T-Mobile UK, 3UK in discussion to sell Google’s Nexus One
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Confirming the discussion over the sale of Google’s first own-branded Android smartfone, Nexus One, in the UK, the spokesmen of T-Mobile and 3 UK informed that the companies will be making a formal announcement soon.
According to the Head of Internet services at 3UK, David Kerrigan, T-mobile is a great internet phone and the company expects plenty of people to import it to UK.
On Tuesday Google launched Nexus One, its new Android powered and HTC made handset. Nexus one will be available to consumers directly from Google unlike other Smartphone’s running the Internet giant’s mobile OS.
In US, SIM- free Nexus One is available for $529 and for $179 on T- Mobile USA. A CDMA version of the phone is also heading to Verizon Wireless, while Vodafone will offer the device in Europe from spring 2010. Vodafone is yet to announce the launch date however a spokesman of the company informed that it will offer the Nexus One to UK consumer first.
Meanwhile O2 UK stated that it had no plans to sell Nexus One. Despite Google was offering to ship Nexus One SIM-free internationally, O2 did not sound keen on the idea.
BSNL superseded by Idea in the Indian market
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: With 55.9 million customers, India’s Idea Cellular became the country’s third largest GSM operator, overtaking state-controlled BSNL which had 55.2 million subscribers based on the November figures.
After adding 2.8 million new customers, Bharti Airtel reclaimed the top spot of fastest growing operator. 2.78 million new customers were added by Vodafone.
11 million subscribers as a whole have been added by the GSM industry to take the countrywide tally to 366 million. The fastest growth rates are noticed in the mid-ranked B circles. However, a drop in mobile phone users was reported after recent ban on prepay phones in Jammu and Kashmir.
IndiaMobile 2009: India’s largest Mobile Usage study results to be announced shortly.
Wireless Federation will shortly be announcing the availability of the results of India’s largest primary research project undertaken to study Mobile usage in India. The project is titled IndiaMobile 2009.
The survey is one of the most representative, independent enumeration of mobile phone usage in India. Close to 285,000 urban and rural Indians, covering all states and union territories574 districts, 3,175 towns and over 2,800 villages were interviewed. With at least 30 plus sample each from 323 districts and 419 towns, and 100 plus sample each from 184 districts and 155 towns, the study could actually be the World’s largest mobile (telecom) usage study carried out in a single country. The survey was carried out by a reputed local research agency under the guidance of Wireless Federation.
With the Mobile sector in India seeing close to 20% of its market capitalisation knocked off in the last few days and increased momentum in the price war in India, the results from this survey will help the sector understand its customers better in order to re-gain some of its strength back.
Airtel, Aircel, Tata Indicom, Tata DoCoMo, Etisalat, MTS India, Loop Mobile, Reliance Mobile, Idea Cellular, Vodafone, BSNL, MTNL, Telenor, Virgin can all now compare data from each and every circle and each live operator to understand demographic spread, handset usage and analysis as well as detailed psychographic analysis of the Indian mobile consumer.
The Indian mobile industry will be able to plan better based on the results from this study, which is now planned to occur each year. A large majority of mobile operators have expressed keen interest in the results of the study.
By using the IndiaMobile 2009 results, Mobile Operators will be able to further mould the study to better suit their needs from 2010 onwards.
This study will be the de-facto benchmark for Mobile Usage in India, given the thorough nature of the research, the sheer size of the sample and the level of interest from the Mobile Eco-System in utilising the results from this study.
For More information, please write to Audrey [at] WirelessFederation.com for your free copy of the headline results.
Price war & the Indian regulator cause mobile stocks to tumble
The Indian mobile sector, a darling of the Indian stock markets has just fallen from grace. Fears that a renewed tariff war may bring its dream run of profit growth to an end and could force smaller players to sell out or shut shop has caused the leader, Bharti Airtel to lose 17% in two trading sessions. Reliance Communications has fallen 11% and Idea Cellular fell 8%.
Mobile tariffs in India are already the lowest in the world. On Monday, Reliance (RCOM) announced the slashing of tariffs across the board for local, roaming and long-distance calls to 50 paise, i.e under a cent per minute.
In addition to this, the Indian Telecom regulator suggested on Monday that telecom operators shift to per-second pricing as opposed to per-minute. After the Indian stock market got jittery with this announcement and telecom stocks started tumbling, the regulator (TRAI) was seen as diluting their position on this statement, stating that proposal on per-second billing was at an initial stage and too much was being read into the issue.
TRAI chairman J.S. Sarma also said that mobile operators were free to oppose the scheme and the regulator would consider their opinion during the consultation process.
Sunil Mittal, the chief of Bharti Airtel said tariffs were best left to market forces.
India’s GSM subscriber base reaches 335.5 million
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: The GSM subscribers of India have grown by 9.31 million in August, taking its total base to 335.5 million, as per the data released.
According to the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), the apex body of GSM operators, Bharti Airtel remained the front runner with 2.8 million additions, taking its number of subscribers to 107.9 million.
Followed to this is Vodafone with the additon of 2.19 million, taking its subscriber tally to 80.8 million.
The monthly data does not include GSM subscribers of Reliance Communications and Tata Teleservices, which report figures separately, COAI said.
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) has gained 1.3 million subscribers, Idea Cellular added 1.5 million subscribers in August.
Idea launches STD pack for its prepaid subscribers (India)
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Idea cellular has launched a new STD Pack for its prepaid mobile subscribers in the Southern region states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh telecom circle. The new pack allows its new and existing subscribers to make STD calls to all mobile and landline networks in the above states, at just 50 paisa per minute. The subscribers can avail this offer by purchasing tariff vouchers priced at Rs.26. This offer is valid upto first 300 minutes and after that the STD charges of the subscribers regular plan will be applied.
