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• Amazfit Band 7 Unveiled by the Company
• TelecomTalk Interviews: Vodafone Idea COO on How Customer Engagement Changed After Pandemic
• Indian Smartphone Users Get Strong 4G Coverage Thanks to Vi, Airtel and Jio
• Broadband Packages From Unknown ISPs That Provide Considerable Value
• Bhopal Becomes First Smart City in India to Test for 5G Readiness
• Loss Making MTNL Will Not be Privatised, 5G Spectrum for BSNL Reserved
• BSNL 3 Prepaid Plans Under Rs 100 for Keeping SIM Active

Amazfit Band 7 Unveiled by the Company Posted: 23 Jul 2022 10:23 AM PDT Amazfit recently debuted the Amazfit Band 7 with more than 120 sports modes. The recently released Xiaomi Mi Band 7 Pro is similar to the wearable from Amazfit. The Amazfit Band 7 does not, however, include built-in GPS functionality, in contrast to the Xiaomi Mi Band 7 Pro. A 1.47-inch HD AMOLED display, a blood-oxygen and heart rate sensor, built-in Amazon Alexa, and more are included with the recently released wearable. With normal use, the wearable is said to last up to 18 days and in battery saver mode, up to 28 days. Amazfit Band 7 Specifications and Features The 1.47-inch HD AMOLED display on the Amazfit Band 7 has a 198 x 368-pixel resolution and a 282 PPI pixel density. Zepp OS is included with the wearable. It has a battery life of 18 days with regular use. Additionally, it has a battery life of up to 28 days when the power saver mode is active. The wearable is said to have eight modifiable watch faces in addition to more than 50 watch faces. It also has 120 different sports modes. The wearable provides a 24/7 heart rate monitor, SPO2 monitor, stress monitor, stress tracker, and menstrual cycle tracker in terms of health and fitness. When the health data falls abnormally low or rises abnormally high, these features also notify the user. Additionally, Bluetooth pairing is an option for the Amazfit Band 7. This works with both iOS and Android devices. The wearable can be connected to Apple phones running iOS 12.0 and above or Android-compatible devices. It also includes voice help capabilities for Amazon Alexa built right in. Sedentary reminder, find my phone, alarm clock, stopwatch, do not disturb mode, phone call notifications, SMS notifications, and more are included in the Amazfit Band 7’s additional functions. Additionally, it contains ExerSense algorithm, which intelligently recognises actions like walking, jogging, using an elliptical machine, and rowing. The Amazfit Band 7 weighs 28g and has a 5 ATM water resistance certification. Amazfit Band 7 Price and Availability The Amazfit Band 7 costs $49.99 (about Rs 3,650) and can be ordered through the company’s website. However, it isn’t now on the market in India. Additionally, there is no word yet regarding the wearable’s introduction in India. Nevertheless, Amazfit will provide customers with the opportunity to buy the wearable in Beige and Black colour varieties, as well as an additional variety of strap colour choices in Blue, Green, Orange, and Pink.

TelecomTalk Interviews: Vodafone Idea COO on How Customer Engagement Changed After Pandemic Posted: 23 Jul 2022 06:14 AM PDT The COVID-19 pandemic was a big shock to the world. No one was prepared, and the lockdown in India made things very hard for the economy to function properly. At a time like that, the telecom sector of India had a big challenge ahead of itself to ensure its mobile networks were ready to support higher data demand as people started working from their homes. For entertainment, people started relying on OTT (over-the-top) platforms. There were more video conferences and voice calls. The average time that a user was online on the internet went up in India. During that period, just like every other telco, Vodafone Idea (Vi), the third-largest telecom operator in the country, was working hard to ensure that its customers were always connected to its blazing fast mobile networks. In a conversation with Tanay and Tarun from TelecomTalk, Abhijit Kishore, COO (Chief Operating Officer), Vodafone Idea, talked about the change in customer engagement trends post the pandemic. “There is no denial to the fact that telecom as an industry was the lifeline during the pandemic. It wasn’t only about keeping the network infrastructure up and running during those times; it was also important to ensure that we were in touch with our customers; that we are learning along the way, and that we are providing the information to the customers’ needs,” Kishore said. Customer Engagement Trends Which Changed Post the Pandemic as Shared by Vodafone Idea COO “I think we have seen a very, very significant shift on a couple of things, and I am sure this would have also happened across the industries. The digital payments, digital recharges, the kind of digital solutions that the customers are now looking at, whether it is in the consumer space or in the enterprise space. The digital interaction and digital content consumption was significant,” Kishore shared. “There was also a shift in the peak hours. Typically in the telecom world, the peak hours were in the evening. During the pandemic, that shifted as people were working from home. Some of the consumer behaviour that we saw changing was one person in the family recharging for everyone else, whereas earlier multiple recharges used to happen. The retailers wanting to adopt to the whole digital ecosystem of, you know, whether it is auto-channel or UPI payment.” Post pandemic, these things and consumer behaviour have become the new normal, Abhijit said. If you want to see the full conversation, check out the YouTube video above or just go to the YouTube channel of TelecomTalk.

Indian Smartphone Users Get Strong 4G Coverage Thanks to Vi, Airtel and Jio Posted: 23 Jul 2022 02:05 AM PDT India is a vast market with subscribers living in the remotest parts, which are hard to reach for the terrestrial networks. Yet, the private telcos have done a pretty good job when it comes to providing 4G coverage to consumers. All the private telcos, including Vi (Vodafone Idea), Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio, have reached almost every part of India with their 4G networks. Because of this, Indian smartphone users are mostly connected to 4G networks if they have a 4G SIM and a 4G device. According to an Opensignal report, Indian smartphone users connected with 4G networks 9.3 out of 10 times. Here's a complete look at the data. Assam and Bihar Users Were Connected to 4G Networks Almost all the Time Assam and Bihar users were mostly connected to 4G networks whenever they were trying to access internet services, shows an Opensignal report. Take a look at the image below to understand the data better. On the basis of 100 points, Assam and Bihar scored 98.4 and 98.3 points, respectively. This means that the smartphone users living in these two states were connected to 4G networks for a higher percentage of time than the users in other states. What's interesting here is that both Assam and Bihar are Category-C circles. The telecom circle which was at the bottom of the list here was Kerala, with a score of 93.4%. It is a Category-B telecom circle and is quite behind the second-last state on the list, which is Tamil Nadu (Category-A circle), with a score of 96.8 points. Opensignal collected the data between March 1, 2022, to May 29, 2022. What's good here is that out of 22 telecom circles in India, 20 circles are spending 97% or more of their time being connected to 4G networks. This is a good stat for the telcos, but this doesn't detail the experience they are getting.

Broadband Packages From Unknown ISPs That Provide Considerable Value Posted: 22 Jul 2022 11:54 PM PDT While certain well-known companies, like Jio and Airtel, control a large portion of the broadband industry, there are a number of other internet service providers (ISPs) that give incredible value broadband packages. The majority of these ISPs only offer their services in a few Indian cities, yet they nonetheless deliver effective services and fast connectivity. Some of the less well-known ISPs that provide broadband services with excellent value are included in the article. Connect Broadband – 100 Mbps Plan Popular business Connect Broadband offers FTTH connections in some of India’s northern states, including Punjab, Haryana, and Jammu and Kashmir. Users have the option of choosing the company’s 100 Mbps package, which costs Rs 1,301 per month. Both Local + STD calls and genuinely limitless data are included in the subscription. The package stands out since it offers access to 8 OTT services, including Eros Now, Zee5 Premium, and others. Additionally, up to 1500 minutes of free ISD calling are included in the plan. Alliance Broadband – 150 Mbps Plan Alliance offers a “Cruise” 150 Mbps broadband package. Users can purchase the “Cruise pack” for Rs 1,000 per month, which provides 150 Mbps speed. There is no data cap, and the ISP offers really limitless broadband options. The 150 Mbps package, however, requires consumers to pay the fees for six months up ahead. Additionally, the Alliance Broadband 150 Mbps plan includes access to three months of Amazon Prime as well as other OTT services like Eros Now, Zee5 Premium, Sony LIV, and more. Hathway – 200 Mbps Plan Hathway offers a variety of broadband options to its customer base, but because its plans begin with quarterly fees, it is a good choice for individuals wishing to invest over the long term. The telco’s 200 Mbps package is among its better services. A GPON Superpremium broadband plan with 200 Mbps internet speed is available from the provider for a three-month cost of Rs 2,997. The plan is also available from the business for a six-month and 12-month period at the cost of Rs 5,994 and Rs 11,988, respectively. There is no FUP cap, and the plans from Hathway are genuinely infinite. It should be mentioned that the plan may differ in other Indian cities because it is based on the city of Mumbai. Netplus – 200 Mbps Plan ISP Netplus provides its services in seven northern Indian states. Internet connectivity from Netplus is available at speeds of up to 1 Gbps. The business additionally offers plans with access to OTT platforms that are truly unrestricted. Netplus charges Rs 999 per month, exclusive of taxes, for 200 Mbps of internet speed. With this package, users receive unlimited calling and data perks. Users of the plan have the option to choose between an Amazon Prime Video membership and a package that includes Zee5 Premium, Voot Select, and EROS Now. Additionally, Netplus offers genuinely limitless data with no FUP fees.

Bhopal Becomes First Smart City in India to Test for 5G Readiness Posted: 22 Jul 2022 10:53 PM PDT Quite a while back, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) had said that it would be conducting pilot 5G small cell tests in multiple parts of the country. The aim of these tests was to determine how the city infrastructure can be used to deliver 5G to consumers by the TSPs (Telecom Service Providers). TRAI recently said that 5G small cells had been tested by the TSPs under the pilot project being carried out in Bhopal under the aegis of TRAI. With this, Bhopal has become the first smart city in India to test 5G readiness for the use of street furniture like traffic signal poles, street light poles, smart poles, direction board, billboards, road signage, and foot over bridge and city bus shelter. TRAI also Conducted 5G Small Cell Tests in Other Parts of India TRAI oversaw a 5G small cells test at the Namma Metro Bengaluru that was conducted by the TSPs. This means that the Namma Metro rail system has become the first in the country to test 5G readiness. TRAI also shared that 5G small cells tests were conducted at the Kandla Port and at the GMR International Airport. Kandla Port is now the first port in India, and the GMR International airport is the first airport in India to test for 5G readiness. What's worth noting here is that TRAI didn't reveal the test results for any of these locations. So, we don't really know whether the tests were a success or not. Street furniture would be very crucial for the growth and proliferation of 5G in India. The telecom service providers (TSPs) have been requesting the government to ease out infrastructure rollout and access to grow their mobile networks fast. 5G small cells are going to be the tool that the telcos will use to ensure that even with high-spectrum frequencies, users will keep getting consistent mobile network coverage.

Loss Making MTNL Will Not be Privatised, 5G Spectrum for BSNL Reserved Posted: 22 Jul 2022 08:32 PM PDT Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) will not be privatised. The state-run telecom company has been incurring losses for as long as one can remember. Even though MTNL has very limited operations left in India now, the government plans to keep running it. According to a PTI report, Devusinh Chauhan, Minister of State (MoS) for Communications, gave a written reply to the Rajya Sabha detailing the losses that the company has been making. For the year 2021-22, MTNL's loss stood at Rs 2,617 crore. Along with this, Chauhan clarified it for the Rajya Sabha that there are no plans to privatise MTNL for now. Both BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited) and MTNL are running because of the relief package announced by the government for both companies in 2019. BSNL and MTNL were supposed to be merged entity. However, the government decided to delay the merger because of the high debt of MTNL. BSNL's financial situation wasn't also good. Thus, the merger was deferred until the time MTNL's debt situation doesn't improve. 5G Spectrum Reserved for BSNL In another reply to the Rajya Sabha, Chauhan wrote that the 5G spectrum for BSNL has been reserved already. The government is all set to conduct a 5G spectrum auction for the private telcos in India. Further, Chauhan said that testing of indigenous 4G equipment is at an advanced stage now, and the final delivery of the equipment will be made post the tests are completed. BSNL is in desperate need of a 4G launch to turn things around for itself. Right now, be it call drops percentage or data speeds, BSNL's networks are on the worst performing end of the graph. The state-run telco can benefit a lot from the 4G launch as the demand for 5G services isn't expected to boom any time soon in the consumer space. Ericsson's Mobility report had also said that 4G networks are going to be a major part of India's telecom ecosystem for years to come from now.

BSNL 3 Prepaid Plans Under Rs 100 for Keeping SIM Active Posted: 22 Jul 2022 06:56 PM PDT Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) isn't the best option for you right now if you are looking to get a primary SIM and expect strong coverage if you are travelling. But BSNL offers pretty great plans if you are someone who is looking to keep a second SIM active at a very low or nominal cost. Especially people who earn wages or salary in several parts during a month and don't have a substantial sum of cash to recharge with a big-priced plan right away. Today, we will look at three prepaid plans from BSNL under Rs 100, which can be used to keep the SIM active at a very low cost. BSNL Low-Cost Plans We are Talking About BSNL offers a Rs 87 prepaid plan to the customers. With this plan, users get 14 days of service validity. Along with this, the plan ships with unlimited voice calling benefit for the consumers. Users are also offered 1GB of daily data post, which the internet speed reduces to 40 Kbps and 100 SMS/day. BSNL also bundles gaming benefits with this plan. This is one of the most affordable plans in the industry, which comes with SMS benefit. The other plan under Rs 100 from BSNL, which can be a good deal for you, is the Rs 97 data voucher. This plan comes with a validity of 18 days. With this, users get unlimited voice calling, and 2GB of daily data post and the speed is reduced to 80 Kbps. There is free Lokdhun content bundled, but there is no SMS offered. Lastly, the third plan that we are talking about comes for Rs 99. This plan ships with service validity of 18 days as well. Users get unlimited voice calling along with PRBT benefit. There is no other benefit offered with this plan. These are pretty affordable plans which you will only get from BSNL right now.

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