India’s 3G networks creak under freebie overload; 4G also slows

MySpeed, the speedtesting platform operated by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, has revealed a sharp dip in wireless data speeds across operators in March compared to the previous month. The declines were visible in both 4G as well as 3G services, but were more pronounced in 3G networks, which typically have one-tenth the data […]

New TRAI rules to hit Zee Entertaiment, Star, Sony and Sun TV

The regulator’s new rules on the pricing of television channels in India, which will come into effect in six months, will reduce the clout of big broadcasting companies such as Zee Entertainment Enterprises, Sony, Star India and Sun TV, while encouraging smaller media owners. So far, bigger groups enjoyed a key advantage — they could […]

TRAI wants FREE DATA for everyone, without ‘gatekeeping’ by telcos

India’s telecom regulator has suggested that every rural citizen should be given 100 MB or so per month on a free basis to help the spread of digital revolution in the country. It has also suggested allowing ‘third party aggregators’ like Facebook to offer free data, but only if they can keep telecom companies totally […]

Reliance Jio interconnect dispute with Airtel, Idea to end this month

The dispute over providing interconnection facility is set to end in the next two weeks, with Bharti Airtel, Idea Cellular and Vodafone giving in to the demands of new operator Reliance Jio and the regulator. The decision to comply comes in the wake of a recommendation for a fine of Rs 3,050 cr to be […]

TRAI to summon CEOs of Bharti Airtel, Idea Cellular, Vodafone and Reliance Jio on interconnection imbroglio

TRAI Chairman R S Sharma said the authority will soon call a meeting of the CEOs of Vodafone, Idea Cellular, Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio to resolve the interconnection problems. When asked as to why the industry finds itself in this position, and whether it was due to lack of proper regulation or licensing issues, […]

Reliance Communications sees sharp fall in active users after 4G upgrade

Reliance Communications Ltd, the telecom arm of the Anil Ambani group, has reported a sharp fall in its active user base (VLR) for the April-June quarter. BEFORE UPGRADE RCom had 93.24 mln active users — going by the company’s visitor location register — for the January-March quarter, before the 4G upgrade began. The total subscriber […]

Vodafone lauds government’s telecom and spectrum reforms

In a rare gesture, a big telecom company has lauded the government’s recent changes in telecom policy. The Modi government has, in recent months, cleared long-pending reforms such as allowing the trading of spectrum, cutting levies and initiating rearrangement (harmonization) of spectrum. Usually, the relationship between the government and big operators tends to be strained […]

Telenor, Idea customers happiest; Bharti Airtel sees jump in complaints

Customers of Idea Cellular turned out to be the happiest among those of all the big private telecom operators in India, while those of Reliance Communications were the most likely to make complaints to the regulator or the government. Among all private operators small and big, MTS’ subscribers made the highest number of complaints per […]

TRAI’s net neutrality rules could see zero-rated networks replace zero-rated websites in India

The TRAI’s new net neutrality rules are likely to see the launch of a number of zero-rated networks by players whose dreams of zero-rated websites have been dashed by the regulator. Under the new regulations, telecom companies have been banned from offering any website for free, but have been allowed to offer entire networks for […]

TRAI’s new rules will mean the death of neutral Internet: Here’s why

As you read this, India is celebrating the victory of ‘net neutrality’ over evil plans by Facebook and telecom companies to convert the Internet into a walled garden where they allow only those websites who pay monies to them. And you can’t be blamed for it either. But guess what, the telcos are not crying […]

TRAI rejects plea by Airtel, Idea and Jio to postpone 700 Mhz spectrum sale

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has rejected the request by three of India’s biggest 4G operators — Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio and Idea Cellular — to not sell any more 4G spectrum, especially in the strategic 700 MHz band. The move is likely to lead to a fast rollout of 4G services in rural […]

Facebook to explore putting ads on Free Basics in the future

Facebook, the world’s largest social media company, said it will explore the option of putting advertising in its ‘free Internet’ platform – Free Basics. Participating in a discussion on Reddit, Facebook’s Vice President in charge of Internet.org, Chris Daniels said it’s a possibility the company will look at in the future. Facebook had come under […]

New TRAI net neutrality paper is a breath of fresh air after the last one

The latest consultation paper by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India on telecom providers charging different prices for browsing different websites — the so-called differential pricing of data — comes across as a breath of fresh air after the last one, issued under former chairman Rahul Khullar. While Khullar started with the assumption that net […]

TRAI issues new rules for mobile data billing

TRAI today issued the “Telecom Consumers Protection (Eighth Amendment) Regulations, 2015” to requiring strict levels of disclosure of billing for mobile data. While prepaid users do get such notifications even now, these rules will extend the benefit to postpaid users in addition. TRAI has been receiving several complaints from consumers regarding non-availability of information relating to […]

Vodafone has the best mobile network in Delhi – TRAI road Test

If you make a lot of phone calls while on the road, then Vodafone is the best mobile operator for you in Delhi, according to the results of a two-day ‘drive test’ conducted by quality auditing firm TUV SUD on behalf of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India. The drive test, which involved making around 450 […]