Sistema Shyam TeleServices Ltd. (SSTL), which operates its telecom services under the MTS brand in India, said its non-voice revenue have now started contributing over half, or 51.1%, of its total revenue in India. With this, SSTL has become the first operator to achieve this milestone. Other operators such as Idea Cellular get only about […]
The main argument put forward by telecom operators in the ongoing net neutrality consultation with regulator TRAI is that they are forced to pay a lot of levies, which the apps do not pay any of them. This, according to the service providers, creates a ‘non level playing field’ and therefore, the app providers, such […]
NASSCOM proposes a synergistic model for Internet platforms, applications and TSPs while strongly advocating net-neutrality National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) made a strong pitch for India to continue with net neutrality, responding to the TRAI consultative paper on Regulatory framework for OTT services. “NASSCOM believes that the Users Right to Choose is […]
Rahul Khullar is IAS officer with an excellent reputation in Delhi circles. He’s reputed to be honest, frank (even blunt) and very efficient. But the TRAI chairman’s latest suggestions on Bharti Airtel’s separate-billing-for-VOIP data scheme do not paint a full picture of the situation. In an FE interview, he seems to have made broadly two […]
Idea Cellular, Vodafone, Bharti Airtel and others got new mobile number series from the Department of Telecom last week. Every time a new number series is allotted, the companies also get hold of premium numbers, such as 995000000 and so on. Telecom operators are allocated new number series as and when they near exhausting the […]
The government of India, through Ministry of Consumer Affairs, has written to all consumer disputes redressal bodies asking them not to reject consumer complaints against telecom operators as many of them have been doing for years. Consumer forums, including state-level bodies, have regularly dismissed complaints against companies like Bharti Airtel, Vodafone, Idea, Reliance Communications and […]
The following is the quick summary of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)’s recommendations on auction of spectrum and licenses expiring next year. The Authority recommends that 1.2 MHz spectrum in 900 MHz band should be taken back from BSNL from all the LSAs where licences expire in 2015-16 except in Punjab. In lieu, […]
Vodafone India has formally requested the Department of Telecommunications and regulator TRAI for immediate allotment of the 1800MHz spectrum, which it had won in auctions. “With only 7 weeks left, when as per DoT, the presently deployed spectrum in 900MHz is to be replaced by 900MHz won in auctions. Hence, timely earmarking of the spectrum […]
Reliance Communications will launch a competitor to popular messaging applications WhatsApp and Viber. The application will support both text and voice messaging and calls. The company has seen its SMS revenue take a hit due to the emergence of WhatsApp, Viber and other similar messaging or OTT applications. “The application is in pilot stage and […]
Aircel Cellular said it has restored its 2G services in most part of the Kashmir region, enabling thousands of people stranded to connect with their families and friends. Aircel 2G is operating in Anantnag, Bandipora, Shopian, Kulgam, Pulwama, Srinagar, Budgam, Bonigam and Ganderbal, the mobile operator said. Jammu and Kashmir has been hit by floods […]
A New Delhi consumer forum has imposed a fine of Rs 5 lakh on Bharti Airtel Ltd after the company continued to seek dues from a person even after the bill was paid. In a complaint by IT professional Jasmeet Singh Puri, the forum also expressed its consternation at the “lackadaisical attitude” of Bharti Airtel’s […]
Recent draft guidelines on small and payment banks have enthused about 100 entities including microfinance institutions, telecom players, non-banking finance companies (NBFCs) and public sector companies to apply for such banking licence once RBI invites applications for the same, reveals the ASSOCHAM latest study. These interested firms are awaiting final guidelines which will provide more […]
Reliance Jio is potentially a formidable competitor in India’s telecom sector, credit rating agency Moody’s said, saying the ratings of all telecom companies will be impacted negatively due to the launch of services by Reliance Jio next year. “It will enter the Indian telecom space as a well-capitalized entity, supported by the financial muscle of […]
Despite a clarification by the Department of Telecom, several consumer disputes redressal fora in India continue to reject billing and service related disputes against telecom operators. The Department of Telecom had issued a clarification on February 4 this year that private telecom companies cannot be identified with the “Telegraph Authority” of India as defined in […]
Sistema Shyam TeleServices Ltd. (SSTL), which operates its telecom services under the MTS brand in India, said its data card subscriber base for the quarter increased by 11% to 1.34 million subscribers. Non-voice revenues contribute 34.5% of total quarterly revenues, the highest in the industry, the company said. SSTL rolled out its 3GPLUS Telecom Network […]
Reliance Jio Infocomm could overtake Anil Ambani’s Reliance Communications in revenue over the next four to five years and corner 11% of the total wireless market, an analyst with a prominent global financial group has predicted. By the 2017-18, Reliance Jio and Reliance Communications would have very similar mobile voice revenue market share, at about […]
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has, for the third time, recommended to the government to charge a decent amount of price for the 800 MHz spectrum that it is about to sell to CDMA, or other, operators next month. It suggested a 50% increase in reserve prices for the 800 MHz spectrum compared to […]
The department of telecom’s decision to maintain a key clause about spectrum pricing in mergers and acquisitions will make such deals costly for both parties and has dampened industry enthusiasm considerably. In its announcement of guidelines for mergers and acquisitions for Indian telecom companies, the DoT has said that even if a company got its […]
It has been a couple of years since 3G data services were launched in India, and tariffs have largely coalesced around certain points. While we have done similar surveys in the past to find out the cheapest data plan in India among 3G operators, we did yet another to account for the tariff changes over […]
Uninor, the Indian unit of Norway’s Telenor, reported a 67.3% year-on-year jump in operating profits (EBITDA) for the three months ended December 2013. The company also said revenue from its six operating states of Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Goa rose by 35.8% during the three months. They increased 15% in Norwegian […]
