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• Google Translate Adds Support for More Indian Languages
• 5G Spectrum Auction in India Announcement Likely in Early June 2022
• Truecaller CEO Says TRAI Caller Display System Won’t be Competition
• BSNL to Offer Boost to PM-WANI Scheme by Migrating Over 30,000 Wi-Fi Hotspots
• Data Center Capacity in India to See 5 Fold Increase With Investments of Rs 1.20 Lakh Crore
• Zindagi Channel Makes a Comeback on DTH Platforms
• Prepaid Tariff Hikes of Another 10% to 12% Might Come by Diwali: Report
• BSNL: Every Postpaid Plan the State-Owned Telco Has to Offer
• Oppo Reno8 Series is Officially Here – Check Out Complete Specifications and Price
• Oppo Pad Air Has Been Launched with Snapdragon 680 Chipset
• COAI Appreciates DoT’s Directorate For Use of GatiShakti Portal for Online Applications
• Airtel, Jio and BSNL: 300 Mbps Broadband Plans for High-Speed Connectivity Across Multiple Devices
• Manipur Becomes First State to Grant all RoW Permissions
• Vodafone Idea Affordable International Roaming Packs You Should Know About
• Airtel, Jio Only in Strong Position for Upcoming 5G Spectrum Auction
• MIB Ensuring that 5G Doesn’t Interfere With Broadcasting
• Broadband Internet to Soon Come Inside this Indian Airline Soon
• Reliance Jio Brings a Watershed Moment for India’s Gaming Industry
• Xiaomi to Soon Launch New Flagship Smartphone in Collab With Leica
• Amazon India Witnesses a 30% Increase in the Smartphone Business in 2021

Google Translate Adds Support for More Indian Languages Posted: 24 May 2022 03:54 AM PDT Google Translate has added support for some more Indian languages. While Hindi has been supported by Google Translate for a long now, multiple new regional languages have been added to the platform by Google. Languages including Assamese, a prominent one in Northeast India; Bhojpuri, Dhivehi (used in the Maldives), Dogri (Northern India), Konkani (central India), Maithili (about 34 million people in Northern India speak this language), Meiteilon or Manipuri, used by about two million people in Northeast India, Mizo, and Sanskrit have been added to the platform. Along with these languages, Google Translate has also added support for multiple international languages. Now, Google Translate supports over 133 languages spoken across the world, covering major Indian languages as well. The search engine giant is, of course, going to add support for more languages in the future, but it is a slightly time-taking process as there's a lot of data that needs to be coursed through in order to deliver an accurate translating process. Google Translate Helped Millions of People Across the Globe Technology can be a barrier if the language support is not native to a user. Thus, regardless of how easy it is to navigate through technology and software, it is really important that the user interacting understands the language. Otherwise, even a very cool and easily accessible technology won't have many fans. Google Translate can also support other Indian languages such as Tamil, Bangla, Gujarati and more. This makes it easy for the Indians who don't understand either Hindi or English to be still able to use the internet and make the most out of their experience. Google Translate can be accessed directly through the search engine by simply searching for 'Google Translate'. Further, the tool activates automatically when the language on a particular page is not as per your default choice. Hopefully, Google can add more regional languages to Google Translate in the near future.

5G Spectrum Auction in India Announcement Likely in Early June 2022 Posted: 24 May 2022 02:11 AM PDT 5G spectrum auction is not far from now. The spectrum auction could be announced by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) in early June. Since May is about to end, we can expect that things are rolling fast in the telecom department. According to an ET Now report, the DoT has floated the cabinet note on the 5G spectrum auction. The final decision from the Union Cabinet is most likely going to arrive during the next meeting. The Digital Communications Commission, the top body inside the telecom department, had sided with the recommendations provided by the TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India). The regulatory body has valued the airwaves put in the auction at around Rs 7.5 lakh crore. As per the publication's report, the DoT will be looking to complete the auction process within the next two months. This will allow the Modi government to realise its vision of India getting the first commercial 5G network by August 15, 2022. Industry Is Not Happy With the Spectrum Pricing, Will Cabinet Provide a Relief The telecom industry and its stakeholders aren't very enthusiastic about the reserve pricing of the spectrum bands and thus are a little on edge about participating in full capacity in the upcoming spectrum auction. The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) had also expressed its unhappiness over TRAI's recommendations. The final call will be given by the Cabinet to determine what will be the reserve spectrum price for the upcoming auction. It is unlikely that the Cabinet would go against the recommendations from the regulatory body, but the telcos would still be hoping for a better outcome for them. The industry would be looking forward to some of the key decisions taken by the Cabinet, which will include whether the spectrum would be auctioned for 20 years or 30 years. TRAI had recommended that both could be the case where the spectrum being sold for 30 years would come at 1.5 times the price of the spectrum being sold for 20 years.

Truecaller CEO Says TRAI Caller Display System Won’t be Competition Posted: 24 May 2022 01:48 AM PDT Truecaller, one of the most popular caller identification mobile applications in the world, is not worried about TRAI's (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India's) caller display system. The CEO of Truecaller, Alan Mamedi, said that TRAI's initiative for caller identification is not a competition to Truecaller at all. Mamedi said that Truecaller offers a complete range of services to its 310+ million monthly active users, which makes TRAI's caller identification feature a non-threat for the company. In fact, Mamedi said that TRAI's feature could be a catalyst for Truecaller's growth. Truecaller has the Most Monthly Active Users in India In a press statement, Mamedi said that TRAI's recent move to work on a caller identification mechanism could be a catalyst for the growth of Truecaller in India. For Truecaller, India is already the biggest market globally in terms of monthly active users. In November 2021, Truecaller had over 220 million active users in India, up by 178 million users in September. TRAI's system would leverage the KYC (know your customer) details available with the telecom operators to display the name of the caller. The regulatory body would also be rolling out a consultation paper for the same in the near future. Mamedi said that TRAI's caller identification mechanism would take years to be implemented. Until then, Truecaller would have become even bigger in size. Mamedi's words say a lot about the confidence that Truecaller has in its business. To be fair, what TRAI is indeed doing is just rolling out one of the features that Truecaller has to offer. Users who want to access a full range of Truecaller features won't be too excited about the feature that TRAI has to offer. Further, there will have to be a lot of talks around the legality of the system as it is crucial data that the mechanism will be accessing from the telecom operators. It will be interesting to see where things go for Truecaller in the future.

BSNL to Offer Boost to PM-WANI Scheme by Migrating Over 30,000 Wi-Fi Hotspots Posted: 24 May 2022 12:41 AM PDT The state-run telecom operator, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), is going to migrate over 30,000 of its Wi-Fi hotspots under the PM-WANI (Prime Minister's Wi-Fi Access Network Interface) scheme by June 2022. This will be a big boost to the PM-WANI scheme. Further, all the railway station Wi-Fi hotspots will also be PM-WANI compliant in the future. With the PM-WANI scheme, the Indian government is trying to proliferate the presence of broadband internet across the nation. According to an ET Telecom report, Vivek Narayan, DDG (DS), DoT, said at the Broadband India Forum (BIF) event that BSNL would be migrating over 30,000 Wi-Fi hotspots into PM-WANI by June this year. UP Government Says 60,000 Sites to be Covered in Villages for Wi-Fi Narayan added that the UP government has announced that over 60,000 sites will be covered in villages for providing Wi-Fi internet. The government is trying to pursue the UP government to cover these sites under the PM-WANI scheme as well. To boost the PM-WANI scheme further, the official said that the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has asked the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) to the administration to bring the hotspots in the PM-WANI scheme under subsidy scheme for last-mile connectivity. With the PM-WANI scheme, there have been concerns raised around the settlement procedure between the Public Data Office (PDO) and the Public Data Office Aggregators (PDOA). These issues will also be addressed by June by the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT) by bringing an automated electronic procedure. The growth of public Wi-Fi hotspots will enable Indians in all parts of the country to prepare themselves for the future and get job opportunities which will help with boosting the economy of the country. The PM-WANI scheme is definitely making a positive difference in the Digital India vision of the BJP government. There are already lakhs of Wi-Fi hotspots available across the country, with more to be added soon.

Data Center Capacity in India to See 5 Fold Increase With Investments of Rs 1.20 Lakh Crore Posted: 23 May 2022 11:19 PM PDT The data center (DC) market in India is expected to grow at a phenomenal rate over the coming years. Hyperscalers such as Amazon Web Services, Google, Microsoft, Dropbox and more are outsourcing their storage needs to Indian third-party DC providers. Indian corporates such as Adani Group, Bharti Airtel, Hiranandani Group, and more are investing to increase the capacity of data centers in the country to meet greater demand in the near future. According to an ICRA report, in the next five years, overall, 3900-4100 MW of capacity involving investments of Rs 1.05 lakh crore to Rs 1.20 lakh crore is going to get added in India. Data Center Industry Revenues to Grow at a CAGR of 18%-19% The industry revenues are expected to grow at a CAGR of 18% to 19% during FY22 – FY24, supported by an increase in rack capacity utilisation and ramp-up of new data centers. The operating margins for the companies are also expected to improve with better absorption of fixed costs. The operating margins could go up from 40% to 42%. ICRA pointed out that the ROCE (return on capital employed) will be modest because the data center companies are usually spending big for capex as capacity ramp-up happens over a significant period of time. The credit metrics of the data center players could be hurt because of the large debt-funded capex plans and increasing competition in the market that will certainly affect the margins of the companies. But the state governments understand how data centers are a crucial aspect of infrastructure for digital connectivity and thus offer various incentives such as subsidising the cost of land, exemption on stamp and electricity duty, and other concessions. The IT ministry is also offering incentives worth up to Rs 15,000 crore under a national policy framework to the data centers. This includes a 4% to 6% incentive on the components.

Zindagi Channel Makes a Comeback on DTH Platforms Posted: 23 May 2022 09:49 PM PDT The Zindagi channel which was originally launched by Zee Entertainment Enterprises back in 2004 as a linear TV channel with its unique shows gained a lot of popularity amongst the targeted audience. However, the company shut down the original Zindagi TV channel and converted Zindagi into a digital-only service. Since then the shows have been made available on Zee's OTT platform Zee5. Now in a new development, the company has brought back the Zindagi channel on the television networks after five long years. Zindagi Channel Availability The Zindagi channel will be available as a platform service on Tata Play, Dish TV and D2H. The Zindagi channel has been launched on these DTH operators on May 23, Monday. "Zindagi Active" will be available on Dish TV and D2H at LCN 117 whereas on Tata Play it will be called "Tata Play Zindagi" and available on LCN 154. The Zindagi service channel has been priced at Rs 75 per month or Rs 2.5 per day on all three DTH platforms. The price of the channel is including the GST charges. Zindagi is a 24×7 channel without any ad breaks or other interruptions found on regular satellite channels. It is to be noted that the customers of Dish TV and D2H who activate this channel between May 23 to June 21 will get 15 days of the free preview. Moreover, users of the Tata Play DTH services will get the first 10 days of the channel for absolutely free after which regular charges will be imposed. As far as the content on the channel is considered, Zindagi has lined up 65 shows and 12 movies with stories from both sides of the border- India & Pakistan. There will be 4 hours of original content that will include five to six shows airing every month. About 500 hours of new content will be added to the channel every year. The popular shows that will be featured on the channel include Behadd, Humsafar, Zindagi Gulzaar Hai, Kitni Girhain Baaki Hai, and Sadqay Tumhare.

Prepaid Tariff Hikes of Another 10% to 12% Might Come by Diwali: Report Posted: 23 May 2022 08:17 PM PDT The private telecom operators in India might increase the prepaid tariffs by 10% to 12% by Diwali. This means that the tariff hikes might come by October or November 2022. Analysts believe that with this tariff hike, the average revenue per user (ARPU) figure would go up by another 10%. According to an ET Telecom report, Mayuresh Joshi, head of equity research at the Indian unit of US equity research firm, William O' Neil & Co, said that the telcos would go for another prepaid tariff hike of 10%-12% and would potentially boost the ARPU of Bharti Airtel, Jio, and Vi to Rs 200, Rs 185, and Rs 135, respectively. Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio to Add Most Customers in FY23, Vi’s Performance to be Modest Because of a stronger 4G network across the country, analysts believe that Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio are going to add most of the customers in FY23. Vi's performance in the subscriber addition is expected to be modest at best as the telco is struggling to raise funds via external investors. The tariff hike for prepaid plans would allow Bharti Airtel to reach its short-term goal of Rs 200 ARPU figure. But in the medium-to-long run, Airtel wants its ARPU to surpass Rs 300 level. This means that over the coming years, we are going to see multiple more tariff hikes. Vodafone Idea is expected to follow Airtel in its strategy of tariff hikes. The more Airtel increases tariffs; the more Vi would do the same. Even after another tariff hike this year, Vi's ARPU might not cross the Rs 150 figure, which is an alarming thing for the investors of the company. The telco's low-paying 2G customers are hurting its revenues. Vi needs to figure out a way to attract more customers and also push legacy network users to upgrade to its 4G services for better revenues.

BSNL: Every Postpaid Plan the State-Owned Telco Has to Offer Posted: 23 May 2022 07:05 PM PDT BSNL or Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited is a government-backed telecom service provider that provides a number of postpaid plans for its subscribers. These postpaid plans from the company start as low as Rs 199 and there are some high-end packs available as well. Moreover, the plans from BSNL come are available for both family and individual users. Let's take a look at every postpaid plan available under the BSNL's portfolio. BSNL Postpaid Plans The first plan on the list is the cheapest offering from the company which comes at a price tag of Rs 199. It is an individual user plan that offers unlimited free voice calls in Home LSA/ national roaming including MTNL roaming area (on-net/off-net) along with 100 SMS per day. The pack offers 25GB of free data with data rollover of up to 75GB allowed. The fixed monthly charges of this plan are Rs 199 along with a few other expenses which will be mentioned below. The next on the list is a Rs 399 plan which has been described on the website as the "Ghar Wapsi" plan. The plan comes at a price of Rs 399 and offers unlimited voice call – HPLMN and national roaming including Mumbai and Delhi in the MTNL network. The plan also offers 100 SMS per day along with 70GB of free data. The postpaid plan offers data rollover of up to 210GB. The third plan on the list is Rs 525 plan from BSNL. At a price tag of Rs 525, BSNL provides a postpaid plan that offers the same unlimited voice call – HPLMN and national roaming including Mumbai and Delhi in the MTNL network along with 100 SMS per day. Users also get 85GB of free data with data rollover of up to 255GB allowed. This plan also offers an additional family SIM with an unlimited voice calling facility but no data or SMS allowance. Next is a Rs 798 plan which is a complete family postpaid plan. For a price of Rs 798, BSNL offers a postpaid that comes with an unlimited voice call – HPLMN and national roaming including Mumbai and Delhi in the MTNL network along with 100 SMS per day. The plan offers 50GB of free data with data rollover of up to 150GB allowed for the primary user. The plan also provides 2 family connections with an unlimited voice facility, 50GB of data and 100SMS/day for each family connection separately. Following is also a family connection offered by BSNL that provides three family connections along with the primary. For a price tag of Rs 999, BSNL offers a postpaid plan that offers unlimited voice call – HPLMN and national roaming including Mumbai and Delhi in the MTNL network along with 100 SMS per day. Primary users get 75GB of free data with data rollover of up to 225GB allowed. The plan also provides 3 family connections with an unlimited voice facility, 75GB of data and 100SMS/day for each family connection separately. Last on the list is the most expensive postpaid offering from BSNL which happens to be an individual plan. BSNL offers a postpaid plan at a cost of Rs 1,525 that provides unlimited voice call – HPLMN and national roaming including Mumbai and Delhi in the MTNL network along with 100 SMS per day. In addition to this, the plan offers truly unlimited data without any speed restrictions. For the activation of all the above plans users have to pay a one-time fee of Rs 100 and GST charges are not included in the above-mentioned prices. Additionally, users have to pay a security deposit which is Rs 500 for Local + STD, Rs 2000 for Local +STD+ISD and Rs 2000 for Local+ STD+ ISD+ International Roaming as well. Users can check the additional charges applicable post the consumption of free data along with add-on packs on the official website of BSNL.

Oppo Reno8 Series is Officially Here – Check Out Complete Specifications and Price Posted: 23 May 2022 09:20 AM PDT The popular Chinese smartphone manufacturer Oppo has launched its Oppo Reno 8 series of smartphones in China. The series consists of Reno8, Reno8 Pro, and Reno8 Pro+ models. All three devices in the Reno8 series have similar designs and a slight change when it comes to specifications. Oppo Reno8 series has been revealed as a successor to the last year's Oppo Reno7 series. Let's take a look at the specifications and pricing of the new Oppo Reno8 series. Oppo Reno8 Series Specs The vanilla Oppo Reno8 and the Reno8 Pro models have been launched with a 6.43-inch screen with a punch-hole cutout at the top left corner. On the other hand, the Pro+ model comes with a larger 6.7-inch display with a centre-aligned punch. The company has featured an AMOLED display on all three variants and the screen offers an FHD+ resolution along with a 120Hz refresh rate, except for the base model which comes with a 90Hz refresh rate. Powering the vanilla Oppo Reno8 is a MediaTek Dimensity 1300 chipset. The Reno8 Pro model is powered by the newly launched Snapdragon 7 Gen1 processor whereas the Pro+ model is equipped with a Dimensity 8100-Max chipset. The processors on all the smartphones are paired with up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. The handsets are backed by a 4,500mAh battery unit with support for 80W fast charging Talking about the camera specifications of the devices, all three models come with triple rear camera setups. The vanilla Reno8 features a 50MP main sensor along with a 2MP secondary snapper and a 2MP macro unit. The only change in the Pro and Pro+ model is an 8MP ultra-wide-angle secondary camera. The OPPO Reno 8 series comes with the brand's MariSilicon X chip that is said to offer next-level photography capabilities. The front of the smartphone has a 32MP selfie camera. Oppo Reno8 Series Price As far as the pricing of the smartphones is considered, Oppo Reno8 comes in three storage configurations – 8GB + 128GB priced at Yuan 2,499, 8GB + 256GB priced at Yuan 2,699 and 12GB + 256GB at Yuan 2,999. Reno8 Pro comes in the same configurations as well but is priced at Yuan 2,999, Yuan 3,199, and Yuan 3,499 respectively. The Reno8 Pro+ on the other hand, has only two variants – 8GB + 256GB priced at 3,699 and 12GB + 256GB priced at 3,999. Both vanilla and Pro models are available in Clear Sky Blue, Slightly Drunk, and Night Tour Black colour options Clear Sky Blue, Slightly Drunk, and Night Tour Black colour options. The Pro+ model will be available in It will be available in Xiaoyaoqing (mint), Roaming Grey and Undercurrent colours.

Oppo Pad Air Has Been Launched with Snapdragon 680 Chipset Posted: 23 May 2022 08:19 AM PDT The popular smartphone manufacturer Oppo launched its first flagship tablet Oppo Pad previously this year. Now expanding its portfolio even further, Oppo has introduced a new tablet called OPPO Pad Air at the OPPO Reno 8 launch event. The latest tablet from the company has been designed for mid-range users. Let's take a detailed look at the newly introduced Oppo Pad Air along with its specifications and pricing. Oppo Pad Air Specifications Oppo Pad Air has been introduced with a similar design to the Apple iPad Air and comes with sizable bezels around the display. The device arrives with a 10.36-inch LCD panel with a resolution of 2000x1200pixels along with a 60Hz refresh rate, and an 83.5% screen-to-body ratio. The display offers a brightness of 360nits, covers NTSC TYPE 71% colour gamut and offers a pixel density of 225PPI. Oppo Pad Air is powered by an octa-core Snapdragon 680 processor that is built on a 6nm process paired with the Adreno 610 GPU. The processor on the device is coupled with up to 6GB of LPDDR4x RAM and 128GB of UFS 2.2 internal storage. The tablet operates on Android 12-based ColorOS out of the box. It is backed by a 7100mAh battery with 18W fast charging support. Oppo Pad Air features an 8MP primary camera with an f/2.0 aperture, 80 degrees field of view and support for Continuous Auto Focus at the back. On the front, the tablet has a 5MP sensor with f/2.2 and 77 degrees field of view. Users can shoot up to 1080p 30fps videos with the back camera, however, the camera doesn't support 60fps. Oppo Pad Air features Dolby Atmos tuned quad-speaker setup for powerful and crisp sound. Oppo Pad Air Price Oppo Pad Air has been launched in three memory and storage configurations – 4GB + 64GB = 1299 Yuan ($195) 4GB + 128GB = 1499 Yaun ($225) 6GB + 128GB = 1699 Yuan ($255) The tablet has been launched in Fog Gray and Star Silver colour options. The tablet is available for pre-order in China and will go on the first sale starting May 31.

COAI Appreciates DoT’s Directorate For Use of GatiShakti Portal for Online Applications Posted: 23 May 2022 07:25 AM PDT The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has issued a directorate to Chief Secretaries across India to accept Online applications through the GatiShakti Sanchar Portal to enhance broadband connectivity in the country. This move from DoT has been appreciated by the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI). The 'GatiShakti Sanchar' Portal for Right of Way approvals was inaugurated on May 14, 2022, by the Minister of Communication, Electronics & IT and Railways. The inauguration took place in the presence of the Department of Telecommunication, Industry and senior officials of 36 States/UTs via video call. The Need for the Directorate The directorate issued by the DoT will enable a speedy grant of RoW permissions, the quick rollout of broadband across the country, and more transparency in the system and hence, taking a step forward in the Digital India vision. The network infrastructure is one of the significant aspects for the telecom operators in India when it comes to the 5G network rollout and when it comes to the Right of Way (RoW) permission, we are still quite behind. However, the 'GatiShakti Sanchar' Portal is a central collaborative platform between all stakeholders, including Central and State/UT Government(s), Local bodies, and Service Providers to facilitate the faster RoW deployment to boost Digital Infrastructure in the country. The director-general of COAI, Dr SP Kochhar in a statement said that the portal would help enable a faster rollout of the 5G network in India by drastically reducing the time taken by telecom service providers and infrastructure providers to obtain clearances for installation of Telecom Towers and to lay optic fibre cables. Notably, the RoW issue plays a crucial role in the 5G network deployment and if it isn't sorted out then it might create some hindrances. The DoT field units have also been previously instructed to conduct monthly meetings with service providers to review the application approval process and pendency. DoT had also earlier directed state secretaries and department heads of state governments to ensure quick disposal of RoW applications in their states. State broadband committees have also been asked to follow the state policy with Central RoW Rule-2016.

Airtel, Jio and BSNL: 300 Mbps Broadband Plans for High-Speed Connectivity Across Multiple Devices Posted: 23 May 2022 06:26 AM PDT Three leading internet service providers (ISPs) in India – Airtel, Jio and BSNL offer a 300 Mbps broadband plan each for their subscribers. The demand for high-speed internet connectivity has witnessed significant growth and these 300 Mbps are just apt. Whether it is for online learning, work, streaming or gaming, 300 Mbps broadband plans are sufficient. Moreover, in many households or workplaces connectivity is required across multiple devices which can be achieved via these plans. Let's take a look at the 300 Mbps plans offered by Airtel, Jio and BSNL. Airtel's 300 Mbps Plan Airtel offers a 300 Mbps unlimited data plan as well which is called the 'Professional' plan. Users can get the Airtel Xstream Fiber connection to access the 'Professional' plan which comes with a subscription to Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar, Amazon Prime Video, Wynk Music and Shaw Academy as a part of the 'Airtel Thanks Benefits' offered by the ISP along with its broadband plans. The plan offers 300 Mbps of high-speed internet data at a cost of Rs 1,499 for a month as well. The FUP data for the unlimited plan is 3500GB or 3.5TB. 300 Mbps Plan from Jio JioFiber offers an appealing 300 Mbps plan that comes with amazing additional benefits. The plan offered by JioFiber comes at a price tag of Rs 1,499 per month (30 days) and offers 300 Mbps of internet speed with a FUP data limit of 3.3TB or 3300GB. The plan also offers unlimited calling and an equal upload and download speed set at 300 Mbps. Jio additionally offers a ton of OTT subscriptions which include access to Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar and thirteen others. 300 Mbps Plan Offered by BSNL One of the major ISPs of the country – the government-owned BSNL provides a 300 Mbps plan which is also the most high-end plan offered by the telco. The plan is called 'Fibre Ultra' and comes at a price tag of Rs 1,499 per month too. Users can get access to 300 Mbps of internet speed for the data limit set to 4000GB beyond which the speed of the connection is reduced to 4 Mbps. This plan from BSNL also comes with access to free of cost Disney+ Hotstar Premium Pack.

Manipur Becomes First State to Grant all RoW Permissions Posted: 23 May 2022 05:57 AM PDT At a time when all the telecom operators are looking for help with the RoW permissions, it is a commendable thing that Manipur has granted all of them. In doing so, Manipur has become the first state in the country to clear all the RoW permissions that were pending. TR Dua, Director General, Digital Infrastructure Providers Association (DIPA), said that representatives of DIPA were making enormous efforts with the Manipur government for the alignment and the implementation of the RoW Rules in November 2016 through the joint meeting and more. Today, there are zero pending RoW applications in the state which is a good sign for the telecom infrastructure development in the country. Gati Shakti Sanchar Portal Being Emphasised Upon Much recently, the telecom minister, Ashwini Vaishnaw, had inaugurated the Gati Shakti Sanchar Portal for speeding up the RoW approvals in the country. The industry bodies and the telecom operators have largely been affected due to not getting RoW permissions in time in several states. The government of India had introduced a central RoW policy, but there are a few states which still don't follow it. However, to ensure that the 5G rollout is a success, the RoW applications need to be approved fast by the state governments across the country. Thus, the new Gati Shakti Sanchar portal will act as a medium to bring transparency into play and oversee which states are lagging behind with the approval of RoW applications. Because of forming their own RoW policies and not following the one released by the central government, the state governments were charging exorbitant amounts of money from the telcos for approving RoW applications. But in the last year, many states have adopted the RoW policies of the central government. But India still has a long way to go when it comes to telecom infrastructure, and the online RoW applications portal will definitely make a positive impact on the business journeys of the telcos.

Vodafone Idea Affordable International Roaming Packs You Should Know About Posted: 23 May 2022 03:53 AM PDT Vodafone Idea (Vi), the third-largest telecom operator in India, offers a range of affordable international roaming packs to users. Vi has roaming arrangements with operators across the world, which will make the international travel experience for the users seamless and worry-free for its customers. What Do Vi International Roaming Packs Bring to the Table? With the Vi International Roaming packs, users can roam freely around the globe and get unlimited voice calls and data on its roaming networks across the top travel destinations globally. "Vi post-paid customers travelling to popular business and holiday destinations such as UAE, UK, USA, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Australia, Thailand, Brazil and more can opt for Vi Unlimited International Roaming packs, starting from Rs 599, offering 24-hour validity to Rs 5999 pack that comes with 28 days validity," the company said in a release. Vi has implemented a system in place which will ensure that the users are not charged exorbitant rates even after their subscribed pack expires. With the 'Always on' feature, all of the Vi Postpaid Roaming packs keep the bills of the customers in check. For example, if there's a customer who wants to extend his stay/travel in a foreign destination for more than the planned seven days and the customer had earlier recharged with a seven-day plan, he/she can continue to use mobile services at the standard charges till the user charges reach Rs 599. Upon crossing Rs 599, the user will be billed Rs 599 for each day he/she uses the international roaming facility. This safeguards them from the bill shocks. In addition to this, it is worth remembering that all the REDX postpaid customers of Vodafone Idea get an international roaming pack for seven days, completely free. This free pack is worth Rs 2,999 and thus makes the REDX plans a good proposition for the customers who are inclined toward international travel a lot.

Airtel, Jio Only in Strong Position for Upcoming 5G Spectrum Auction Posted: 23 May 2022 03:24 AM PDT The reserve price recommended by the TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) is still not what the industry people wanted. Regardless, the Cabinet is likely to go ahead with the pricing recommendations from the regulator. This puts Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio only as the companies which are expected to participate heavily in this auction. Vodafone Idea (Vi) doesn't have a strong balance sheet at the moment, and the telco has been trying to raise funds for a long-time through external investors. No New Telcos to Bid for Spectrum in India It is unlikely that any new telecom operator would emerge out of the dust and bid for spectrum with such high reserve prices. Only companies with strong balance sheets, such as Airtel and Jio, are going to do that. Further, according to BofA Securities, Airtel and Jio would go for PAN-India 5G spectrum, while VIL's (Vodafone Idea Limited) strategy is unclear. VIL could go ahead with purchasing spectrum for its priority circles. As per BofA, if VIL doesn't have PAN-India 5G spectrum, its business would become vulnerable. Initially, the telcos might be more interested in going for the spectrum in the mid-bands rather than the mmWave bands. Mid-band spectrum would enable the telcos to roll out commercial services faster and bring to life all the use-cases tested on their networks. The spectrum auction is slated for June-July 2022 period. It would take the telcos around a month or two post the auctions are finished to roll out 5G services. The speed at which the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) allots the spectrum to the telcos would also matter a lot when we talk about the pace at which the 5G rollouts would happen in India. Jio currently has the best free cash flow amongst all the telcos in India, and the company might be looking to invest big in the spectrum auction of 2022.

MIB Ensuring that 5G Doesn’t Interfere With Broadcasting Posted: 23 May 2022 02:46 AM PDT With 5G rollouts nearby, there are a lot of things and a lot of rules and measures that multiple industries along with the government will have to oversee. The collaboration between multiple sectors is important because 5G frequencies could bring interference to multiple existing systems and services. The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB) has asked all the DTH (Direct-to-Home), HITS, and MSOs to avoid any scenarios of interference of their services with 5G. For the unaware, the broadcasting services operate in spectrum between 3700 MHz – 4200 MHz in India. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) will be auctioning airwaves in the 3300 MHz – 3670 MHz for 5G services in the upcoming spectrum auction. This means that there's just a 30 MHz spectrum guard in between 5G and broadcasting services. MIB Issues New Advisory to Avoid Interference Between 5G and Broadcasting Services To avoid any scenarios of interference, the MIB has suggested all the operators in India use high-quality bandpass filters and LNBs with narrowband filters. Using these devices will ensure that there is no interference between 5G and broadcasting services. It is worth noting that back in 2018, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) had suggested auctioning airwaves in the 3300 MHz – 3600 MHz bands for the 5G rollout. With this, there would have been a guard band of 100 MHz between the broadcasting and 5G services. But this changed to 3300 MHz – 3670 MHz for 5G, leaving a band guard of only 30 MHz. The satellite broadcasters weren't very happy with this move as they wanted at least a 100 MHz guard band to be maintained. But that's unlikely to happen now. The spectrum auction will be scheduled soon once the Cabinet gives its final decision on the price of the airwaves. The DoT is only waiting for the decision from the Cabinet to arrive to start sending Notice Inviting Application (NIA) for the spectrum auction.

Broadband Internet to Soon Come Inside this Indian Airline Soon Posted: 23 May 2022 01:54 AM PDT India has become one of the highest-data consuming nations across the globe. This amount of data consumption is only going to grow from here as connectivity reaches other parts of the country. One area where Indians still can't experience seamless internet is in the sky. But that might very well change in the near future. SpiceJet, a major Indian airline, has said that it is hopeful of bringing broadband internet to its aircraft very soon. According to a PTI report, SpiceJet Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) Ajay Singh said that the airline is very hopeful of bringing broadband internet inside its aircraft very soon. Whether the airline will partner with a certain internet service provider (ISP) to do so or not is unclear at the moment. Which Aircraft of SpiceJet Will Get Broadband Internet Connectivity First? SpiceJet has multiple Boeing 737 aircraft, out of which 13 are Max aircraft. The airline or its staff has not commented on which aircraft would get the support for broadband connectivity first, but we expect it to be the Boeing 737 Max aircraft first. It is worth noting that the Boeing 737 Max aircraft returned for service a short while back and has earned great reviews from the customers. Singh said that SpiceJet is looking to replace the older aircraft and introduce more Max jets into its fleet. This is again a sign from the airline that it is prioritising its business with the Boeing 737 Max aircraft. This particular aircraft could also be bagged by SpiceJet for a discounted rate as the demand for 737 Max is still relatively low because of the bad image attached to it. Other airlines should also be working toward introducing broadband connectivity on domestic flights. Even the arrival of satellite broadband in India would mean that the airlines will have more options than the telecom operators to turn towards for offering internet inside the aircraft.

Reliance Jio Brings a Watershed Moment for India’s Gaming Industry Posted: 23 May 2022 01:07 AM PDT Reliance Jio, India's number one telecom operator, has brought a watershed moment for India's gaming industry. In its 5G network trials, the telco has tested a "Virtual Reality (VR) enabled" multi-player cloud gaming experience on its indigenous 5G network. Aayush Bhatnagar, Senior Vice President, Reliance Jio, shared on his LinkedIn about the trial. Bhatnagar wrote that this trial is a significant upgrade over console-based cloud gaming. During the trial, multiple users were connected to the Jio's low-latency 5G network using their VR headset and other gaming accessories. The gamers could get an experience of real-time multiple player gaming through VR headsets that were powered by the 5G network delivering high bandwidth and low latencies. The haptic feedback and gesture controls were also quickly responding, enabling a real-time gaming experience for the users. Bhatnagar said that this 5G VR Cloud Gaming experience truly demonstrates the potential of Jio's 5G stack. Reliance Jio has Been Making Huge Strides With 5G, But Silently The company has been testing and trialling multiple use-cases and applications of 5G using its indigenous 5G stack. However, the telco has not made any official announcements like its rivals, including Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea (Vi). Most of what we know about Jio's 5G trials have come from other sources and through the company employees on LinkedIn. Jio is silently working on 5G trials and is getting its networks ready for a commercial 5G launch. The company's strategy with rolling out 5G would be something that would be worth watching. Jio had earlier disrupted the market with the 4G launch; it will be interesting to see whether the telco can do the same with the 5G launch. The company had also recently tested its 5G network for delivering an immersive retail experience to the users. The 5G network launch would only take place after the spectrum auction, which is still at least more than a month away.

Xiaomi to Soon Launch New Flagship Smartphone in Collab With Leica Posted: 22 May 2022 11:29 PM PDT Xiaomi is soon going to launch a new flagship smartphone in collaboration with Leica. For the unaware, Leica is a German company involved in manufacturing and selling cameras, optical lenses, and more. Xiaomi has caught up with the trend that OnePlus and Vivo have already been following and will soon launch a powerful flagship smartphone with a camera system fine-tuned by Leica. The first smartphone from Xiaomi that will be released in collaboration with Leica will come this July. The company hasn't revealed anything about the smartphone. The market doesn't know what to even expect from this particular device. Leica Has Had Pretty Good Experience in Working With Smartphone Companies This is not the first partnership for Leica when it comes to collaborating with the smartphone companies. Xiaomi will be the fourth smartphone company that Leica will be partnering with. Previously, Leica has partnered with brands such as Huawei, Sharp, and Panasonic. It will be particularly exciting to see how the partnership between Leica and Xiaomi will enhance the camera system of its flagships. With OnePlus, the Hasselblad partnership has not made the biggest difference in the minds of consumers. The device could come with the latest generation Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen1 processor, which was announced recently. Xiaomi is banking on Leica to improve the imaging capabilities of its flagships. But only time will tell how enhanced photography and videography become because of this partnership. Following OnePlus, Oppo had also announced a strategic partnership with Hasselblad for the camera system of its flagships. While Xiaomi hasn't revealed anything about this upcoming smartphone, it won't be a surprise if it is none other than Xiaomi 12 Ultra. The Xiaomi 12 Ultra is expected to be the top-of-the-line flagship from Xiaomi for 2022. The device could launch in the ultra-premium price segment and could give other flagships serious competition. July isn't so far now, and more about the device should come to the surface in the coming days.

Amazon India Witnesses a 30% Increase in the Smartphone Business in 2021 Posted: 22 May 2022 10:20 PM PDT An official from Amazon India has informed that the company has witnessed a 30% increase in the smartphone business which is almost as much as double from the year 2020. The growth in the smartphone business comes on the back of customers from small towns who have been buying more premium smartphones above Rs 20,000. The Reason Behind the Growth According to a report from ET Bureau, the category leader at smartphones and accessories at Amazon, Nishant Sardana informed that the growth in units in 2021 was led by mid-premium smartphones in the Rs 20,000-30,000 and Rs 30,000-Rs 50,000 segment. He further stated that the smartphone sales in this price segment witnessed more than 50% year-on-year growth. He added that this growth was due to the increased requirement for high-performance smartphones post covid. Sardana stated that over the last year, there has been a pattern emerging where customers gravitate towards smartphones which are ideal for multitasking and can manage work, entertainment, and day-to-day use cases as well. The official from Amazon said that there has been an incline towards performance-centric smartphones with a better processor and larger RAM. Talking about the reasons behind this shift to premium smartphones, Sardana said that customers of approximately 50-60 million smartphones in the price band of Rs 5,000-10,000 bought in the past 3-4 years now want a better experience. He said that the customers now want more from their smartphones such as OTT content streaming, games and more which makes them go for a better performing device and hence the growth in the sales of premium devices over Rs 20,000. According to Sardana customers from tier 2 and tier, 3 cities have contributed to 70% of smartphone purchases which is about three times more than tier 1 cities. He added that three out of four smartphones from Amazon are being sold to small-town customers, showing the growth in demand. Talking about the reason behind the shift in the customer's mindset to buy from online platforms, a report from Counterpoint says that Covid-19 hit-offline retail stores, special offers, a wide variety of choices and pricing are the major reasons. The report also stated that the reverse migration of knowledge workers from big cities to smaller cities played a key role in popularising online channels.

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