. OneWeb, Starlink Eye India Launch OneWeb and Starlink, two of the major satcom companies, are eyeing the launch of commercial services in India. Both the companies have been competing on a global stage, but in India, OneWeb seems to have taken the lead. Bharti Backed OneWeb has already secured licenses from the DoT; however, Starlink is yet to receive them. SpaceX owned Starlink faced major problems with selling pre-booking connections in the country without first getting a license. The company was directed by the government to stop taking any new bookings in addition to refunding the money taken from Indian customers. This was a big blow to the company's plans to launch satellite broadband services in the country. However, Starlink has said that it will still continue to try to launch services in India as fast as possible.

Jio, Airtel and Vi – See Which 3GB Daily Data Prepaid Plan is Right For You Posted: 08 May 2022 06:32 PM PDT The telecom operators in India offer a variety of daily data prepaid plans for their subscribers, however, the maximum amount of data offered in a day is 3GB. The 3GB daily data packs are suitable for users who need a larger amount of data every day be it for online learning, gaming or working through their smartphones. Mentioned below are all the 3GB daily data prepaid plans offered by Jio, Airtel and Vi along with the details for users to choose from. Reliance Jio 3GB/Day Packs Jio offers multiple 3GB a day plans, starting from as low as Rs 419. Jio offers a prepaid plan at a price tag of Rs 419 that gives 3GB data per day for a validity period of 28 days along with unlimited voice calls and 100 SMS/day. Jio offers another 3GB/day prepaid plan with a validity period of 28 days at a cost of Rs 601. The plan offers unlimited voice calls and 100 SMS/day. In addition to the daily 3GB data, users also get a total of additional 6GB data as well. This plan comes with access to an annual subscription to the Disney+ Hotstar Mobile OTT platform. Next on the list is a prepaid plan at the cost of Rs 1,199 and offers 3GB of data per day for a validity period of 84 days. Users also get access to unlimited voice calls and 100 SMS per day. Lastly, Jio offers a yearlong prepaid plan that comes at a price tag of Rs 4,119 and provides 3GB/day for a validity period of 365 days along with unlimited voice and 100 SMS/day. 3GB/Day Plans from Airtel When it comes to high-data plans, the telecom company offers only a couple of 3GB/day plans none of which is a long-term plan. The telco offers a 3GB/day prepaid plan for a validity period of 28 days at a price tag of Rs 599. The plan offers unlimited voice calls and 100 SMS/day along with an annual subscription to the Disney+ Hotstar Mobile OTT platform. Users can also get the prepaid plan from Airtel at a price tag of Rs 699 which offers 3GB of data each day. The validity period on the plan is 56 days and offers truly unlimited voice calls as well as 100 SMS per day. Vi Offers These 3GB/Day Plans Vi also has multiple prepaid plans that offer 3GB of internet per day and the base 3GB/day pack comes at a price a tag of Rs 475 that gives 3GB data per day for a validity period of 28 days along with unlimited voice calls and 100 SMS/day. The next plan on the list is available at a price tag of Rs 699 and has similar benefits as the plan offered by Airtel. For Rs 699 users get 3GB of data per day for a validity period of 56 days. The plan offers unlimited voice calls and 100 SMS per day. Lastly, the telco offers two plans that come with access to Disney+ Hotstar. Vi offers a 3GB/day plan at a price tag of Rs 601 for a validity period of 28 days. The plan offers unlimited voice calls and 100 SMS/day. In addition to the daily 3GB data, users also get a total of additional 16GB data as well. On the other hand, the telco offers a 3GB per day prepaid plan at a cost of Rs 901. The plan comes with a validity period of 70 days as well and offers truly unlimited voice calls along with 100 SMS per day.

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