Vodafone tops the MNP chart (India)
A new data has revealed that Vodafone India has so far gained the most, following India’s move allowing mobile users to retain their numbers even when they switch carriers.
According to the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), mobile number portability (MNP), which was launched in a northern state in late November and nationwide from Jan. 20, was not a game changer for the industry.
The COAI stated that less than 5 million subscribers, or less than 1% of the country’s total customers, had opted to switch carriers. Of these, a net 192,761 customers switched to India’s third-largest mobile carrier Vodafone Essar, while sixth-ranked Idea Cellular was next, with net gains of 150,789 customers.
Data showed that top mobile operator Bharti Airtel gained a net 148,215 customers in MNP, but No. 2 Reliance Communications was a net loser of 306,417 customers.
With 771 million mobile subscribers as of January, India is the world’s second-biggest market for mobile services and with monthly additions averaging 19 million in the past one year; it is the world’s fastest growing market.
India to build home-grown telecom security lab
India will soon have a home-grown laboratory to facilitate and tackle the government’s concerns on safety issues concerning the telecom network, particularly after the recently issued guidelines permitting trade in network apparatus from foreign telecom vendors by the Government.
The laboratory will help in tracking BlackBerry’s operations in India. The department of telecommunications (DoT) will work out the norms for setting up the lab with the home ministry.
It will help telecom firms place orders for 3G networks, following the recent allocation of 3G bandwidth to successful bidders via an auction process. The new guidelines put the responsibility for observance directly on operators.
The Indian telecom industry, including the telecom operator’s lobby Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), in a pre-consultation paper on encouraging telecom equipment manufacturing initiated by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) had suggested for the need for a common test and certification laboratory.
This will also take care of the government’s concern on any security-related issues pertaining to the telecom network. A telecom equipment-testing laboratory in India would just be an added advantage.
Telecommunications equipment needs to carry out correctly at all times, and particularly under unfavorable conditions, emergencies or disasters. Telecom testing is a requirement for manufacturers and designers.
Private Indian telcos against 3G sops for BSNL, MTNL
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Indian government has been asked by private telecom companies not to give any concessions to state-owned telcos BSNL and MTNL regarding payments for third generation airwaves.
It has been demanded by the Cellular Operators Association of India, the body representing GSM-based telecom companies that the telecom department adheres to 3G auction norms.
As per these norms state-owned telcos match the bid amount during the sale process and also make payments within 10 calendar days of the close of auctions.
11-Digit Phone Numbers plan opposed by Indian operators
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Indian regulator’s plans to move the country to an eleven digit phone number system has been opposed by the majority of India’s mobile network operators. Pending shortage of available numbers within the current mobile prefix has made the changes to the numbering system a requirement and has leaded the TRAI to hold a consultation.
Mobile operators have countered this suggestion of TRAI by suggestion that the numbering blocks currently reserved for landline can be made available to mobile subscribers. The GSM operators have been represented by Cellular Operators Association of India which feels that keeping six billion numbers reserved for fixed line subscribers is unfair. This is a clear wastage of the precious numbering resource as the actual number is even below 40 million.
According to the association, considering the relative size of the subscriber bases in the mobile and fixed sectors and the exponential growth of mobile subscriptions, it is worthwhile to free up the fixed line numbering resources and re-allocate some levels to mobile services
The only operators which had not objected to the idea of longer phone numbers are Reliance Communications and the Tata Teleservices. In their opinion, long term trend towards 11-digit phone numbers in inevitable regardless of how many dialing prefixes are made available.
Tower dispute in Noida causes serious inconvenience (India)
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Stern reactions came from mobile phone companies in India after authorities shut down hundreds of allegedly illegal towers and left tens of thousands of users in Noida suffering cut-off calls and no reception.
Dispute over whether these towers had been built on private properties where commercial activity is banned lead to the closing of 300 towers across Noida, a booming satellite town outside the capital New Delhi.
According to T.R. Dua, director general of the Cellular Operators Association of India, the action taken by the Noida authorities is totally arbitrary and uncalled for.
Allegedly illegal towers have sprung up across India and have increasingly become the center of disputes between giant mobile phone companies such as Vodafone and local authorities.
25 million chinese handsets blocked in India
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: 25 million Chinese-made mobile phones were banned by Indian authorities on Tuesday due to the lack of International Mobile Equipment Identification or IMEI number.
Telecom ministry officials said that low quality Chinese phones don’t have this 15 digit number needed to trace calls after a government crackdown on the handsets. Subsequently, they have asked all the service providers to block services to 25 million cell phones as it poses security threats.
The IMEI number helps in the identification of the calls received and made on a phone. It also provides information on the manufacturer and the handset type. Generally, when the phones are first activated, they automatically register this number with service providers.
The ministry has given two week deadline to all the customers with such phones to switch to a valid handset. They can manually register their phone with their service provider and buy an IMEI for INR199 ($4).
COAI or the Cellular Operators Association of India said it was adhering to the telecom ministry orders but at the same time they wanted the deadline to be extended. However, their request has been declined and they are sticking to the present deadline.
GSM lobby agrees to Rs 2,000 cr entry fee for 3G spectrum
NEW DELHI: The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) today agreed an entry fee of Rs 2000 crore for 3G services among operators.The GSM lobby has finally agreed on the entry fee, which would be shared by all the national operators. Each operator will have to shell out around Rs 400 crore as entry fee for 3G spectrum.
3G services, a high-end valued added service, will allow operators to offer mobile broadband services like high speed internet, video, video streaming, audio among others.
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Friday in a meeting with the cellular operators had presented the option of charging the spectrum on per Mega Hertz basis. The regulator expressed that the European model could be adopted by India through which Rs 85 crore could be charged per 1 Mhz per operator per service area (PSA).
According to the telecom regulation an operator is allocated a minimum of 5 MHz of spectrum to start its operations. According to TRAI’s proposed model each operator will have to shell out Rs 425 crore PSA, which received stiff opposition from the operators.
With the GSM operators agreeing on the entry fee, it seems that the debate on the pricing would lead to an understanding soon. However, Nripendra Misra, TRAI chief had said that they would submit the recommendations on the 3G policy by September 30.
Source- http://www.ciol.com
Technorati : 3G, GSM, India, Mobile, Trai
Ice Rocket : 3G, GSM, India, Mobile, Trai
