Wireless Federation

MTS offers Â½ Paisa per second for ‘Lifetime’ (India)

On 03.24.11, In Mobile, By Editor

Sistema Shyam TeleServices Limited (SSTL) that provides telecommunication services under the brand MTS, today announced an exciting Value Maximizer offer. For the first time in India, customers across Maharashtra & Goa can now avail ½ paisa/second tariff plan for “LIFETIME’ on all local calls without any condition. Additionally, a customer will also get a talk time worth Rs. 200 and an MTS Handset all for Rs. 799/- Only.

According to Ashoo Sethi, Chief Operating Officer, Mumbai, Maharashtra & Goa Circle, Sistema Shyam TeleServices Limited (SSTL) “MTS having launched its new global brand identity is committed to be ‘A Step Ahead’. In sync with this brand philosophy we are excited to bring special offer for the customers of Maharashtra & Goa circle. The offer includes providing unconditional ½ paisa/second tariff plan for lifetime on all local calls along with Rs. 200 Talk Time and an MTS Handset for just Rs 799.”

This offer is valid on all local calls across Mumbai, Maharashtra & Goa telecom circles. The Handset bundle offer where in the customers would get a Rs. 200 as talk time, ½ paisa for lifetime along with a handset, is available across Maharashtra and Goa except Mumbai Telecom Circle.

Besides Voice, MTS has been really strong in terms of Data Business. MTS has more than 50,000 data customers in Maharashtra & Goa enjoying high speed network. The company has drawn plans to have a total of 150 Company Flagship stores across the circle, in the next 3 months.
MTS – A Step Ahead; More about the new global brand identity.

When you refuse to step back, you step ahead. This thought runs embedded in the new MTS brand identity. It propels the passion for discoveries, an inspiration to stay ahead in terms of innovation, a promise to offer the best to the consumer. The new MTS identity relates to a new belief in India – that your present does not determine your Future. With a range of technologies and services, the brand enables you to bet on yourself, to never say no, to challenge existing beliefs, to “do what you can’t”.

Idea Cellular to empower the rural segment of Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat, UP West & AP

On 03.15.11, In Mobile, By Editor

Idea, the pan-India telecom operator and handygo, India’s leading provider of VAS solutions, have announced the launch of ‘Behtar Zindagi ‘, latest bouquet of VAS offerings for customers in rural areas of Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat, UP West and Andhra Pradesh. This innovative product is specially designed to provide day-to-day information to Idea’s rural subscribers. The subscribers can get exhaustive and up to the mark information regarding health, education, finance, weather updates, mandi rates, livestocks, agriculture and fisheries.

To use this service Idea subscribers need to dial 556780 (tollfree) and avail the subscription pack at a minimal charge of Rs 30, 15, 7 and 2 for 30, 15, 7 and 1 day, respectively. The service is available in all the respective states regional languages along with Hindi and English.

This unique IVR based rural solution by handygo provides credible and authentic information to the rural subscribers. For latest and reliable updates handygo has partnered with various organizations such as Care India, Aviva Life Insurance, Indian Metrological Department, INCOIS, Hariyali Kisan Bazaar, Network for Fish Quality Management and Sustainable Fishing, Transparency International India, Sonalika, EKO India Financial Services and plethora of other organizations.

On this tie-up, Mr. Praveen Rajpal, CEO, handygo said, “We are contented to partner with one of India’s leading mobile operator -Idea Cellular. We envisage great potential in the untapped rural market and are bullish about the stupendous feedback from the end consumers. We have partnered with various large associations for ensuring the latest and authentic information to the mobile subscribers using the service. Our IVR based rural product is available in all the regional languages along with Hindi and English.”

Announcing the launch of these services, Mr. Rajendra Chourasia, Chief Operating Officer – Maharashtra & Goa, Idea Cellular said, “With over 1.2 crore subscribers, Idea is the largest mobile network and has the highest penetration in rural parts of Maharashtra & Goa. We are happy to partner with handygo to offer relevant and affordable services to our rural subscribers in the circle.”

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: Agriculture • Andhra Pradesh • Behtar Zindagi • Education • finance • fisheries • Goa • Gujarat • handygo • Health • Idea • Idea Cellular • India • IVR • livestocks • Maharashtra • mandi rates • Mobile • pan-India telecom operator • UP West • VAS • weather updates

Airtel launches 3G services in Mumbai (India)

On 03.08.11, In Mobile, By Editor

Bharti Airtel has launched its 3G services in Mumbai. The company has formally announced 3G services in Mumbai, Maharashtra and Goa circles.

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Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: 3G • Airtel 3G • Bengaluru • Bharti Airtel • Chennai • Coimbatore • Delhi • Faridabad • Goa • Gurgaon • Jaipur • Maharashtra • Manipal • Mobile • Mumbai • Mysore • Noida • Udipi

71% mobile users active in January (India)

On 03.07.11, In Mobile, By Editor

The Indian telecom regulator, TRAI has stated that Videocon lost more than 1 million subscribers, while Bharti Airtel, Reliance Communications and Vodafone Essar added 3 million subscribers each in January this year.

According to TRAI, more than 71% of mobile subscribers in India are active users. Around 548.66 million people were using mobile phones of the total subscriber base of 771 million mobile subscribers.

Bharti Airtel had the highest ratio of active subscribers compared to its total subscriber base at 92.63%, followed by Idea Cellular with 90.34% but Etisalat showed the lowest ratio of 33.55%.

Bharti Airtel also continued to lead the industry, grabbing more than one-fifth of the market share. RCOM and Vodafone Essar were the second and third largest telcos as of January-end. BSNL was the only public telco to have a market share of more than 11.6%.

Jammu & Kashmir has the highest proportion of active subscribers at 81.26% followed by Assam with more than 81% and Maharashtra at 77.58%. In contrast, the financial capital Mumbai has the lowest proportion of active mobile users.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: Assam • Bharti Airtel • BSNL • Etisalat • India • Indian Telecom Regulator • Jammu & Kashmir • Maharashtra • Mobile • Mumbai • Reliance Communications • Trai • Videocon • Vodafone Essar

Reduction in licence fee would lower levies (India)

On 03.04.11, In Mobile, By Editor

An internal report by DoT calls for rationalization of levies to be among the top priorities for the communications ministry. The department is also set to approach the finance ministry for a reduction or even an exception on the 10.3% service tax that consumers are charged on their mobile and landline bills.

According to both government and industry estimates, Indian telcos pay about 31% of their total revenues towards different forms of taxes, which is among the highest in the world, against the global average of 17%. Any reduction in levies will be a boost for the ultra competitive 14-player telecoms market that has been fighting stagnant revenues and plunging profits over the last 18 months due to the savage price war. According to DoT officials, the first step towards lower levies will be a reduction in the licence fee, which could be implemented from January 2012.

Sector regulator TRAI in May 2010 had suggested that the licence fee be reduced gradually over the next four years to 6%. The regulator stated that the move would allow the industry to save about US$1.43 billion, while adding that Bharti Airtel would see savings to the tune of US$444.14 million, while for Vodafone, the reduced licence fee would give it a benefit of US$308.63 million.

At present, mobile phone companies share between 6-10% of their revenues with the government – the licence fee is highest at 10% for the metros and category A regions, which include lucrative states such as Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra among others.

TRAI’s proposal involved reduction of licence fee in metros from 10% currently to 9% in 2011-12, 8% in the year after, then 7% and finally at 6% in 2013-14.

In category â€˜A’ circles, where operators are currently paid 10%, TRAI had suggested that this be reduced by 1% every year to be at 6% by 2014.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: Andhra Pradesh • Bharti Airtel • Communications Ministry • DoT • India • levies • Maharashtra • Mobile • Tamil Nadu • Trai • Vodafone

Idea Cellular faces $66 mn fine for M&A violation (India)

On 02.23.11, In Mobile, By Editor

Idea Cellular has been threatened with the loss of 3G spectrum and several of its GSM licenses after the Additional Solicitor General of India stated that the company had broken M&A rules when it brought a stake in Spice Telecom in 2008.

The Additional Solicitor General (ASG) also proposed a fine of US$66 million against the company.

Idea Cellular has strongly denied the allegations.

The ASG has sent his report to the Department of Telecom writing that the two companies violated a lock-in period clause which says that telecoms companies cannot enter in mergers within three years from the effective date of their licenses being granted. In total, four new licences were issued to Spice and two to Idea Cellular on January 25, 2008. Hence,mergers of their operations should not have started until January 2011.

In 2008, Idea brought a 41.1% stake in Spice – which resulted in the companies holding overlapping licenses in six of the country’s telecoms circles (or licensed zones). The ASG has suggested cancelling the new licences in these six circles of Delhi, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and Karnataka.

According to the company’s statement, the Idea and Spice merger, since approved by the courts, happened to involve six overlapping licenses. Despite being issued spectrum for five of these, it is Idea which advised the DoT that it was not using such spectrum; in effect, placing overlapping licenses in a de facto escrow pending receipt of the DoT’s formal letter of merger, including surrender, if at all that was attracted.

In addition, Idea has won 3G spectrum in four out of the six circles and DoT has been advised to withdraw the 3G spectrum or the licence would be cancelled.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: 3G • Additional Solicitor General of India • Andhra Pradesh • Delhi • Department of Telecom • DoT • Haryana • Idea Cellular • India • Karnataka • M&A rules • Maharashtra • Mobile • Punjab • Spice Telecom

Delhi HC rejects Etisalat’s early hearing plea (India)

On 02.08.11, In Mobile, By Editor

The Delhi High Court has rejected the plea of the India Director of Etisalat DB Telecom for an early disposal of his petition claiming that the Maharashtra government and the Intelligence Bureau (IB) found no evidence against him of his alleged link with underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.

Justice S Muralidhar dismissed an application filed by Shahid Usman Balwa seeking the court to pre-pone the hearing of his petition which was fixed for March 7.

The UAE-based Etisalat DB Telecom Company (Swan Telecom) is facing CBI and ED probes in 2G spectrum allocation scam.

Filing an application, Balwa claimed that the Anti-Terror Squad of Mumbai police and IB, after a thorough inquiry, have found no documents against him and despite the report the Centre has failed to file any affidavit so far.

Seeking the court to allow his plea for a restraint on the Centre from making any allegations of linking him with Dawood Ibrahim, Balwa stated that due to such allegations he has been facing huge embarrassment in social and business circles. As a result of wrongful and defamatory allegations, grave prejudice and loss is being caused to him.

Balwa further stated that due to the allegations against him, some banks have cancelled the loan sanctioned to his company and also withdrawn the credit facilities sanctioned to his companies promoted by the petitioner.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: 2G Spectrum • Anti-Terror Squad • CBI • Dawood Ibrahim • Delhi High Court • Etisalat DB Telecom • India • Intelligence Bureau (IB) • Justice S Muralidhar • Maharashtra • Mobile • Shahid Usman Balwa • Swan Telecom • UAE • underworld don

For buying 3G equipment Vodafone will invest 500 million dollars

On 10.22.10, In Mobile, By Editor

Marten Peters, the chief executive officer of Vodafone Essar stated that the company for procuring electronic equipment for its third generation service will spend in the tune of four hundred to five hundred million dollars before the launch of the same in the first quarter of 2011.

The company will arrange for the funds by taking bank loans and offering some new shares to its existing shareholders.

Vodafone Essar the third biggest telecom provider of the nation in terms of subscription had spent in the tune of eleven thousand six hundred and eighteen crores of rupees for acquiring the 3G spectrum in the month of May. Mr. Peters added that the company paid that massive amount as there was an artificial dearth of bandwidth.

Vodafone will launch its services, dividing them into phases. The 3G services will first start from metro cities like Mumbai and Delhi and gradually it will spread over all circles of Maharashtra, Kolkata, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and West Bengal. These facts were given by Mr. Sanjoy Mukherjee the director of business operation of Vodafone Essar.
Marten Peters added saying that Vodafone is negotiating with other top quality and long term operators like the Idea Cellular and Bharti Airtel to distribute 3G services where Vodafone does not have 3G airwaves.

The whole idea of taking this move is to provide the customers the experience of 3G services all across the country regardless of the circle owned by Vodafone or any other operator as stated by the Vodafone director of business operations, Mr. Sunil Sood.

Sanjoy Mukherjee further stated that the 3G service will have reasonable pricing and will vary from location to location and on its usage. He cited example stating in cities video calls will be less expensive from the video call s of a remote village.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: 3G spectrum • Bharti Airtel • Chennai • Gujarat • Haryana • Idea Cellular • Kolkata • Maharashtra • Mobile • Tamil Nadu • USA • Uttar pradesh • Vodafone Essar • West Bengal

Vodafone Essar selects Ericsson and Nokia Siemens Networks for 3G roll-out (India)

On 10.13.10, In Mobile, By Editor

Vodafone Essar, India has selected Nokia Siemens Networks and Ericsson to roll-out 3G network. The financial details are not yet disclosed.

Ericsson will provide equipment to cover India’s largest metropolitan cities; Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata, while Nokia Siemens Networks will supply, employ and manage its 3G network in six circles – Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh (East), rest of West Bengal and Haryana – where it secured 3G spectrum.

Ericsson will provide the RAN system, network rollout services, tuning, spare parts and training services, along with the 3G common core platform and will start the transmission in the coming months.

Nokia Siemens Networks will provide services like network planning and project management to enable 3G network implementation. Nokia Siemens Networks will also operate the 3G network for three years under a managed services contract.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: 3G • Delhi • Ericsson • Gujarat • Haryana • India • Kolkata • Maharashtra • metropolitan cities • Mobile • Mumbai • network planning • network rollout services • Nokia Siemens Networks • project management • RAN system • rest of West Bengal • Tamil Nadu • Uttar Pradesh (East) • Vodafone Essar

BSNL & MTNL top chart for dead lines in India

On 05.31.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: According to a latest data analysis for performance from October to December of 2009 by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), the average mobile across Mumbai lost connectivity for 3 hours and 22 minutes a month while average cell phone in Mumbai couldn’t get network for 1 hour and 39 minutes per month.

State telecom operators- Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL) and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) fared the worst when it came to network unavailability and the subscribers of the private players had much better connectivity. According to Trai, no provider should make a network unavailable to a subscriber for more than 14 hours and 24 minutes a month. In Mumbai, MTNL had their cellphones disconnected from the network for an average of 8 hours and 21 minutes a month. While BSNL in the rest of the state had their cells disconnected for an average of 13 hours and 27 minutes a month. However, both were still within the permissible limit set by Trai.

As far as private players are concerned, Bharti Airtel disconnected its network for 2 hours and 26 minutes a month, Reliance, Loop and Tata lost connectivity for 43, 38 and 17 minutes a month respectively while Vodafone Essar and Idea Cellular fared the best, with their Mumbai connections losing connectivity for only 8 minutes a month.
In terms of the amount of calls getting disconnected due to network problems, MTNL and BSNL again fared the worst, but stayed within the permissible limit of 2%. The average number of calls getting disconnected in Mumbai as well as in Maharashtra was around 1%.

According to service providers, the number of call drops on flyovers or railway bridges had come down drastically because of the installation of boosters on streetlight poles as Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) has allowed the installation of transmission equipment atop streetlight poles as most flyovers and bridges were dead spots for mobile connectivity and it is not possible to erect the usual network towers atop flyovers and bridges.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: ASIA • Bharti Airtel • BSNL • Idea Cellular • India • Maharashtra • Mobile • MTNL • Reliance • Telecom Regulatory Authority of India • Vodafone • Vodafone Essar