DoT’s proposals may facilitate dual tech players(India)
DoT has proposed a policy that supports Dual Tech operators which will considerably expand Reliance Communications and Tata Teleservices operations.
According to the legal advisor, DoT, the GSM licensees who have received the initial start-up spectrum of 4.4 Mhz and meet the eligibility conditions for grant of additional spectrum up to 6.2 Mhz may be given top priority, as this is the assured quantum of spectrum as per the License Agreement and also their vested right.
RCom in particular is likely to gain enormously as it meets the subscriber base criteria in prime locations. It is expected to bag additional GSM spectrum in such circles.
TRAI in the recent times had recommended that operators with 6.2 MHz of spectrum should be considered first for allocation of additional spectrum, as they have already made an investment to roll-out their networks.
China Telecom in talks with Tata, RCOM and Bharti over direct terrestrial Fibre-optic cable
If reports are to be believed, China Telecom is in talks with three Indian telecom carriers over a planned direct terrestrial fibre-optic cable connection between the two countries.
According to Deng Xiao Feng, chairman of the Chinese firm’s Hong Kong-based international arm, China’s largest fixed line operator is in discussions with Bharti Airtel, Reliance Communications (RCOM) and Tata Communications (formerly VSNL) over a proposed above-ground cross-border cable link.
The two super-states are currently linked by undersea cables, which are vulnerable to earthquakes; the reports added that China Telecom has already laid a landline reaching the Chinese side of their common border.
According to Deng, the company is hoping that this Sino-Indian land cable can start up as soon as possible and promote ties between the two fast-growing economies; because they know the demand is enormous.
RCOM launches 3G Innovation Lab
India’s Reliance Communications (RCOM) has established a fully-integrated 3G Innovation Lab with end-to-end wireless network communications. This Innovation Lab will be an important part of RCOM’s 3G operations contributing real-time product developmental potentials.
The 3G Innovation Lab will engage a group of content developers, product innovators, technology platforms enablers, device manufactures and OEMs. The joint unit will be produced through tie ups with top local and global partners.
According to Prashant Gokarn, Head – 3G Business, Reliance Communications, the 3G Innovation Lab will drive all 3G innovations for mobile as well as other platforms. It will help in demystifying 3G technology and make it simpler for adoption amongst cross-section of customer groups.
Nokia to offer Ovi Life Tools, Music & Free Data on RCOM
RCOM has joined hands with Nokia to offer Ovi Life Tools, Ovi Music, and to endorse mobile Internet packages across Nokia GPRS phones.
RCOM will make Ovi Life Tools available across rural and semi-urban segments. Customers can subscribe to this service at very nominal rates. This would include agricultural, education and entertainment service.
RCOM GSM customers will be permitted to download up to 12 GB of music via Nokia’s Ovi Music Unlimited enabled phones 5530, 5800, X6 16GB and 5325. Consumers who are willing to buy these handsets can also buy Reliance Netconnect Broadband+ USB data cards at much lower rates.
RCOM will also offer a mobile data package of 1.2GB on Nokia GPRS enabled handsets, and 1800 minutes free on-net minutes. This offer would be valid for six months from the day of purchase.
BlackBerry services can be supervised: DoT
After increasing pressure from the Indian government on RIM, Indian telecom minister has suggested a formula that can help in monitoring the device’s encrypted mails. The suggestion came in the middle of a meeting between the Home Ministry, security agencies and Canadian firm Research in Motion, maker of BlackBerry that operates on networks of other telecom service providers.
According to the DoT, Enterprise mail services offered on BlackBerry platform and other services provided on Virtual Private Network (VPN) can possibly be monitored by providing a clear email from the enterprise email server to the monitoring system located at each of the Internet Service Provider’s premises. The possibility of the solution will be discovered after having discussion with the intelligence bureau and ISPs.
RIM, DoT officials’ confirmed that, it is vague to the possibility of locating a server or servers at ISP premises on the ground of technical non-feasibility of such a solution.
BlackBerry has a million of subscribers in India and the services are mounting. BlackBerry service are provided by nine telecom operators including government owned BSNL and MTNL, Airtel, Vodafone, RCom and Tata .
The DoT has commanded the Ministry of Home Affairs to check the place as stated by RIM with respect to interception and monitoring of various services provided on BlackBerry platform. In case the solution doesn’t work out, DoT would have no option but to ask the operators not to offer the enterprise email services on BlackBerry platform.
According to a source close to this deal, the technology being offered by Canadian firm RIM is likely to be put under test by the security agencies tomorrow.
Indians to enjoy 3G technology by September 2010
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: The mobile phone users of India can finally have an access to advanced data transfer and high-speed internet on their handsets through 3G technology, post-September 2010 as the month has been set as a timeline when successful bidders will be allowed to use the allotted airwaves for commercial operation.
Notice for the inviting bids has been released by the government, allowing three private players each in 17 circles, including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and four in the remaining five circles including Punjab, West Bengal and Bihar. Bids for BWA auction has also been invited which is scheduled to happen two days after the 3G auction closes.
Private telecom operators including Tata Teleservices, Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Essar and RCom have expressed their keenness to bid for the next generation technology.
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.
