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• BSNL Designs Tariffs by Considering Consumers Supreme: CMD
• Vodafone Idea Foundation SmartAgri Project Now Expanded to More States
• Old 4G Smartphones Still a Good Buy for Indians
• JioFi Rs 249 Plan Offers 30GB of Monthly Data
• Vodafone Idea May Exit Wi-Fi JV With Bharti Airtel: Report
• DoT Tested 28 5G Cells in Ahmedabad and Got 1.5 Gbps Download Speed
• BSNL Long-Term Plan Boosted With Additional Validity Offer
• Kumar Mangalam Birla Says ‘Absolutely Committed’ to Vodafone Idea: Report
• Jio, Airtel and Vi to Engage in Network Slicing, Should Not be a Net Neutrality Problem
• MeitY Forms an Advisory Board to Make India Electronics Manufacturing Hub by 2026
• iPhone 14 Pro Variant Renders Surface Revealing Multiple Colour Options
• Boat Wave Neo Budget Smartwatch Launched in India
• Broadband: Cheapest Available Packs from Prominent ISPs
• 5G Rollout and Data Center Capacity Expansion to Boost OTT Growth in India
• COAI Applauds Gujarat’s Telecom Infra Policy 2022
• Tecno Pova 3 Looks Like a Strong Contender in Budget Smartphone Category
• Govt Exempted from Making Open Offer to Vi Shareholders
• Airtel’s Smart Recharge Plan a Good Way to Keep the SIM Active
• RailTel, Esri India Sign MoU for Addressing Rising Demand for ‘GIS on Cloud’
• MTNL 3G STVs Start at Rs 102 in Mumbai, Check More Details

BSNL Designs Tariffs by Considering Consumers Supreme: CMD Posted: 27 May 2022 06:19 AM PDT PK Purwar, CMD (Chairman and Managing Director), BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited) said that large scale 4G deployment in India will happen by the end of 2022. In the short term, Purwar told ET Telecom that the 4G launch will take place in August 2022. Further, Purwar confirmed that the 4G networks will be upgraded to 5G as soon as possible. The August launch of 4G networks will be selective in nature for only a few cities. BSNL Tariffs Are Designed by Keeping in Mind Consumers Purwar said that BSNL designs tariffs by considering the consumers supreme and believes in the concept of value for money. It is true that BSNL's tariffs are the lowest in the industry, but then the telco can't really justify higher tariffs without 4G networks. The words of Purwar on tariffs would come into real focus once the company launches 4G networks across the nations. That would push the data consumption and network load for BSNL and then it might be natural for BSNL to implement a tariff hike too. Purwar also talked about the growing fiber broadband business of BSNL. The CMD said that BSNL added over 1,00,000 new fiber connections every month and has a robust wireline network. The 5G network launch for BSNL would definitely be along the lines of 5G NSA because that would be more economical for the telco in the short run. However, BSNL will have to sort out its capex requirements before jumping into a 5G ship. The state-run telco barely has enough money to support 4G deployment plans. Thus, in a real sense, 5G is out of the question. C-DoT (Centre for Development of Telematics) had confirmed that while working on 4G PoC with BSNL, work on 5G NSA was also silently going on. With BSNL one thing has been a common theme throughout the years – there's always a delay and things never really happen on the timeline the officials say, so there's that.

Vodafone Idea Foundation SmartAgri Project Now Expanded to More States Posted: 27 May 2022 04:06 AM PDT Vodafone Idea Foundation, the CSR (corporate social responsibility) arm of Vodafone Idea (Vi) has announced that its SmartAgri project has been expanded to more states including Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, and Assam. The SmartAgri program was launched in 2020 and is focused on bringing together advanced technology interventions for helping farmers improve their livelihood and adopt sustainable farming methods. SmartAgri project helps farmers leverage things such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and real-time technology solutions to get information on critical elements of farming such as air and soil quality, presence of pests and insects, and crop growth. Farmers Receive Real-Time Data Under the SmartAgri Project Farmers can receive localised advisories and real-time information around critical agri-inputs for their crops along with agricultural news on markets, schemes, and government policies, etc. To help the farmers understand all the information accurately, the project offers all the information to the farmers in their local language via mobile phones with audio options in case reading is a challenge. The CSR project from Vodafone Idea Foundation was initially launched for two states – Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. But now, the company is expanding it to four more states which will empower over 2.8 lakh farmers to gain 8% to 12% higher yield and reduce costs by 15% to 20% (claimed by the company). P Balaji, Chief Regulatory and Corporate Affairs officer, VIL and Director of Vodafone Idea Foundation said the SmartAgri project is transforming farming practices in India and instilling confidence in the farmers to use technology and intelligent solutions for improving productivity. Vodafone Idea Foundation will now extend the technology interventions in farming to farmers in Uttar Pradesh (Hardoi, Lakshimpur), Rajasthan (Bundi, Kota, Tonk, Baran), Assam (Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Tinsukia, Udalguri) and Telangana (Adilabad). From the info provided by the company, farmers are going to benefit a lot because of the SmartAgri project of Vodafone Idea Foundation.

Old 4G Smartphones Still a Good Buy for Indians Posted: 27 May 2022 02:16 AM PDT One thing that Indians love is getting a value deal. Be it in the streets with the vegetable vendors or inside the malls, Indians want a good deal whenever they are spending money. Thus, for such people, spending too much on an ultra-premium or even a mid-range premium device doesn't make sense. This is one of the biggest reasons why older generation iPhones keep selling in India. Users would rather wait for a year or even some more time before they purchase a particular device they want to so that its value goes down. Most of them are not thinking about reselling it but only using it for as long as possible that it gives them a return on their investment. Well, purchasing an old 4G smartphone is not really a bad deal. Suppose you wait for a year to buy the Galaxy S22 at maybe a discounted price of Rs 15,000 or more. It would still be worth it. These flagships are going to receive Android OS and security updates for a few years. In addition to that, the processors inside these devices would still be more than enough to support multi-tasking and online multiplayer gaming. Drawbacks of an Old Device So, one drawback that most of the old smartphones will have is a battery with reduced health. Even if the device hasn't been powered on and charged, the health of the battery goes down with time. See if you can get the battery replaced for a very old smartphone before purchasing it. Further, look for devices which are going to get OS updates for long. That is why Google, Samsung, and Apple devices are the best. There might be some apps or features that might be reserved for the new technology geared smartphones only. But if your goal is basic use with normal camera demands, you can definitely go for old hardware at a low price. The Galaxy S21 series would still be a value buy today if you can get it at a good discount.

JioFi Rs 249 Plan Offers 30GB of Monthly Data Posted: 27 May 2022 01:27 AM PDT JioFi, a small hotspot device offered by Reliance Jio is currently available on three different postpaid tariffs. The base plan comes for Rs 249 followed by the Rs 299 and Rs 349 plans. The speciality of these plans is that they are meant for enterprises or businesses. Offices can issue these small Wi-Fi hotspot devices to their employees with which they can work seamlessly from anywhere. Let's take a deeper look into these plans. JioFi Rs 249 Plan The Rs 249 plan from JioFi comes with 30GB of monthly data. This is the base enterprise postpaid plan offered for JioFi by Reliance Jio. There are no SMS or voice benefits offered with JioFi plans. Note that there is a lock-in period of 18 months with this plan if the enterprise opts for it. JioFi Rs 299 Plan With the Rs 299 plan offered for JioFi devices, Reliance Jio bundles 40GB of monthly data. The lock-in period with this plan is also 18 months. Post the consumption of FUP (Fair-Usage-Policy) data, the speed will drop to 64 Kbps. JioFi Rs 349 Plan Lastly, with the Rs 349 JioFi plan offered by Reliance Jio, enterprises get 50GB of data per month with the same 18 months lock-in period. The JioFi device provided by Reliance Jio is free of cost but is given on use and return basis. Further, any enterprise/company ordering these devices will have to pay for at least 200 devices. JioFi Features The JioFi hotspot device is very small in size and can deliver download and upload speeds of 150 Mbps and 50 Mbps, respectively. It has a long-lasting 2300mAh battery which can easily support five to six hours of browsing time. The gadget allows pairing with up to 10 devices and one USB connection. Interested enterprises/users can contact Reliance Jio for making an order or getting more details about the product/service. JioFi was earlier also common and popular amongst general users and public.

Vodafone Idea May Exit Wi-Fi JV With Bharti Airtel: Report Posted: 27 May 2022 12:11 AM PDT Vodafone Idea (Vi) is reportedly mulling exiting the Wi-Fi joint venture (JV) with Bharti Airtel formed back in 2014. Ravinder Takkar, CEO of Vodafone Idea, told BusinessLine the company might potentially exit the JV with Airtel as neither of the companies is investing much time into it. When the JV was formed, India was running on mobile networks powered by 3G technology. The telco had anticipated the data surge in the following years and thus had created a Wi-Fi JV to offload some data traffic into it. But once 4G swarmed India with Jio's arrival, mobile data became abnormally affordable for most in the country, and thus the Wi-Fi JV didn't get much interest from the consumers. PM-WANI Program Still an Ambitious One from the Government The PM-WANI program, launched in December 2020, aims to set up public Wi-Fi hotspots across the nation. According to the central registry, over 63,841 Wi-Fi hotspots have already been deployed PAN-India. The goal of the government is to set up 10 million Wi-Fi hotspots by 2022, and the PM-WANI program has been set up to drive that ambition. The role of public Wi-Fi hotspots is still crucial for the development of India. There are still many regions of the country where the telcos have not set up their mobile networks because of the profitability factor. In such areas, public Wi-Fi hotspots can do a lot of good in the short-to-medium term. Further, with public Wi-Fi hotspots, congested 4G networks in India get some sort of relief. Ravinder Takkar's statements suggest that Vi is not really enthusiastic about the Wi-Fi JV with Airtel anymore and, in the following days, can potentially exit. It makes sense that neither Airtel nor Vi is paying a lot of attention to the JV as the role of 4G networks/mobile networks has grown significantly. For now, the PM-WANI scheme is looking to make India a country with public Wi-Fi hotspots in every nook and corner.

DoT Tested 28 5G Cells in Ahmedabad and Got 1.5 Gbps Download Speed Posted: 26 May 2022 10:46 PM PDT The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) tested 28 5G cells in the Prahladnagar area of Ahmedabad, Gujarat. A peak download speed of 1.5 Gbps was recorded. The tests were carried out in 13 different locations in Prahladnagar and the 5G cells used were from an unnamed mobile service provider (most likely Vodafone Idea, as the telco is already testing 5G in the city). According to a TOI report, the DoT officials said that the cells deployed were single compact size boxes with zero footprint that could be installed even on 10m or 15m poles for providing localised 5G coverage. It is worth noting that the DoT team from Gujarat had earlier said that they had recorded a peak download speed of 4 Gbps in February for a 5G test site at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, installed by another private mobile service provider. When Is 5G Spectrum Auction? The 5G spectrum auctions are most likely going to be scheduled for mid-July or July end. TRAI has valued the spectrum for the auctions at around Rs 7.5 lakh crore. While the value of the reserve price was discounted, the industry doesn't feel satisfied with the TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) recommendations. It is unlikely that all the operators will be participating in the spectrum auctions at their full capacity. Vodafone Idea has serious cash flow issues as the telco has not made a single rupee since the merger. Only Jio and Airtel are expected to go heavy in the auctions. The government will also be reserving some 5G spectrum for the state-run telecom operator BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited). Ahead of the spectrum auction, in a major call, the telecom department has sided with the view to enable enterprises to get private 5G networks through the telcos. Earlier, it was speculated that the 5G spectrum would be reserved for private entities as well as for private 5G.

BSNL Long-Term Plan Boosted With Additional Validity Offer Posted: 26 May 2022 09:43 PM PDT Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is currently offering users a Rs 2399 plan with long-term validity. With this plan, users get a complete year’s worth of validity. But right now, BSNL is offering this plan with even more validity. The company will offer users this plan with an additional validity of 60 days. This is a limited period offer valid until June 29, 2022. BSNL keeps on introducing such additional validity offers for the users. So, what do you get with this plan? Let's find out. BSNL Rs 2399 Plan Overall Benefits BSNL offers its Rs 2399 prepaid plan with a total validity of 365 days. Right now, since it is under offer, users will get additional 60 days of validity which means that the total validity of the plan will become 425 days. With this plan, BSNL offers users 2GB of daily data, unlimited voice calling, and 100 SMS/day. There's a free subscription to BSNL Tunes and Eros Now Entertainment services as well. In each circle where this plan is available, users will get the offer. This offer was rolled out by BSNL back on April 1, 2022. Thus, anyone who has already recharged with this plan and is unaware of the offer will also be eligible to receive the additional validity. Users don't need to manually activate or claim the additional validity. Upon purchase of the plan during the offer period, users will get the benefits automatically. A Rs 2399 plan for 425 days or 14 months with 2GB of daily data is a superb deal for consumers who are after value purchases. However, since BSNL doesn't have live 4G networks across the nation, it will be hard for the consumers to get the best data experience out of this plan. As you read this, BSNL is working on rolling out 4G in the country as fast as possible. By the end of this year, we may see some development in that regard.

Kumar Mangalam Birla Says ‘Absolutely Committed’ to Vodafone Idea: Report Posted: 26 May 2022 08:36 PM PDT Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman of the Aditya Birla Group, said that he is "absolutely committed" to Vodafone Idea (Vi), the third-largest private telco in India. Birla told BQ Prime in an interview that the intent right now is to find a partner to come and invest in the company. Birla said that finding investment right now is not the easiest of things because everyone knows that the company was in trouble. Thus, as per him, finding an investing partner would take some time as people start feeling confident about the business. Government's Help Was a Performance Booster Birla said that the company's performance quarter-on-quarter seems to be improving, and the government's relief package was a booster for the entire sector. He dismissed the rumours that the Aditya Birla Group had given up on the telco by explaining that the group didn't want to invest further until it could see a return coming, but they had certainly not given up on the business prospects of Vodafone Idea. In a very realistic manner, Birla said that there are still some issues considering the company had "self-deteriorated", and it is going to take some time for it to pull back. Vodafone Idea is currently looking for external investors, and from the words of Birla, it is clear that ABG is still focusing on the growth of the telco. But finding investors has been hard for the company given the state of turmoil it in a few months back. Despite the relief package, Vi hasn't been able to start adding new subscribers. The telco's 4G subscriber base increased by 1.1 million users in the last quarter of FY22. The average revenue per user (ARPU) figure is still not where the telco can turn profitable. Vi needs to start adding new users; otherwise, the company's plans will stay slightly muted in front of its competitors.

Jio, Airtel and Vi to Engage in Network Slicing, Should Not be a Net Neutrality Problem Posted: 26 May 2022 07:06 PM PDT Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea (Vi) are soon going to launch 5G network services and, along with that, network slicing services. This might get many worried about the potential effect network slicing would have on the net neutrality goal of the government. For the unaware, net neutrality means not giving anyone preferential treatment with the network experience. But with network slicing, it would be very much possible for the telcos to do so. However, there's one thing you should know if you are worried about this. Network slicing is a service meant for B2B customers, and it shouldn't really affect the B2C services of the telcos. In short, consumers don't need to worry about network slicing. Net Neutrality Rules Might be Affected, but Consumers Don't Need to Worry With 5G and network slicing, the net neutrality rules may be affected. But this is natural as the net neutrality rules that exist currently weren't made by looking at the 5G technology. With 5G, the rules should be updated so that litigation in the sector can be reduced. Network slicing would be a strong use-case for the telcos as it will help them in offering private 5G networks to the enterprises. Consumers won't be affected due to this. For every consumer, the service in a particular area should be the same. Telcos won't really be able to target specific customers and offer them faster network speed with their network slice. It just doesn't work that way. The government's aim for net neutrality is a noble vision and something that all consumers would certainly stand by. Telcos won't really want to bring more legal trouble on them by engaging in preferential treatment of the consumers. Instead, they would like to offer a better network experience to both consumers and enterprises to maximise their revenues and fuel growth.

MeitY Forms an Advisory Board to Make India Electronics Manufacturing Hub by 2026 Posted: 26 May 2022 09:03 AM PDT In a move to put India significantly on the map when it comes to electronics manufacturing, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has formed an advisory board. The advisory board has been formed to make India a $300 billion electronics manufacturing hub by 2026. MeitY has added members on the board from major local and multinational electronics brands and industry bodies and it has been termed as “Digital India Electronics Mission $300 Billion.” Let's find out more. The Advisory Board Back in December 2014, a task force was set up to focus on fast-tracking the Indian smartphone manufacturing industry. The newly formed advisory board acts as a successor to it. The focus of the new group, however, has been expanded to other categories like IT hardware, wearables, LED lights and more. A report from ET Telecom has revealed the members that will be part of the advisory group. The report suggests that the group will consist of Hariom Rai, Managing Director at Lava, Virat Bhatia, Managing Director at Apple, Manu Kapoor, Senior Vice President at Samsung, Josh Foulger, Country Head and MD at Bharat FIH, Pankaj Mohindroo, Chairman at ICEA, Ketan Patel, Managing Director at HP India, Alok Ohrie, President and MD at Dell, Nivruti Rai, Country Head at Intel India, Sreejith Nair, CEO, Coconics and lastly, Amitesh Kumar Sinha, Joint Secretary (Electronics), MeitY. Pankaj Mohindroo talked about the advisory board stating that the basis for forming the group came from a report published by ICEA that outlined the strategies, challenges and policy work needed to achieve the $300 bn target. He further added that the report outlines that to achieve the $300 billion target, mobile manufacturing has to increase from $30 billion in 2021 to $126 billion by 2026, while IT hardware manufacturing has to go from $3 billion presently to $25 billion, and so on. The advisory group will schedule a meeting in the foreseeable future to decide on the roadmap, shape the industry’s competitiveness, mitigate disabilities, and improve the ease of doing business. The said report from ICEA informs that while the earlier target was at $400 billion by 2025, disruptions from the pandemic led to a revised target of $300 billion, which is a 300% increase from the $75 billion level in 2021.

iPhone 14 Pro Variant Renders Surface Revealing Multiple Colour Options Posted: 26 May 2022 08:13 AM PDT The Cupertino-based tech giant Apple will be introducing its flagship iPhone 14 series this year as it does every year. The devices in the iPhone 14 series have been in the rumour mill for a while. The series will feature an iPhone 14 Pro model, the renders of which first appeared over the web back in March. Now in a new development, designer Ian Zelbo has provided new High-resolution renders of the iPhone 14 Pro in multiple colours like purple, silver, graphite, and gold. Let's take a look. iPhone 14 Pro Renders Purple Gold Graphite Silver The Gold colour of the iPhone 14 Pro already appeared on the internet last month, apart from which, the most eye-catching colour is purple. The beautiful purple colour is apparently going to be the "special colour" coming to the iPhone 14 Pro. There might be more special colours planned but it is known that the purple colour options will not be available on the vanilla model. Apart from the colour options, the renders also showcase the speculated slim bezels, enabling a little extra display screen. As far as the information and leaks regarding the iPhone 14 Pro are considered, the smartphone will come with a 48MP sensor wide-angle primary camera, which is considerably more significant than the current 12MP wide-angle camera featured in the iPhone 13 series. The smartphone is going to be powered by a next-generation A16 Bionic chipset. Furthermore, a recent report suggests that this year's iPhone 14 Pro models will feature the new ProMotion display that will allow for the Always On Display feature which has been missing in every iPhone series till now. There have also been talks regarding a new and improved front camera on the iPhone 14 series. The improved hardware would cost Apple more, but it is also expected to deliver better results for the consumers. The iPhone 14's front camera is expected to come with support for Auto Focus. Notably, The iPhone 14 series is expected to come with four smartphones, namely iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Max, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max.

Boat Wave Neo Budget Smartwatch Launched in India Posted: 26 May 2022 07:30 AM PDT The popular Indian consumer electronics manufacturer Boat has introduced a new smartwatch in the country called the Boat Wave Neo. The latest device from the company is a budget model and joins the Wave series portfolio. The wearable has been priced under Rs 2000 and will be sold via a popular e-commerce platform. The company has already launched its Boat Wave Pro and Boat Wave Lite smartwatches in India back in March and the new Wave Neo becomes the third smartphone in the series. Mentioned below are the price and specification details of the new Boat Wave Neo. Boat Wave Neo Specs and Price The newly launched Boat Wave Neo comes featuring a 1.69-inch full touch screen display that offers 550nits of brightness. The device has a 2.5D curved glass screen which offers a 454x454pixels resolution. Like most of the smartwatches available on the market, the Boat Wave Neo also provides multiple health and fitness-related features. Talking about the sensory systems onboard, the wearable comes with a 24/7 heart rate sensor, a SpO2 monitor to measure blood-oxygen level, a stress tracker, an accelerometer and a sleep tracker. As far as the sports-related features are considered, it offers 10 sports modes including walking, running, climbing, yoga, basketball, cycling, hiking, skipping, badminton, and swimming. The device also acts as a fitness tracker as you can check your daily activities like steps taken, distance travelled, calories burned and more through the Boat Wave Neo smartwatch. The new Boat Wave Neo comes with multiple smart features such as call alerts, SMS, weather updates, sedentary reminders, alarms, music control, camera control, Bluetooth connectivity, and more. As claimed by the company, the device can run for up to 7 days on a single charge. The new smartwatch from Boat is pretty lightweight and weighs just 35 grams. The device comes with a free size silicone strap and offers support for over 100 watch faces. The smartwatch can be easily connected to the Boat Hub application. Talking about the price details, Boat Wave Neo has been priced at Rs 1,799 in India and will be available in three colour options – Black, Blue, and Burgundy. The wearable will go on sale via Flipkart starting at 12 noon on May 27th.

Broadband: Cheapest Available Packs from Prominent ISPs Posted: 26 May 2022 06:20 AM PDT Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in India offer a ton of broadband plans for their subscribers with different connectivity speeds and price tags. These plans can range up to high-end speed packs up to 1 Gbps. However, the service providers also offer budget plans for their users. Mentioned below are the cheapest available broadband plans from some of the prominent ISPs in the country. Let's take a look. Airtel Broadband Airtel with its Xstream Fiber connection offers one of the fastest broadband connections and users can get access to the 'Basic' pack which provides 40 Mbps of internet speed at a monthly cost of Rs 499 exclusive of taxes. Users get 3.3TB or 3300GB of monthly fair-usage-policy (FUP) data with this plan. Airtel also provides 'Airtel Thanks Benefits' with its broadband plans which in this case include a subscription to Wynk Music and Shaw Academy. JioFiber Base Plan JioFiber provides a 30 Mbps internet speed data plan at the price of Rs 399 per month. The FUP limit set on this plan is 3300Gb or 3.3TB. Using the 30 Mbps plan from JioFiber, customers can get access to smooth and seamless internet across multiple devices. It is to be noted that the price of the plan is exclusive of GST. BSNL The most affordable option from the state-owned operator BSNL used to be the 'Fibre Basic' plan which offers an internet speed of 30 Mbps at a cost of Rs 449. The mentioned price is exclusive of GST and the plan comes with a FUP limit of 3300GB or 3.3TB. However, the telco has recently introduced a new broadband plan called "Fiber Entry". Using its Bharat Fiber connection, the telco offers a Fiber Entry plan which provides 20 Mbps speed at a cost of Rs 329 per month. The data limit on the plan is 1000GB beyond which the speed is reduced to 2 Mbps. Tata Play Fibre Tata Play Fiber, formerly known as Tata Sky Broadband also provides an affordable plan that offers 50 Mbps of speed at a three-month price of Rs 2,097. This plan unlike other broadband plans offered by the provider doesn't come for a monthly cycle. However, users looking to get the plan for a longer period can get access to the plan for six months at Rs 3,300 and for a year at Rs 6,000. The FUP limit on this plan is 3300GB or 3.3TB.

5G Rollout and Data Center Capacity Expansion to Boost OTT Growth in India Posted: 26 May 2022 05:34 AM PDT 5G, the next-generation network technology, might become a commercial reality for India by August 15, 2022. The spectrum auction planning is already underway, and the telcos have also geared up by upgrading their networks to meet future demands. In addition to this, many new data centers have been added across the nation, and many more are going to be added in the next five years. Investments in the data center capacity expansion over the next three years would span between Rs 1.05 to Rs 1.20 lakh crore, said ICRA. 5G networks, with their power of low latency and high bandwidth, along with data centers which will be able to provide edge points, will enable a higher quality OTT (Over-The-Top) streaming experience for users. With edge points, computing of data can be brought closer to the user device (in this case could be your smartphone, TV or more, which you use to stream OTT content), and this means less distance between the client and the server resulting in faster connections. OTT Depends Highly on Broadband Connectivity The state governments have already started easing RoW (right-of-way) policies for the telcos and other telecom infra service providers. This will enable a faster rollout of broadband across India, and with 5G, it would be of utmost importance. As data connectivity reaches more corners of India, the demand for OTT content will go up. India is expected to add over 300 million new OTT users in the next five years. With OTT platforms, users can watch content on the go, which is a huge advantage over the traditional DTH (direct-to-home) services. In the coming years, India's telecom infra and digital connectivity inclusion are going to rise at a rapid pace which will set up the platform for OTT content companies to access a ready market and monetise faster. Couple this up with affordable data; the revenue potential for the OTT platforms is just too crazy for the coming years.

COAI Applauds Gujarat’s Telecom Infra Policy 2022 Posted: 26 May 2022 04:45 AM PDT The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has applauded Gujarat's notification of the Telecom Infrastructure Policy 2022. The bylaws announced by the government of Gujarat will be applicable in all the city areas, municipal councils, town municipal councils, town panchayats, etc. The policy looks after both the deployment of telecom towers as well as OFC (optical fiber cable), aerial and underground. How Much is the Cost for Deploying OFC and Telecom Towers in Gujarat Now? The government of Gujarat in its new policy for the telecom infrastructure has said that the applicant will have to pay Rs 1,000 per kilometre for OFC (underground and aerial) and Rs 10,000 per application for the telecom tower deployment. Note that the policy supports the regularisation of the existing telecom infrastructure which will contribute to the state's GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth. With this RoW policy, the government will be able to achieve the goals under National Broadband Mission faster and allow connectivity to reach every part of the state. The telcos will be able to deploy the networks at a much lower cost which will be essential for the launch of 5G networks. For the 5G rollout, the telcos will require access to infrastructure at a much lower cost than now because the role of small cells, fiberisation of towers, and deploying more mobile towers will go up. Lt. Gen. Dr. SP Kocchar, Director General, COAI thanked the Chief Secretary of Gujarat for releasing and implementing the Notification of Gujarat's "Telecom Infrastructure Policy 2022" which will pave way for creating a robust telecom infrastructure in the state. Kocchar further said that this move will ensure that initiatives of the central government including building smart cities, digital India and broadband to all will be achieved much faster. Every state is in the move to reduce the cost of RoW (right of way) applications and overall infrastructure deployment cost as 5G is around the corner. These states would want the telcos to prioritise them for rolling out 5G at a lower cost.

Tecno Pova 3 Looks Like a Strong Contender in Budget Smartphone Category Posted: 26 May 2022 03:04 AM PDT Tecno Pova 3 was recently launched. Looking at the specifications and the price of the smartphone, it is hard to ignore the fact that it could give very strong competition to the likes of Xiaomi, Oppo, Realme, and other brands in the same price range. Tecno Pova 3 is meant for people who are looking for getting the most of out a very affordable device. Let's just take a look at what its specifications are to get an idea about how the smartphone is such a good deal. Tecno Pova 3 Specifications The Tecno Pova 3 comes with a huge 6.9-inch FHD+ IPS LCD display with support for 90Hz refresh rate. It is powered by the MediaTek Helio G88 SoC coupled with up to 6GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 128GB of internal storage. The internal storage can be expanded up to 256GB via a microSD card. The device will come running on Android 11 out of the box. Another highlight of the smartphone is its 7000mAh battery. With this large battery, users will hardly ever have to look to charge the device multiple times in a single day. Further, there is support for 25W fast-charging as well. It is a 4G VoLTE device which comes with support for NFC and Bluetooth 5.0 as well. There's a triple-camera setup at the rear of Tecno Pova 3 with a 50MP primary sensor, a 2MP depth sensor for portrait shots, and an AI lens. For selfies, there's an 8MP sensor at the front. Let's take a look at the price of the smartphone. Tecno Pova 3 Price The Tecno Pova 3 has launched in two memory variants. The base variant comes with 4GB+64GB for PHP 8,999 (approx Rs 13,400) and the 6GB+64GB model comes for PHP 9,399 (approx Rs 13,900). Let's see when and if this device will make its way to India. It is definitely an offering that would stir up the competition in the budget segment.

Govt Exempted from Making Open Offer to Vi Shareholders Posted: 26 May 2022 02:34 AM PDT The Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has exempted the Government of India (GoI) from making an open offer to the shareholders of Vodafone Idea Limited (VIL) pursuant to the proposed acquisition of a 33% stake in the telco. SEBI said that the GoI could skip this process, and this means that the equity conversion process for the company has just become easier and will happen faster too. For the unaware, whenever an entity tries to acquire 25% or more of a publicly listed company in India, it has to give shareholders of the company an open offer to sell their shares and exit the business. This is to keep the interest of the shareholders intact. But this time around, SEBI said that GoI wouldn't have to make such an offer to the shareholders of the company meaning the process of equity conversion would get done faster. But is it a fair thing for the shareholders of the company? Well, SEBI did give a reason behind the move. SEBI Believes GoI's Equity is in the Interest of the Shareholders Note that if the GoI didn't take equity from Vi, it would mean a significant debt added on the shoulders of the telco. In 2021, to save the telecom sector from facing further liquidity issues, GoI had offered an option to the telcos to convert their interest dues on the spectrum as equity for the central government. Vi exercised the right and is now giving around 33% of the company to the government. So why did the shareholders not get an option to sell their shares in an open offer to the government? Well, the concept of an open offer was made to ensure that if the new acquirer could disturb the business in any way, the shareholders should be able to exit before they suffer anticipated losses. In this case, the GoI is only going to act as a silent entity. GoI isn't going to be in control in any manner of the management or the board of the company. Thus, GoI's shareholding will be treated in the same manner as the public. Thus, according to PTI, there is no need for an open offer, said SEBI.

Airtel’s Smart Recharge Plan a Good Way to Keep the SIM Active Posted: 26 May 2022 01:39 AM PDT If you want to keep your Bharti Airtel SIM as the secondary connection and ensure that it is active all the time, you can go with the 'Smart Recharge' plan offered by the company. Bharti Airtel's base prepaid plan of Rs 99 has been termed as a 'Smart Recharge' by the company. With this plan, users can keep their Airtel SIM active and also consume telecom services. Let's check out the benefits offered with this plan and how it can be a good option to keep the SIM active. Airtel Smart Recharge Plan of Rs 99 The thing is, if you don't recharge your Airtel SIM for a prolonged period, it can be deactivated by the company. Further, before the SIM even deactivates, you won't be able to get an incoming call facility either. Thus, the affordable option for you to keep your SIM active with Airtel is the Rs 99 plan. Note that this plan isn't exclusively meant for secondary SIM users but for people who want an affordable option at their disposal. With the Rs 99 prepaid plan from Bharti Airtel, users get 200MB of data, Rs 99 worth of talktime, and local tariff calls at one paise per second. Users can also send SMS at the cost of Rs 1 if it is local and STD SMSes at Rs 1.5. This plan will ensure that your SIM will be active for 28 days. No doubt that it could be an expensive affair for many just to keep their Airtel SIM active, but it is an effective solution if you can afford it. If you are wondering that this plan used to come for Rs 79 earlier, well, you are right. When Airtel hiked prepaid tariffs at the end of November 2021, the telco changed the price of the Rs 79 plan to Rs 99. Let us know how you keep your secondary SIM active at the most affordable cost.

RailTel, Esri India Sign MoU for Addressing Rising Demand for ‘GIS on Cloud’ Posted: 26 May 2022 12:24 AM PDT In a new development, the RailTel Corporation of India has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Esri India, the country's leading Geographic Information System (GIS) software and solutions provider. The MoU will focus on providing cloud-based GIS solutions to users in the government sector. This collaboration between the two companies will address the strong emerging demand for 'GIS on Cloud'. The government's focus on using GIS for various national programs such as Gati Shakti, Digital India, Smart Cities, Jal Jeevan Mission, and more has increased and thus there is a higher demand for a robust and scalable Geospatial Infrastructure in the country right now. It is worth noting that Esri India has already developed a product called Indo ArcGIS for Indian government customers. The Indo ArcGIS suite includes many industry-specific solution products for disaster management, land records, forest management, electric utility management, property tax management, and much more. Indo ArcGIS on Cloud Now Available on RailTel Cloud Because of the partnership, the Indo ArcGIS on Cloud will now be available on RailTel cloud. This will give the customers of RailTel a much-needed advantage of scalability, agility, and cost-efficiency. Further, it would help the government clients/organisations in reducing costs and complexity by moving on-premises infrastructure to the cloud and speeding up the use of GIS in their initiatives and programs. Aruna Singh, CMD, RailTel said, "Geospatial Infrastructure is fast becoming the backbone of many new strategic initiatives of both central and state governments in India. RailTel with its 2 Tier III data centers and over 61000 Kms of Optic Fiber Network is uniquely positioned to support government organizations in deploying their GIS applications on a secure public cloud". This partnership would enable RailTel in offering more to its government customers and potentially increase its revenues in the coming quarters. RailTel opened at Rs 98.50 in the red on Thursday. The company's stock is down almost 2% at the time of writing.

MTNL 3G STVs Start at Rs 102 in Mumbai, Check More Details Posted: 25 May 2022 11:48 PM PDT Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) Mumbai offers several 3G STVs (Special Tariff Vouchers) to consumers. These vouchers start at Rs 102. There are both short-term as well as long-term validity plans offered by the state-owned telcos to their users. The plans, which start at Rs 102, range up to Rs 1,999. Let's take a look at all of these plans and what they offer to the users. MTNL 3G STVs for Mumbai MTNL offers a total of five 3G combo STVs in Mumbai, which include all of the following – SMSes, unlimited voice calling, and data. The most affordable plan offered by the company is Rs 102. With this plan, users get no data, but they do get unlimited voice calling and a total of 99 SMS for 22 days. The second voucher on the list comes for Rs 153 and offers 1GB of daily data along with 100 SMS/day and unlimited voice calling for a total of 30 days. The third voucher on the list comes for Rs 298 and offers the same benefits as the Rs 153 voucher but has a total validity of 56 days. Then there is the Rs 485 voucher meant for people looking for a medium-term validity plan. This voucher comes with a total validity of 90 days and offers 1.5GB of daily data along with unlimited voice calling and 100 SMS/day. Lastly, there is a Rs 1,999 voucher. This plan is meant for users looking for a yearly validity plan. Users get lumpsum 600GB of data with this plan for 365 days, along with 100 SMS/day and unlimited voice calling. In case the fair usage policy (FUP) data offered by these plans is not enough, you can always recharge with the data STVs that MTNL offers in Mumbai. The only downside of these plans is that they are all supported by a 3G network and won't be able to deliver fast internet.

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