The metro cities enjoy the luxury of sitting at home and buying things online. While most of the online sellers claim to reach all customers across the country, there is certainly a big gap that keeps people from smaller towns aloof from the trend. The result is a major loss for online sellers who lose out on the customers who prefer buying from physical stores. Last financial year, Ken <keyword id="15509" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Research">Research</keyword> has reported, only eight metro cities have generated major sale online besides 3,133 Tier II and Tier III cities including 1,233 rural hubs. This is a clear indication of the potential that smaller towns posses when it comes to online sales. But then there is something that is keeping these places remote from the major sellers. Bengaluru based tech start up <keyword id="3510995" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="ShopX">SHOPX</keyword> intends to shift this ecommerce dominance from just a small percentage to the overall retail pie, the Indian mass market. The basic aim of SHOPX is to enable every town in India to shop online. In an exclusive chat with Business Insider Amit Sharma, CEO and Co-Founder of ShopX, said how the market dynamics in smaller towns work. What made them come up with the idea? Research indicates that the middle-income mass market in India is not comfortable speaking in English and majority of them are not comfortable shopping online. The general population of Tier-2 and Tier-3 towns, will consider the suggestions of their kirana store owner before making a purchase. Trust and comfort are two factors that affect buying decisions. Technology and the ‘human touch’ becomes a solution to this problem- small retailer can become the point of contact not just for purchase but also for delivery of products. Since its inception in 2015, SHOPX has grown in reach, distribution, and engagement with retailers across 10 states and 220+ towns in Tier 1, 2, and 3 cities across India. Over the years, SHOPX has grown with 45,000+ retailers across <keyword id="6364822" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="South">South</keyword> and West India. Due to the increasing demand of premium brands in Tier-2 and Tier-3 towns, SHOPX has consolidated a wide range of products in various categories, such as <keyword id="34523" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="fmcg">FMCG</keyword>, mobile phones and accessories. One such example is the launch of <keyword id="6354606" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="iPhone">iPhone</keyword>s on the technology platform in January 2017. They sold more than 300 units of iPhones, out of which 70 percent of the shipment is iPhone 5s. SHOPX is backed by strategic investor, <keyword id="44604" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nandan-Nilekani">Nandan Nilekani</keyword> and mentors including Jagdish Kini [ex- CEO, <keyword id="15491" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Airtel">Airtel</keyword> (<keyword id="2465548" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="South-Region">South Region</keyword>), Managing Director, Gillette India], and Pramod Varma [former Chief Architect, UIDAI Aadhar Project, CTO Sterling Commerce.] <div type="image" title="uoVLSxCa" msid="58577154" hostid="261"></div>
 Uniqueness The SHOPX app is disrupting the traditional retail ecosystem with a differential approach. It enables the retailer to offer a better experience to their consumers. The benefits for the retailer are low investment, zero stocking, and increase in income opportunities. SHOPX enables retailers to earn 30-40 percent more than the traditional retail model. SHOPX offers various digital services like mobile and DTH recharge, bus and flight booking, utility bill payments, SHOPX Suvidha (lending service only for SHOPX distributors) along with a wide range (more than 50,000) of physical products in categories like FMCG, mobile phone and accessories, fashion etc. Localise Last Mile Delivery We have launched last mile delivery (the last leg of the logistics cycle where parcels are delivered to the end customers) to address the challenges of scaling up logistics and supply chain. Instead of relying on national logistics providers (who tend to be expensive and often slow in last mile), ShopX does its last mile delivery through its local partners. This allows faster speed, lower cost, and more reliable delivery. While there is a stiff competition from market players like Just Buy Live, StoreKing, SnapBizz and Amazon Udaan Sharma is quite confident of the game. Availability 
 Consumers can access the SHOPX app at 45,000 retail outlets who have partnered with us. More than 50,000 products are available on the SHOPX platform along with various digital services like mobile and DTH recharge, and travel ticket booking. We have easy order and return policies to provide consumers and retailers a hassle-free shopping experience.

This startup is enabling online shopping in small towns just like in the metros

After registering rise in data usage, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=bharti+airtel">Bharti Airtel</a> recorded a 10.1% surge in profit during the second quarter of FY2015-16, but its <keyword id="12925" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="Africa">Africa</keyword> arm still registered losses. 
 
The New Delhi-headquartered telecom company has also experienced competitive pressure on its voice business as well as it recorded a slump in interconnect and roaming charges. 
 <keyword id="6354287" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bharti-Airtel">Bharti Airtel</keyword>’s profit surged to Rs1,523 crore as compared to Rs 1,383 crore, the amount it registered last year. But it must be noted that as compared to first quarter’s profit which was Rs 1,554 crore, the profit dropped in the quarter under review. 
 
As per the earlier estimates, the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=telco">telco </a>expected its net profit to stand around Rs1,200 crore in the second quarter. Notably, Revenue rose 4.3 per cent on year to Rs23,836 crore, as the telco ended the quarter with 340 million customers across India, <keyword id="52011" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="South-Asia">South Asia</keyword> and Africa. 
 Gopal Vittal, MD and CEO, India &amp; South Asia, said, "<keyword id="15491" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Airtel">Airtel</keyword>'s revenue growth in India has accelerated to 13.3% in Q2 on an underlying basis, the highest in the last 12 quarters. Our smaller businesses – home <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=broadband">broadband</a>, DTH and our business segment all continue to perform strongly. Mobile data revenues has grown by 60%.” 
 Talking about the recent 4G launch, Vital also added, "With the commercial launch of high speed 4G services across 334 towns and roll-out of 3G services in our gap circles, we are now best positioned in the industry to <keyword id="382268" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="leverage">leverage</keyword> the fast growing data market." 
 
In a one year’s time, Africa net loss widened to $170 million from $124 million. However, its total net interest costs increased to Rs 1,053 crore from Rs 687 crore in 2014. 
 According to Bharti Airtel, owing to conflicting currency movements <keyword id="6358355" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="forex">forex</keyword> as well as derivative losses stood at Rs 809 crore, which was much higher than Rs 219 crore during the same quarter last fiscal. 
(Image: The Economic Times)

Bharti Airtel’s doing very well, despite its African debacle!

If you’re an airtel user with the operator’s app in your phone, you can avail the value for money offers. Designed for the prepaid customers, Airtel announced that customers can download or update their My Airtel app and choose from a range of deals including talktime benefits, extra internand cashback offers. 
 
 In a press statement, the operator has said, My Airtel app has been designed to follow an intuitive and easy to use interface which allows customers to conveniently discover access and self-manage Airtel services across mobile, fixed line and DTH platforms. 
 
Airtel’s last launch, Airtel Zero promising to super-fast a few portals and apps while slowing others, had caused a tremendous furore amongst people of the country and demanding net neutrality across all platforms.

Airtel has goodies for its app users​

<ul><li>Indian <keyword id="9648057" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ott-viewers" source="Orion">OTT viewers</keyword> are frustrated by juggling between 2-3 platforms on average to catch the latest content.</li><li>Since more expansion is expected in the market, an aggregator who would bring the best and offer it under one roof is in the offing.</li><li>As per a recent report by PwC, the OTT market is now ripe for aggregation.</li></ul>Before the fintech app CRED launched, Indian consumers downloaded at least 2-3 banking apps to pay their credit bills. CRED identified this gap and consolidated them all under one platform, for a small commission. The next market that’s desperately in need of an aggregation is the OTT market – which has over <a href="https://www.exchange4media.com/digital-news/ht-medias-ott-play-premium-service-eyes-15-million-paid-subs-by-year-end-120746.html">55 </a>offerings. “The largest streaming services in the market are Disney+ Hotstar, Amazon and Netflix. The country also has a vast array of smaller local SVODs, including provisions from local broadcasters like Zee TV and premium cinema providers like Eros Now. Due to its size and diversity, the market is ripe for aggregation,” says a report by PwC. Many streaming services, many more subscriptions Apart from the national offerings, Indian OTTs have become specialized and niche over time with regional offerings like Hoichoi, Aha, Sun Nxt and more. Since more expansion is expected in the market, an aggregator who would bring the best and offer it under one roof is in the offing. In fact, <keyword id="758541" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="amazon-prime" source="Orion">Amazon Prime</keyword> has also started this with Prime Video Channels but has eight channels that users can subscribe to and pay at one go. Such offerings can only expand from here. Most <keyword id="13730389" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ott-users" source="Orion">OTT users</keyword> have more than 2 subscriptions According to media consulting firm Ormax Media, the average number of video streaming subscriptions per person has reached 2.4 in India – since no one OTT can replace what hundreds of channels provided earlier. Currently, platforms like Tata Play, OTTplay, YuppTV Scope, ScreenHits TV and Airtel offer subscriptions to a few OTT services under one roof – but the choice, like in the case of Amazon Prime, is limited. Times Prime offers 15+ OTT subscriptions under one roof. "We are pulling out all the stops to ensure that our members get the best experiences under one umbrella. The Times Prime app, which is super easy to use, is the perfect product for consumption of content in today's subscription environment," says Harshita Singh, business head of Times Prime. 33-year-old Mumbai resident Khushboo Alag watches content across four <keyword id="5293670" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ott-platforms" source="Orion">OTT platforms</keyword>. She has subscribed to two of them, and shares two more with her family. “I have tried a couple of aggregators but I haven’t found the one yet that offers personalized experience. Existing apps haven’t been helpful and I am still looking for that one space where I could just log in to watch all the content that I am interested in,” says Alag. Some entertainment lovers have bought a smart television or a firestick to easily juggle through different OTT platforms on their television set. Firestick is just not enough, say users Vaamanaa Sethi, a Delhi-based resident, is one such user who has access to Amazon Prime, Disney+ Hotstar, Netflix and ZEE5 — thanks to her firestick. “We need an aggregator that can allow us to select which movie we want to watch under one roof. If I want to watch a movie and it is not available on Netflix, then I can easily switch to Amazon Prime. I don’t want to struggle,” says Sethi. Then there is the problem of managing and paying multiple subscriptions. Chaittali Dave, a Mumbai resident who is a mother of twins, said that she can’t watch OTT content on her television set. She is hoping to find a mobile-agnostic aggregator. “I can’t watch Mirzapur on television in front of my kids. You can use a firestick or Tata Play if you live with a nuclear family,” says Dave. 23-year-old Mumbai resident Shraddha Khaire is particularly a movie buff. She has subscribed to 6-8 OTT apps and says that it has been a frustrating experience for her to pay a premium price for one movie. “There have been times that I had to subscribe to a whole new OTT just to watch that one show or movie, and let’s not forget the premium charges for the same,” shared Khaire. Her experience with teleco aggregators hasn’t been very pleasant either. She hopes a new aggregator will make the whole experience very seamless, simple and efficient for me as a regular user of various OTTs, such as her. “There will be a single sign-up, single ID for accessing multiple platforms. While telcos like Jio and Airtel, DTH services like Tata Sky, etc., offer an array of OTT services, but you need a connection to these services to access the OTTs. Overall, I think if there was a platform that offered access to a bundle of more streaming services, I wouldn’t mind going for it,” adds Khaire. Disclaimer: Business Insider India is a part of Times Internet India

A CRED-like platform is what Indian OTT users want to juggle multiple subscriptions

New Delhi, Dec 22 () Zee Entertainment on Sunday clarified that all its television channels in Tamil Nadu are fully operational across leading cable and DTH operators.
 No changes have been made in the consumer price (MRP) of the individual channels or channel packs whatsoever, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL) said in a statement.
 "The viewers have expressed their disappointment for not being able to view their favourite ZEE Channels, despite having paid for the same. Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL) wishes to clarify that all of its television channels in Tamil Nadu are fully operational across leading cable and DTH operators, including Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV Corporation Ltd, SCV and V K Digital," it said.
 The channels are also available across all leading DTH operators viz. Airtel Digital TV, Tata Sky, Dish TV, d2h, and Sun Direct, it said adding there has been no change in the consumer price (MRP) of the individual channels or channel packs whatsoever.
 Zee Prime Tamil SD pack, competitively priced at Rs 10 only, is the best value pack in Tamil Nadu market, when compared to other similar bouquets available in the same market.
 ZEEL has issued all the required communications to its esteemed viewers informing and urging them to approach their respective cable operators with a request to reactivate the channels, for which they have already paid Rs 10, as part of their monthly subscription, it said.
 "This communication is purely issued in the interest of all our viewers, since ZEEL has received several complaints and requests through emails and social media platforms, wherein the consumers have mentioned that their cable operators have removed the ZEE Bouquet from their channel packs, without any communication or reason," the statement said. ABI MKJ

Zee Entertainment says all channels 'fully operational' in Tamil Nadu

Different protesting <keyword id="500933" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Punjab-farmer">Punjab farmer</keyword> bodies on Tuesday decided to hold talks with the Centre over the <keyword id="10002582" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="new-farm-laws">new farm laws</keyword> in New Delhi on Wednesday. The decision to this effect was taken by representatives of several farmers' organisations at a meeting here. A seven-member panel has been formed to hold talks with the Centre, said Bharatiya Kisan Union (Rajewal) chief <keyword id="276944" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Balbir-Singh-Rajewal">Balbir Singh Rajewal</keyword> while addressing the media here. "We have decided that representatives of all farmers' bodies will attend the meeting," said Rajewal. The leaders included in the panel are Balbir Singh Rajewal, <keyword id="4361892" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="darshan-pal">Darshan Pal</keyword>, Jagjit singh Dalewal, <keyword id="33921" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="jagmohan-singh">Jagmohan Singh</keyword>, Kulwant Singh, Surjit Singh and Satnam Singh Sahni. Earlier on Monday, the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, a farmers' body in Punjab, decided not to attend the meeting called by the Union Agriculture Department on October 14. The farmers' organisations, whose agitation against the laws has disrupted rail traffic and severely impacted coal supply to thermal power plants in Punjab, had last week rejected the Centre's invitation to participate in a "conference to address their concerns" on October 8. Rajewal said as per the invitation sent by the secretary of the Union Agriculture Department, the Centre wants to hold talks with them. "We are going because if we continue to reject the invitation, then they will say we are not ready for any talks. We do not want to give them any excuse. We will go there," said Rajewal. Farmers in Punjab have been demanding that the three laws passed by Parliament recently be repealed. Farmers have expressed apprehension that the new laws will pave a way for the dismantling of the minimum support price system, leaving them at the "mercy" of big corporates. The government, however, has been saying that the laws passed by Parliament recently amid a vociferous protest will raise farmers' income, free them from the clutches of the middlemen and usher in new technology in farming. <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/airtel-partners-with-aakash-institute-to-bring-medical-and-engineering-education-content-to-its-dth-platform/articleshow/78640408.cms">Airtel partners with Aakash Institute to bring medical and engineering education content to its DTH platform</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/wipro-posts-stable-quarter-profit-rises-3-2-with-revenue-guidance-of-1-5-to-3-5-over-the-next-three-months/articleshow/78640025.cms">Wipro posts stable quarter — profit rises 3.2% with revenue guidance of 1.5% to 3.5% over the next three months</a>

Farm laws: Punjab farmer bodies to talk to Centre

Top 10 Indian companies by market value in 2024

New Delhi, Apr 9 () Here are the latest updates on the coronavirus crisis in India and other parts of the world on Thursday.9.32 pmFive stray cats caught from a COVID-19 ward of Kasargod general hospital die, prompting officials to send organs of the animals for detailed examination in Thiruvananthapuram.9.15 pmThe total number of coronavirus infections in Gujarat shoot up to 262, death toll rose to 17 with the addition of one more fatality. 8.49 pmDon't mention Nizamuddin Markaz in bulletins on COVID-19: Delhi Minorities Commission to health dept8.44 pmAn elderly man died and 47 new coronavirus cases surfaced in Rajasthan, taking the COVID-19 count to 430.8.43 pmMaharashtra records 229 new COVID-19 cases, count rises to 1,364 and 25 deaths8.26 pm3 fresh COVID-19 cases reported in Haryana, total cases rise to 156. 8.19 pmThe Group of Ministers (GoM) on COVID-19 in a meeting on Thursday discussed the containment and management plans for the novel coronavirus8.19 pmEight new COVID-19 cases were recorded in Jharkhand in the last 24 hours, taking the state's tally to 138.16 pmOver 200 new coronaviruscases found in Maharashtra, count rises to 1,346.8.16 pmCops thrash two junior doctors in Bhopal, probe ordered. 8.04 pmA 80-year old woman from Gadag district becomes the sixth COVID-19 related fatality in Karnataka; 16 new cases reported instate, tally rises to 197.7.58 pmLufthansa group's SWISS airline says it is conducting a special flight from Delhi to Zurich to repatriate Swiss citizens and other European nationals.7.53 pmAs many as 96 people in Tamil Nadu test positive for COVID-19, majority of them returnees from Tablighi jamat event in Delhi. 7.40 pm Punjab witnesses spike in COVID-19 cases with 24 more people contracting the infection, pushing total count to 130 in the state. 7.39 pmA 70-year-old coronavirus patient died while three new cases of the infection were found in Mumbai's Dharavi, one of the biggest slums in Asia.7.27 pmDeath rate due to coronavirus in Madhya Pradesh stands at 7.50 per cent, which is more than double the national COVID-19 fatality rate of 3.25 per cent 7.27 pmKerala set to become first state in country to commence convalescent plasma therapy to treat critically ill COVID-19 cases on trial basis. 7.27 pm Three more coronavirus patients die in Pune, taking toll in district to 21.7.18 pmDeath toll due to coronavirus rises to 169 and number of cases climb to 5,865 in the country, registering an increase of 591 cases and 20 deaths in the last 24 hours, 7.14 pmTata Sky, Airtel DTH to air HRD Ministry's educational Swayam Prabha channels during lockdown. 6.50 pm Prime Minister Narendra Modi urges people to download the 'Aarogya Setu' mobile application. 6.46 pm One more person tests positive for coronavirus in Ladakh, taking the total number of cases in the Union Territory to four. 6.43 pm Record 16.6 million people have sought US jobless aid since coronavirus. 6.42 pm India and Russia deliberate on the fast evolving global situation arising out of the coronavirus. 6.35 pm As almost all commercial passenger aircraft in India have been grounded due to COVID-19 lockdown, aviation regulator DGCA issued guidelines for their storage and subsequent return to service. 6.11 pm Biocon Ltd Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw says it is "impractical" to implement the Supreme Court's order to make all coronavirus tests free. 6.10 pm Ahmedabad remains the worst-hit by coronavirus in Gujarat with 50 fresh cases, the highest-ever in a day, taking total number of infections to 133. 6.09 pm The Federal Reserve announces another series of financing facilities to provide USD 2.3 trillion to support the US economy amid the coronavirus pandemic. 5.56 pm Two more coronavirus positive patients detected in Noida and one in Greater Noida, taking the total number of COVID-19 cases in Gautam Buddh Nagar to 63. 5.53 pm Goa government decides not to allow around 100 seafarers to enter the state in view of the coronavirus threat after they requested for disembarkment from their ship 5.52 pm Biotech entrepreneur Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw says actual coronavirus cases in the country will be at least four times the reported count. 5.49 pm A top official and a health worker at a state-run hospital in West Bengal's Howrah district test positive for COVID-19. AAR KJ

Coronavirus: Latest updates on COVID-19 from across the world

The newly-appointed chief product officer Anand Chandrasekaran of Snapdeal is quite tech savvy. The proof is his suggestion of doubling Snapdeal’s engineering team to over 2,000 this year. The online marketplace firm intends to be a technology, product and engineering-driven company under the leadership of Chandrasekaran. 
 
As per a news report by The Economic Times, Chandrasekaran, an ex -Bharti Airtel, is building the engineering team, besides attracting top talent to Snapdeal at a time when the company is fiercely competing with rivals Flipkart and Amazon. The expansion of the engineering team also comes when Snapdeal, through a series of strategic acquisitions, has signalled its ambition to build a services platform to stand out in an online marketplace. 
 
"We might even go beyond 2,000 people in the team, knowing that we have had a four-fold growth in our overall manpower over last year. We now have over 5,000 people," Chandrasekaran told the ET. 
 
Chandrasekaran, who is also leading Snapdeal's technology initiatives in payments and cloud, said the company is trying to attract the best talent available in the country and abroad. "We don't think of talent on the basis of what problem we are solving, rather we think of who is the best talent in the country and let's have them in Snapdeal to build better products," he said. Snapdeal is considering setting up a base in the US, in its efforts to strengthen its technology arm, hire more specialists and become the first Indian consumer interncompany to establish a presence in the world's biggest startup hub. The company is also looking at offering services from utilities payments, mobile and DTH recharges to financial products, confirms the ET news report. 
 
(Image: Reuters)

You Searched For "Airtel DTH" and got 9 results

This startup is enabling online shopping in small towns just like in the metros

Suchayan Mandal

Bharti Airtel’s doing very well, despite its African debacle!

BI India Bureau

Airtel has goodies for its app users

BI India Bureau

A CRED-like platform is what Indian OTT users want to juggle multiple subscriptions

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Zee Entertainment says all channels 'fully operational' in Tamil Nadu

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Top 10 Indian companies by market value in 2024

BI India Bureau

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PTI

Good news techies: Snapdeal will be hiring 2000 engineers to strengthen its tech muscle

BI India Bureau

You Searched For "Airtel DTH" and got 9 results

This startup is enabling online shopping in small towns just like in the metros

Suchayan Mandal

Bharti Airtel’s doing very well, despite its African debacle!

BI India Bureau

Airtel has goodies for its app users​

BI India Bureau

A CRED-like platform is what Indian OTT users want to juggle multiple subscriptions

Karuna Sharma

Zee Entertainment says all channels 'fully operational' in Tamil Nadu

PTI

Farm laws: Punjab farmer bodies to talk to Centre

PTI

Top 10 Indian companies by market value in 2024

BI India Bureau

Coronavirus: Latest updates on COVID-19 from across the world

PTI

Good news techies: Snapdeal will be hiring 2000 engineers to strengthen its tech muscle

BI India Bureau

Airtel has goodies for its app users