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Crashing data tariffs, free voice calls, disruptive entry of <keyword id="6354504" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Reliance-Jio">Reliance Jio</keyword> and a no-holds-barred turf war to safeguard Rs 9 lakh crore worth of cumulative investments have sthe tone for an action-packed 2017 for the telecom sector, which also had to grapple with the thorny issue of call drops this year, as per an agency report 
 
 
If anything, the high-voltage narrative of 2016 has left mobile subscribers craving for more in the coming year both in terms of tariffs which have touched new lows, and technology. 4G has boosted mobile speeds to levels never experienced before by the data-hungry Indians. 
 "About Rs 9,27,000 crores have been invested so far by telecom service providers (TSPs) in building world class telecom infrastructure," industry body COAI's Director General <keyword id="6421510" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rajan-S-Mathews">Rajan S Mathews</keyword> said. 
 Incumbent telecom operators in representations throughout the year have shared how their revenues have taken a hit on various accounts ranging from <keyword id="6356988" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="TRAI">Trai</keyword>'s decision to bar differential tariff platforms like <keyword id="6354576" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Facebook">Facebook</keyword>'s Free Basics, <keyword id="15491" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Airtel">Airtel</keyword> Zero, to Reliance Jio unveiling free services. 
 <keyword id="2649527" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Deloitte-Haskins-Sells-LLP">Deloitte Haskins &amp; Sells LLP</keyword> Partner <keyword id="177478" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Hemant-Joshi">Hemant Joshi</keyword> said however that the prohibition on discriminatory tariffs has played a significant role to make data services affordable and accessible by everyone and is one of the important factors behind the rising adoption of data services in India. 
 
The telecom regulator's latest recommendation to allow third party platforms to provide free data without bias towards a particular telecom operator or internet content is likely to rekindle the debate on net neutrality in 2017. 
 Looking back, the going year started-off with a setback- of-sorts for consumers when the <keyword id="6354977" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Supreme-Court">Supreme Court</keyword> quashed penalty provision for call drops, prompting the regulator to seek more powers to penalise errant telecom operators. 
 The <keyword id="150664" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="telecom-department">Telecom Department</keyword> and regulator launched a combined offensive -- in form of review meetings and drive tests - to ensure that service quality issues remain at the forefront all through the year. 
 
To address the problem of call drops, operators have added about 3.51 lakh BTSes in last 12 months, according to Mathews. 
 
Besides this, Trai continues to work on review of service quality norms, ombudsman model, and interconnection all of which are expected to take shape in 2017. 
 There was never a dull moment for the telecom sector this year, and the market pulsated with action thanks to improved affordability, falling handset prices and operator investments in improving network coverage (helped by policies like <keyword id="223163" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="Right-of-way">Right of Way</keyword> and spectrum sale). 
 
The year saw India overtaking US to become the world's second-largest smartphone market with an installed base of 275 million devices. It has also predicted that 4G connections will grow to 280 million by 2020. 
 
According to global mobile industry body GSMA, India will add 330 million unique subscribers by 2020 (from 616 million unique users as of June 2016). In addition, the industry is set to invest heavily, with operator capex growing to USD 34 billion between 2016 and 2020, says GSMA. 
 
If anything, demonetisation and digital push -- resulting in increased adoption of mobile wallets -- will put the market on a turbo charge, say industry watchers. 
 Already, the average Indian is consuming data -- movies, gaming, connecting on social media -- like never before, in the aftermath of the industry price war triggered by the entry of India's richest businessman <keyword id="3820" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mukesh-Ambani">Mukesh Ambani</keyword> in the telecom industry. 
 
Jio, which launched full-fledged 4G services in September, has promised free voice calls for life along with rock-bottom data prices, once its ongoing free services come to an end on March 31, 2017. 
 The market's appetite for data can be gauged from the fact that <keyword id="10924" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ambani">Ambani</keyword> had set a target of 100 million customers in the "shortest time possible" for Reliance Jio, but the new venture notched 52 million customers in just 83 days, growing faster than Facebook and WhatsApp.

Here’s
what Reliance Jio and Airtel would be offering in 2017

<keyword id="133375" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rajan-Mathews">Rajan Mathews</keyword>, COAI 
 We agree that there is no scarcity of spectrum in the country. We support the allocation and harmonisation of spectrum. The primary issue is not the quantity of spectrum, but its pricing, quality, deployment and how soon the bidders will be able to access the allocated spectrum. Availability of spectrum is no longer an issue and we agree with the <keyword id="6355261" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Finance-minister">Finance Minister</keyword> on this. We need to focus on its pricing and quality and take care of the overall development of the telecom ecosystem ensuring a viable environment for the industry to proliferate. 
 Kenny Ye, GM-Overseas Business, UC Web, <keyword id="3387819" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Alibaba-Mobile-Business-Group">Alibaba Mobile Business Group</keyword> 
 
While last year’s auctions removed spectrum scarcity in the country, expansion of Bharat Net project will ensure high-speed broadband to 1.5 lk gram panchayats via Wifi. With increasing smartphone penetration and push for high-speed broadband connectivity in rural areas, a massive digital revolution is imminent in India. Lastly, reduction of corporate tax for MSMEs is a welcome step but larger Indian conglomerates looking to compete with global peers will continue to find the tax rate challenging. 
 Anant Maheshwari, President, <keyword id="10387" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Microsoft">Microsoft</keyword> India 
 The <keyword id="25455" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="finance">Finance</keyword> Minister has presented a balanced budget, underlined by the continued push to using technology to aid a digital economy. As India strengthens its position on the global map, the need for skilled youth is crucial. The budget’s focus on extending market relevant training for the youth and setting up 100 international skill centers across the country, is a positive move. The emphasis on science and technology for students, and launch of SWAYAM, will further empower India’s youth for the future. I am glad to witness the increasing focus on cybersecurity, which is critical to securing the economy’s digital transformation. The reduction of corporate tax for MSMEs is a welcome move and will boost the economic growth. The momentum in the implementation of GST is promising and I look forward to seeing it unfold in the coming months. 
 
Arpita Pal Agrawal, Leader- Telecom, PwC India 
 
Digital India is a winner in this budget with provisions for Bharat Net, PoS Terminals etc. Telcos will benefit as this will accelerate adoption of data services. However the specific Industry demands related to clarity on pending tax issues have mostly remained unaddressed. 
 
 
Atul Rai, CEO and Co-founder, Staqu, a Gurgaon-based Artificial Intelligence Startup 
 The <keyword id="6360189" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Union-Budget">Union Budget</keyword> 2017 doesn't provide any direct benefits to startups this year. Besides, the tax exemptions from capital gain are rather difficult to meet, at least in the early stage of 3-5 years for a startup. However, the newly announced exemptions for income tax of common people and well-rounded push towards digital payments will ultimately increase the buying capacity, along with mobile phone utility. These institutional changes, I believe, will push towards the growth of new age digital startups, albeit indirectly.

Union Budget 2017 reactions from the Tech and Telecom sector

Wayanad (Kerala) [India], August 1 (ANI): Waging through inclement weather conditions, the <keyword id="22623673" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Madras-Engineer-Group" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Madras Engineer Group" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Madras Engineer Group">Madras Engineer Group</keyword> (MEG), an engineering unit of the <keyword id="19908736" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Army" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Indian Army" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Indian Army">Indian Army</keyword> that began work on erecting a temporary Bailey Bridge in landslide affected <keyword id="22596328" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chooralmala" source="keywords">Chooralmala</keyword>, is making steady progress towards its completion. Taking to its social media handle, the <keyword id="14679619" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Army-Southern-Command" source="Orion">Indian Army Southern Command</keyword> Pune posted on X, "Persevering and relentless, despite facing inclement weather, rising water levels and the challenges of working through the night, the Madras Engineers Group (MEG) team is inching towards completing the bridge at Chooralmala." As per reports, the rescue team can transport the rescue vehicles, cutters, food and water to Mundakkai only after the completion of the bridge. Currently, numerous volunteers are working tirelessly among the rubble of houses and buildings to detect any signs of life. After two massive <keyword id="19964849" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="landslides" source="keywords">landslides</keyword> struck Wayanad, Kerala, on Tuesday morning, causing extensive destruction, <keyword id="20501159" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rescue-operations" source="keywords">rescue operations</keyword> are being intensified, political leaders are engaged in discussions, and financial aid is being mobilised for the region. The first landslide occurred in Mundakkai, a town, and the second in Chooralmala. The massive landslides wreaked havoc in the region, damaging houses and roads, uprooting trees, and swelling water bodies, which hindered rescue operations. Relief and rescue efforts are currently underway. The landslides in Mundakkai and Chooralmala, Wayanad, have resulted in 167 confirmed deaths, as per the Kerala Revenue Department. According to sources from the Department of Information and Public Relations (PRD) Control Room in Wayanad, 96 victims have been identified, including 77 men, 67 women, and 22 children. Post-mortem examinations have been conducted on 166 bodies and 49 body parts. A total of 75 bodies have been handed over to relatives. Rescue personnel have brought 219 individuals to hospitals; 78 are still receiving treatment, while 142 have been moved to relief camps. In Wayanad, 73 people are hospitalised, and five in Malappuram. Amid the rising death toll, the Indian Army has intensified its efforts to rescue people stranded after the landslides. According to the Ministry of Defence, "The Army has set up a "Command and Control Centre" headed by Major General VT Mathew, General Officer Commanding, Karnataka and Kerala Sub Area, along with Brigadier Arjun Segan, at Kozhikode for coordinating HADR efforts." Naval aviation assets provided due support for the transportation of SDRF and state administration officials. Multiple aircraft are on standby at Thiruvananthapuram, Sulur, and Thanjavur to provide air rescue at short notice. Besides the aid in terms of medicine and first aid, ECHS Polyclinic, Kalpetta, is providing the services of doctors, nursing assistants, and ambulances to the flood operations columns. In the wake of the devastating landslides in Kerala's Wayanad district, Union Minister George Kurien visited the affected area on Wednesday to assess the ongoing rescue operations. Kurien took stock of the rescue operation underway and also met the victims at the relief camps. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased in the landslides. "The Prime Minister has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of each deceased in the landslides in parts of Wayanad," PM's office said in a post on X. The post further said that the injured would be given Rs 50,000.

Wayanad landslides: Indian Army's engineering unit pushes through adverse conditions to complete Chooralmala bridge

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Insider attended the latest hearing in <keyword id="11899431" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="britney-spears" source="Orion">Britney Spears</keyword>' conservatorship case.</li><li>Though the conservatorship has been terminated, there are still procedural loose ends to tie.</li></ul>During a new hearing in the <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/britney-spears-conservatorship">ongoing Britney Spears conservatorship case</a>, a Los Angeles judge granted an interim motion to allow the pop star to sign her own estate paperwork. This marks the first time in 13 years that Spears will have this power with her own finances.Last month, Judge Brenda Penny granted Spears' request that her conservatorship be terminated. Now both Spears' lawyer, Mathew Rosengart, and a group of other lawyers representing her parents and temporary conservators are participating in ongoing hearings that should tie up all the loose ends of the legal arrangement. Insider was present for Wednesday's hearing, during which proposed orders of how to proceed with the termination of the conservatorship were reviewed. The orders — <a href="https://www.insider.com/britney-spears-conservators-jamie-spears-filed-a-court-proposal-improper-2021-12">which have been the subject of recent disagreement between Jamie Spears and the temporary conservators</a> — caused tension in today's hearing as Rosengart and Alex Weingarten (Jamie's lawyer) traded a few barbs.One of the final hurdles for the court to fully dissolve the conservatorship is the petition for substituted judgment that Penny must approve, a document she agreed to place under seal with no objections ahead of a January hearing where the petition will be discussed.Jamie Spears' attorney asked for an unredacted version of the petition, which Rosengart and Justin Gold, John Zabel's attorney, disagreed with."Nobody besides John Zabel, Britney Spears, and the court should be able to see the estate plan" Gold told the court.Penny also asked the parties to confer ahead of the January 19 hearing to iron out any disagreements in their proposed orders, and submit a joint order ahead of the hearing, at which time the petition and financial fees will be reviewed. After Britney Spears was granted her new estate planning powers, Weingarten raised the issue of whether or not Spears' estate will pay for <a href="https://www.insider.com/britney-spears-estate-who-was-paid-conservatorship-2021-11" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">various legal fees being requested by her parents and temporary conservators</a>."As long as Ms. Spears agrees with that, we're OK with that," Zabel's attorney Justin Gold said. Her mother Lynne Spears, among others, has submitted a fee petition that will be discussed at the January hearing.An attorney for business management group Tri Star also spoke up at the end of the hearing, and made a point that although the entity did not object to sealing Rosengart and Gold's petition, it may move to unseal estate planning documents in the future."They do not have a right to see estate planning documents," Gold told the court.Outside the courthouse, Rosengart told reporters that in granting estate planning powers, Judge Penny acknowledged that Britney Spears "has the capacity to do whatever she wants" as a "free, independent woman."Insider reached out to attorneys representing Britney Spears, John Zabel, Jodi Montgomery, Lynne Spears, Jamie Spears and Tri Star for additional comment.

Britney Spears will now be able to sign her own estate documents for the first time in 13 years, judge rules in new hearing

New Delhi, Feb 15 () Industry body COAI on Saturday cautioned that any situation of duopoly in the telecom market will not be in the best interest of the nation or customers, and asserted that government has "vast powers and options" to address the sector's issues even in the light of the Supreme Court order.A day after the Supreme Court rapped the telecom department and companies over non-compliance of its order on payment of statutory dues, COAI Director General Rajan Mathews told that it is up to individual members (companies) to see how they would interpret and comply with the order."We continue to believe that government has vast powers and options to address the issues of the sector even in the light of the SC Order," Mathews said.Stating that he believed it is too early to speculate about Vodafone Idea Ltd (VIL) and a 'duopoly', Mathews said, "We will need to wait and see how Vodafone Idea will respond"."We have stated before that a duopoly is not in the best interest of the nation, customers or even the industry," Mathews said in a written response to specific queries.While Cellular Operators' Association of India (COAI) sees plenty of opportunity for mobile operators to flourish, enabling policies and regulations will be key to this, he added.Citing COAI's position that the industry has to move quickly to a Rs 300 ARPU (Average Revenue Per User) level to maintain its financial health, Mathews said that the SC order only makes this imperative "more urgent"."We have stated before that present tariffs are inadequate to sustain the financial health of the sector and the industry has to move quickly to a Rs 300 ARPU number to maintain its financial health. The SC order only makes this imperative even more urgent," he said.On Friday, the SC had directed the managing directors and directors of telcos and other firms to explain why contempt action be not taken against them for non-compliance of its order to pay adjusted gross revenue (AGR) of Rs 1.47 lakh crore to the Department of Telecom.At present there are three private players in the Indian mobile market -- Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea and Reliance Jio -- besides the ailing state-owned operators BSNL/MTNL.Of the three private players, market analysts consider Vodafone Idea to be in the most vulnerable position.After Supreme Court rap, the telecom department on Friday began issuing orders asking firms such as Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea to clear past dues immediately.The DoT, which faced the ire of the Supreme Court for putting on hold recovery of dues from telecom companies, started issuing circle or zone-wise demand notices to firms.The apex court has asked the companies to clear dues, totalling an estimated Rs 1.47 lakh crore, before the next date of hearing on March 17.Airtel responded to the DoT order by offering to pay Rs 10,000 crore by February 20 and the remaining before March 17. Airtel owes nearly Rs 35,586 crore, including licence fee and spectrum usage charge, to the government. MBI BAL

Vast powers, options with govt to address sector's issues even in light of SC order: COAI

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Russia and <keyword id="11985141" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ukraine" source="Orion">Ukraine</keyword> export nearly a third of the world's wheat and barley, over 70% of sunflower oil, and also supply corn.</li><li>About 90% of Ukraine's wheat and other <keyword id="12168891" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="grains" source="Orion">grains</keyword> are being held up by Russian blockades of the Black Sea coast.</li></ul>LONDON — Russian hostilities in Ukraine are preventing grain from leaving the "breadbasket of the world" and making food more expensive across the globe, threatening to worsen shortages, hunger and political instability in developing countries.Together, Russia and Ukraine export nearly a third of the world's wheat and barley, more than 70% of its sunflower oil and are big suppliers of corn. Russia is the top global fertilizer producer.World food prices were already climbing, and the war made things worse, preventing some 20 million tons of Ukrainian grain from getting to the Middle East, North Africa and parts of Asia.Weeks of negotiations on safe corridors to get grain out of Ukraine's Black Sea ports have made little progress, with urgency rising as the summer harvest season arrives."This needs to happen in the next couple of months (or) it's going to be horrific,'' said Anna Nagurney, who studies crisis management at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and is on the board of the Kyiv School of Economics. She says 400 million people worldwide rely on Ukrainian food supplies. The U.N. Food and <keyword id="11963490" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="agriculture" source="Orion">Agriculture</keyword> Organization projects up to 181 million people in 41 countries could face <keyword id="13544066" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="food-crisis" source="Orion">food crisis</keyword> or worse levels of hunger this year.Here's a look at the global food crisis:<h2>What's the situation? </h2>Typically, 90% of wheat and other grain from Ukraine's fields are shipped to world markets by sea but have been held up by Russian blockades of the Black Sea coast.Some grain is being rerouted through Europe by rail, road and river, but the amount is a drop in the bucket compared with sea routes. The shipments also are backed up because Ukraine's rail gauges don't match those of its neighbors to the west.Ukraine's deputy agriculture minister, Markian Dmytrasevych, asked European Union lawmakers for help exporting more grain, including expanding the use of a Romanian port on the Black Sea, building more cargo terminals on the Danube River and cutting red tape for freight crossing at the Polish border.But that means food is even farther from those that need it."Now you have to go all the way around Europe to come back into the Mediterranean. It really has added an incredible amount of cost to Ukrainian grain,'' said Joseph Glauber, senior research fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute in Washington.Ukraine has only been able to export 1.5 million to 2 million tons of grain a month since the war, down from more than 6 million tons, said Glauber, a former chief economist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture.Russian grain isn't getting out, either. Moscow argues that Western sanctions on its banking and shipping industries make it impossible for Russia to export food and fertilizer and are scaring off foreign shipping companies from carrying it. Russian officials insist sanctions be lifted to get grain to global markets.European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and other Western leaders say, however, that sanctions don't touch food.<h2>What are the sides saying?</h2>Ukraine has accused Russia of shelling agricultural infrastructure, burning fields, stealing grain and trying to sell it to Syria after Lebanon and Egypt refused to buy it. Satellite images taken in late May by Maxar Technologies show Russian-flagged ships in a port in Crimea being loaded with grain and then days later docked in Syria with their hatches open.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia has provoked a global food crisis. The West agrees, with officials like European Council President Charles Michel and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken saying Russia is weaponizing food.Russia says exports can resume once Ukraine removes mines in the Black Sea and arriving ships can be checked for weapons.Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov promised that Moscow would not "abuse" its naval advantage and would "take all necessary steps to ensure that the ships can leave there freely."Ukrainian and Western officials doubt the pledge. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said this week that it may be possible to create secure corridors without the need to clear sea mines because the location of the explosive devices are known.But other questions would still remain, such as whether insurers would provide coverage for ships. Dmytrasevych told the EU agriculture ministers this week that the only solution is defeating Russia and unblocking ports: "No other temporary measures, such as humanitarian corridors, will address the issue."<h2>How did we get here?</h2>Food prices were rising before the invasion, stemming from factors including bad weather and poor harvests cutting supplies, while global demand rebounded strongly from the COVID-19 pandemic.Glauber cited poor wheat harvests last year in the United States and Canada and a drought that hurt soybean yields in Brazil. Also exacerbated by climate change, the Horn of Africa is facing one of its worst droughts in four decades, while a record-shattering heat wave in India in March reduced wheat yields.That, along with soaring costs for fuel and fertilizer, has prevented other big grain-producing countries from filling in the gaps.<h2>Who's hardest hit?</h2>Ukraine and Russia mainly export staples to developing countries that are most vulnerable to cost hikes and shortages.Countries like Somalia, Libya, Lebanon, Egypt and Sudan are heavily reliant on wheat, corn and sunflower oil from the two warring nations.<div type="image" title="Farmer Serhiy gestures standing near a mound of grain in his barn in the village of Ptyche in eastern Donetsk region, Ukraine, Sunday, June 12, 2022. Russian hostilities in Ukraine are preventing grain from leaving the “breadbasket of the world&quot; and making food more expensive across the globe, raising the specter of shortages, hunger and political instability in developing countries." height="5267" width="7023" msid="92308795" hostid="261"></div>"The burden is being shouldered by the very poor," Glauber said. "That's a humanitarian crisis, no question.'' Beside the threat of hunger, spiraling food prices risk political instability in such countries. They were one of the causes of the Arab Spring, and there are worries of a repeat.The governments of developing countries must either let food prices rise or subsidize costs, Glauber said. A moderately prosperous country like Egypt, the world's top wheat importer, can afford to absorb higher food costs, he said."For poor countries like Yemen or countries in the Horn of Africa — they're really going to need humanitarian aid," he said.Starvation and famine are stalking that part of Africa. Prices for staples like wheat and cooking oil in some cases are more than doubling, while millions of livestock that families use for milk and meat have died. In Sudan and Yemen, the Russia-Ukraine conflict came on top of years of domestic crises.UNICEF warned about an "explosion of child deaths" if the world focuses only on the war in Ukraine and doesn't act. U.N. agencies estimated that more than 200,000 people in Somalia face "catastrophic hunger and starvation," roughly 18 million Sudanese could experience acute hunger by September and 19 million Yemenis face food insecurity this year.Wheat prices have risen in some of those countries by as much as 750%."Generally, everything has become expensive. Be it water, be it food, it's almost becoming quite impossible," Justus Liku, a food security adviser with the aid group CARE, said after visiting Somalia recently. Liku said a vendor selling cooked food had "no vegetables or animal products. No milk, no meat. The shopkeeper was telling us she's just there for the sake of being there." In Lebanon, bakeries that used to have many types of flat bread now only sell basic white pita bread to conserve flour.<h2>What's being done? </h2>For weeks, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has been trying to secure an agreement to unblock Russian exports of grain and fertilizer and allow Ukraine to ship commodities from the key port of Odesa. But progress has been slow.A vast amount of grain is stuck in Ukrainian silos or on farms in the meantime. And there's more coming — Ukraine's harvest of winter wheat is getting underway soon, putting more stress on storage facilities even as some fields are likely to go unharvested and because of the fighting.Serhiy Hrebtsov can't sell the mountain of grain at his farm in the Donbas region because transport links have been cut off. Scarce buyers mean prices are so low that farming is unsustainable. "There are some options to sell, but it is like just throwing it away," he said.U.S. President Joe Biden says he's working with European partners on a plan to build temporary silos on Ukraine's borders, including with Poland, a solution that would also address the different rail gauges between Ukraine and Europe.The idea is that grain can be transferred into the silos, and then "into cars in Europe and get it out to the ocean and get it across the world. But it's taking time," he said in a speech Tuesday. Dmytrasevych said Ukraine's grain storage capacity has been reduced by 15 million to 60 million tons after Russian troops destroyed silos or occupied sites in the south and east.<h2>What's costing more?</h2>World production of wheat, rice and other grains is expected to reach 2.78 billion tons in 2022, down 16 million tons from the previous year — the first decline in four years, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization said. Wheat prices are up 45% in the first three months of the year compared with the previous year, according to the FAO's wheat price index. Vegetable oil has jumped 41%, while sugar, meat, milk and fish prices also have risen by double digits.The increases are fueling faster inflation worldwide, making groceries more expensive and raising costs for restaurant owners, who have been forced to increase prices.<div type="image" title="Halimo Hersi, 42, right, buys wheat flour from a shopkeeper in the Hamar-Weyne market in the capital Mogadishu, Somalia Thursday, May 26, 2022." height="3800" width="5066" msid="92308796" hostid="261"></div>Some countries are reacting by trying to protect domestic supplies. India has restricted sugar and wheat exports, while Malaysia halted exports of live chickens, alarming Singapore, which gets a third of its poultry from its neighbor. The International Food Policy Research Institute says if food shortages grow more acute as the war drags on, that could lead to more export restrictions that further push up prices.Another threat is scarce and costly fertilizer, meaning fields could be less productive as farmers skimp, said Steve Mathews of Gro Intelligence, an agriculture data and analytics company. There are especially big shortfalls of two of the main chemicals in fertilizer, of which Russia is a big supplier."If we continue to have the shortage of potassium and phosphate that we have right now, we will see falling yields," Mathews said. "No question about it in the coming years."

EXPLAINER: How did Russia-Ukraine war trigger a food crisis?

<ul><li>“Deadlines can wait. First, let me take care of my <keyword id="6354774" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mental-health" source="Orion">mental health</keyword>!” said no advertising employee ever. In this industry, you are expected to be available 24*7 even though the job doesn’t require saving lives (I did ask around just to be sure).</li><li>With the impending third wave of coronavirus, it is exhausting to be creative, ‘ahead of the curve’ right now when every third person you know is positive.</li><li>We are all anxious and struggling to keep going but are scared to admit it. When you are in the business of ideas, it is a little more challenging to keep going.</li><li>So, we decided to check in with a few Creative Officers of Advertising agencies, who are expected to hold the whole family together.</li><li>They told us about their struggles, how they are finding the strength to keep going and shared a few tips on how we can deal with the impending wave from a both business and personal perspective.</li></ul>“Work-life balance? What’s that?” a 24-year-old copywriter, a friend, laughed when I asked him how is agency life is treating him and whether he has mastered the art of work-life balance in two years. I was almost embarrassed to have asked that question and realised that we have normalised inhuman working hours to an extent in which having a work-life balance is every agency employee’s pipe dream. I was going to ask him how he’s taking care of his mental health now that his mother has tested positive, but I decided to sit that one out. Well, let’s be realistic! Do advertising people have time to go to therapy or join a Zumba class or just be alone with their thoughts? People from the industry often say, some even with a generous dose of condescension, that ‘if you are not willing to be available 24*7 and clock at least 16 hours a day, you are not cut for the job.’ The person who does prioritize a personal task over work, is often frowned upon. With work from home, the stress levels, urgent deadlines, demanding clients and high pressure have all increased manifold. And when our country is preparing itself to face another possible wave of COVID-19 and its several mutations, it is becoming increasingly challenging for everyone to focus on work and continue leading normal lives inside our houses. Advertising agencies bear the additional responsibility of coming up with optimistic campaigns that drive change and raise awareness. Despite facing the blues of working in isolation and pressure to overperform in a dismal atmosphere, ad agencies are increasingly pushing their boundaries to come up with empathetic, change-making campaigns to help our country. These people in the business of ideas are expected to pitch new ideas almost every day. However, it is exhausting to be creative, ‘ahead of the curve’ right now when every third person you know is positive. Just when we started believing that life might be back to normal again, the universe took us back to square one. While one might argue that our medical industry does have better resources to support our citizens today than it did till last year, mentally, how can we find hope and do this all over again? How can we remind each other that this is temporary -- that holding on to hope is important more than ever before? Thankfully, there are a few optimists among us who are reminding us to keep it at and holding the whole family together. In the advertising ecosystem, it is the Creative Officers and their team members. Reminding us how there’s always light at the end of the tunnel, Titus Upputuru, Creative Head, Taproot Dentsu, Gurgaon and National Creative Director, Dentsu One took us back to our childhood days. He said, “In childhood, I remember the days when the electricity would go off and there were no back-ups or inverters, we children used to simply put candles in the darkness and make giant shadows on the walls with our hands. We would create barking dogs, flying eagles, and trunk raising elephants, all with our hands and sometimes feet. So to me, dark times are an opportunity to innovate. The dark homes helped us children to innovate and create magical things. If the lights hadn’t gone, maybe we were just watching Doordarshan.” Upputuru has seen a few of his loved ones lose their battle to the virus in the past two years. “The first time Covid happened, I became a little restless. I just knew that I wasn’t going to be chained; so I wrote songs, collaborated with artists, created content with Instagrammers. Second time was really trying. I lost three cousins and one uncle and aunt in a matter of 3 weeks and we were continuously attending funerals over zoom. Every week someone would disappear from those zoom calls and we were all wondering who will be next. It was quite heart-rending. I wrote ‘Lohe ke Gubbare’ (Balloons of Iron) about a little boy who was desperately seeking an iron ‘balloon’ for his dying mother at the hospital. So darker times push creativity in many ways,” he shared. Upputuru’s faith gave him hope and comfort to keep going. He also decided to spend his free time upskilling. “In current times, one can also upskill. Last year, I did a full digital course and learnt about digital marketing. The great thing was it was not just lectures – although there was a handsome measure of those – we also had to collaborate with teams across the world, across different streams and resolve real-time marketing issues on digital platforms. It was terribly exciting and it did keep me sufficiently occupied when the workload had become lesser due to the business impact. My go-to always has been to spend quiet time with God. I read Bible the first thing in the morning. There is so much wisdom and guidance that one can get on one’s knees. Also, I like to talk to God and have conversations. These conversations often help me to let go of things one can’t do much about. And yes, I do take care of my body with daily exercise. It’s important as the human body was meant to farm in the sun, hunt in the jungles, and fight as soldiers. But modern-day lifestyle, especially in current times, forces us to only sit or lie down," said Upputuru. After two years of living in the constant fear of catching a deadly virus, Garima Khandelwal, Chief Creative Officer, Mullen Lintas has learned to find comfort and joy in small wins. She said, “The pressure to be creative is a constant, while the scenario has been challenging, now for 2 years in the running. We all are coping with it every day, keeping the ball on the output, and for us a lot of what was taken for granted in how we worked or collaborated has changed forever. Yes, there are days that are low, but it’s all part of a day that comes to an end every day, and that is the thing to remember. With a “This too shall pass,” I look for small joys in everyday and cherish them. It’s okay to not be okay some days and days that are just about okay are okay too. What really comes into play is to deal with empathy. We had an unfortunate experience of being stuck at the Taj during 26/11. It was a tragedy the world knew about, but to live through it, and coming out luckily seemingly unhurt, it still played out for a long time after we got back home safe. I draw this parallel because for once we all are going through the exact same scenario, while some are dealing with more hardships than others. It’s not normal for anyone and it’s important therefore to be empathetic towards self and to others. My escape has been to go back to simpler times, a lot of things I remember my grandmother used to be busy with when I was growing up. With family, spending time in home improvement, all things I was always too busy for, I have found comfort in. Don’t worry about how and when things will go back to how it used to be but take each day as it comes. It’s all about living In the moment and honoring them with gratitude. Don’t hesitate in seeking help. We often underestimate the overwhelming nature of what we set out to do in a day, and we could do with a little help, just to understand better for ourselves how to deal with all of it.” DDB Mudra Group’s Chief Creative Officer, Rahul Mathew found a companion in his dog. “I don’t think there would be anyone who hasn’t struggled through these times. Over the past two Covid waves, the lucky ones have found antidotes to keep it together. My most potent antidote has been my dog. Having him around makes it easy to transition from high pressure to extreme joy. There’s also a practise I started many years back, to identify one optimist in your life (work or otherwise). And to have regular conversations with that person, especially when you feel your emotions sagging. Because as maligned as the word is today, being positive is the one thing we all need to be,” said Mathew. “In this business, there’s always pressure on the person to be creative. We’re only as good as the engagements, disruptions and unexpected work that we put out on a regular basis. The damage a pandemic does or did, is put pressure on the culture of creativity. It really tests how strong or weak the culture really is. A strong culture rearranges itself to protect its core of creativity and ones creating it. While a weaker one often succumbs to the pressures of the every day, by exposing its core to chaos and panic. It’s really a test of our belief in creativity as agency leaders. You’re only as strong as the people beside you. And I feel that’s the key to making it through the toughest of times. Both professionally and personally. We need to dig deeper into the connections we have with our people. And protect the ones who are core to what we do. Because it’s they, who in turn will keep us going,” added Mathew. Mukund Olety, Chief Creative Officer, VMLY&amp;R India said that the agency has hit a rhythm, working in a ‘come what may’ model. “Covid has tested our resilience. But creativity is a bug that flourishes in the toughest of conditions. If history is any guide, the most difficult periods have been followed by the most creative ones. The constraints have not just pushed brands to explore new mediums and create new kinds of work but also encouraged creatives to develop new ways of working. The initial few months were of course tough but now we have become well-versed in reacting and adapting to the changing situations. Creative folks thrive off each other’s energy. And it’s important to fuel that energy even while working remotely. Yes, now we are having more planned conversations than unplanned bumping into each other in the corridor ones – and sometimes those agenda-less corridor conversations can be super productive. We try and bring that same spontaneity even in virtual rooms. I encourage people to turn their cameras on during a brainstorm. It makes a difference and of course makes those long spells of silence more palatable. Every Friday, we have Fearless Friday sessions where all the creatives get together. It’s a platform to discuss and share whatever they like. And lastly, one important way to keep your team motivated and going is to genuinely empathize and care. It shows when you do. It reflects in the work,” said Olety. For an industry that is built around deadlines and deliverables, advertising people have found themselves at the intersection where moments of magic meet the point of serious stress, time and again. And as the country looks at the third wave of COVID-19, advertising folks advise you to listen, acknowledge and act upon what an individual may be going through in these trying times.

How to stay creative when you feel dejected: Advertising industry’s Creative Officers share some tips

<ul><li>They say the warm ocean temperatures in the northern Arabian Sea results in increased moisture and large fluctuations in the monsoon winds.</li><li>Less than two months ago, the <keyword id="447508" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Western-Coast">western coast</keyword> of India was bracing itself for cyclone Nisarga, and it is now dealing with a torrential downpour.</li><li>The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts active monsoon conditions over the west coast, including Mumbai and east coast of India, and likely intense rainfall over Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, <keyword id="43945" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chhattisgarh">Chhattisgarh</keyword> and Odisha.</li></ul> Scientists on Thursday explained the extreme rainfall event in Mumbai to an anomaly that will become a recurrent pattern with increasing warming of the ocean and poleward shift of the low-level jetstream that impacts the Indian summer monsoon. They say the warm ocean temperatures in the northern Arabian Sea results in increased moisture and large fluctuations in the monsoon winds. Less than two months ago, the western coast of India was bracing itself for cyclone Nisarga, and it is now dealing with a torrential downpour. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts active monsoon conditions over the west coast, including Mumbai and east coast of India, and likely intense rainfall over Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Odisha. A low-pressure area formed over the North Bay of Bengal off West Bengal-Bangladesh coasts on August 4, which is predicted to become more marked during the next 24 hours and move west-northwestward to south Gujarat across Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh during next three days. Heavy to very heavy rainfall is forecast for these regions till August 10. A cyclonic circulation lies over south Gujarat and neighbourhood at middle and upper level tilting southwards with height. "While it is too early for an in-depth analysis of the ongoing floods, what we can say is that there is an increasing trend in heavy rainfall events on the west coast of India," explained Roxy Mathew Koll, Scientist with the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology and Lead Author with the IPCC Oceans and Cryosphere. "In our analysis of rainfall data over the last 70 years, we find a three-fold rise in extreme rains along the west coast and central India." This is because the monsoon winds over the Arabian Sea are now exhibiting large fluctuations, thanks to a warmer environment. Occasional surges in the winds drive a huge amount of moisture supply from the Arabian Sea, across the entire west coast. These episodes result in an intense rainfall spread over three days. "Besides some of my colleagues at New York University have found a slight northward shift of the monsoon westerlies in recent decades. This could mean that the chances of heavy rainfall might be larger towards the north of Western Ghats, but that aspect is yet to be explored," Koll said. Anjal Prakash, Research Director and Adjunct Associate Professor with the Bharti Institute of Public Policy of the Indian School of Business, said: "We have enough knowledge now that links some of the high precipitation events with rapidly changing climatic conditions." "IPCC reports have given pointers apart from other studies of similar nature. This information must lead to wisdom on what could be done. Some of the Indian cities such as Mumbai, Kolkata, <keyword id="6368842" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="vizag">Vizag</keyword> and Goa are at greater risks due to its proximity to the sea or being in the high-hazard zones. "Mumbai being the richest Indian municipalities do not have a lack of resources to adapt to these climatic events. With proper adaptation measures, some of the impacts of high rainfalls could be avoided." During the summer monsoon of 2016, heavy-to-extreme rainfall events occurred across the central Indian region resulting in large-scale floods. The floods were widespread and caused damage to life and property on the west coast, including Mumbai, and submerged the Kaziranga National Park in <keyword id="6354915" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="assam">Assam</keyword>. A snapshot of the satellite rainfall data during these floods reveals a widespread heavy rainfall event spread over three days. The regional extent of the widespread rainfall event shows a huge similarity with that of the increasing trends in extreme rain events. The Mumbai 2017 floods also exhibited a similar pattern, say experts. Some of the historical floods which resulted in the largest loss in terms of human lives and property, for example, the central Indian floods in 1989 and 2000, Mumbai floods in 2005, South Asian floods in 2007, etc., were all a result of intense rainfall spread over three days, tracing their moisture source to the westerly flow from the Arabian Sea. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/the-beirut-explosion-created-a-huge-mushroom-cloud-and-visible-blast-wave-but-nuclear-weapons-experts-say-it-wasnt-an-atomic-blast-heres-why-/articleshow/77362144.cms">The Beirut explosion created a huge mushroom cloud and visible blast wave, but nuclear weapons experts say it wasn't an atomic bomb. Here's why.</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/microsoft-for-startups-lathika-pai-says-entrepreneurs-pitching-for-investments-need-to-have-this-one-question-answered-in-their-pitch-decks/articleshow/77352935.cms">Microsoft for Startups’ Lathika Pai says entrepreneurs pitching for investments need to have this one question answered in their pitch decks</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/news/linkedin-tcs-disney-hotstar-zee-and-other-companies-hiring-right-now-in-india/slidelist/77352775.cms">LinkedIn, TCS, Disney+ Hotstar, Zee and other companies hiring right now in India</a>

Mumbai rainfalls are become extreme because of warm ocean temperatures

New Delhi, Jan 2 () The Department of Telecom will meet industry players and various associations on January 6 to discuss the Budget wishlist and outstanding issues of the sector which is confronted with thousands of crores in unpaid statutory dues and burgeoning debt, according to sources.
 A senior government official told that the Department of Telecom (DoT) will be "supportive" of the industry's demand for reduction in levies, both licence fee and Spectrum Usage Charges (SUC), and will formally communicate its Budget related suggestions to the finance ministry after holding a detailed consultation with the telecom players.
 "Telecom department supports reduction in licence fee and Spectrum Usage Charges...SUC should be reduced because money is being given by players in the auctions...they are making auction payments," the official said, adding that discussions will span various stakeholders in the industry like service providers, associations and others.
 The telecom department plans to formally write to the Ministry of Finance in the first half of January, post the meeting.
 Mobile operators as well as industry bodies like Cellular Operators' Association of India (COAI) and Tower and Infrastructure Providers Association (TAIPA) will be present at the meeting slated for January 6, a source said.
 COAI had, last month, raised the issue of adjusted gross revenue (AGR) and sought cut in levies like licence fee and SUC during a meeting with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
 The industry has also asked the government to create an infrastructure bank that will raise tax-free bonds, the proceeds of which can be used to lend to the companies at lower rates.
 COAI had also raised the issue of AGR and higher levies (like licence fee and SUC that are being paid by the industry) during the recent meeting.
 "We represented that they be brought down... We urged that licence fee which is currently at 8 per cent be lowered to about 3 per cent, and SUC which is presently at 5 per cent be brought down to 1 per cent... and to see if it could be done over an appropriate period of time," COAI Director General Rajan Mathews had said after the meeting held on December 20 at North Block.
 COAI had also asked the government to clear GST input tax credit dues worth about Rs 36,000 crore, while also seeking removal of the high import duties on telecom equipment.
 The upcoming meeting at DoT is significant as the telecom industry is saddled with Rs 1.47 lakh crore in additional statutory dues in the wake of a recent Supreme Court ruling on AGR. Telecom companies owe the government Rs 92,642 crore in unpaid licence fee, and another Rs 55,054 crore in outstanding spectrum usage charges.
 According to government data, the liabilities in the case of Bharti Airtel add up to nearly Rs 35,586 crore, of which Rs 21,682 crore is licence fee and another Rs 13,904.01 crore is the SUC dues (excluding the dues of Telenor and Tata Teleservices).
 In the case of Vodafone Idea, this number stands at a cumulative Rs 53,038 crore, including Rs 24,729 crore of SUC dues and Rs 28,309 crore in licence fee.
 The remaining liability is with state-owned BSNL/MTNL and some of the shut/bankrupt telecom companies.
 The Supreme Court had allowed three months to the affected telcos to cough up the amounts due to the government, and the telecom department subsequently shot-off notices to players to pay their revenue share dues within the timelines stipulated by the court.
 Besides the telecom companies, the DoT has also made it clear that the AGR order will apply to all licencees, including companies such as GAIL, RailTel and PowerGrid. As things stand today, such players, despite a smaller telecom exposure, may have to pay liabilities computed on their entire revenue.
 The DoT had sent a letter to GAIL seeking Rs 1,72,655 crore in dues on IP-1 and IP-2 licences as well as Internet Service Provider (ISP) licence, and is seeking Rs 1.25 lakh crore from PowerGrid which had both a national long-distance as well as an internet licence.
 Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers and Chemicals (GNVFC) too has received a demand notice from the telecom department for payment of outstanding dues worth Rs 15,019 crore by January 23, 2020, pertaining to financial years from 2005-06 to 2018-19 in connection with VSAT and ISP licences held by the company. MBI ABM

DoT to meet industry on Jan 6 on Budget-related issues; will 'support' cut in levies

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (<keyword id="6356988" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="TRAI">Trai</keyword>) is not an easy nut to crack and the telcos need to register this fact seriously. In a strict warning to India's top telcos and <keyword id="6354504" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reliance-Jio">Reliance Jio</keyword> Infocomm, Trai has given an ultimatum to resolve the contentious interconnect matter among themselves. Trai’s order comes with further warning that it would act if quality of service drops and consumers suffer, as reported by The Economic Times. 
 
"If quality of service suffers, if consumers suffer, Trai will take action. That is Trai's job," a senior official told ET on Friday after the meeting. "The telcos should sit across the table and resolve it." 
 The war has been waged by the top telcos like Bharti <keyword id="15491" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Airtel">Airtel</keyword>, Vodafone and Idea against the newly launched Reliance Jio Infocom. Mukesh Ambani owned Jio had sought an adequate number of PoIs for their service to which the top telcos didn’t show much interest in. Citing traffic imbalance, the telcos have refused any additional PoIs to Jio. However after Friday’s meeting, an official of a top telco confirmed that they are willing to talk to Jio and provide ‘reasonable number’ of additional PoIs. 
 
What are these PoIs? PoIs are used to connect calls from one telecom operator to another. Jio has complained to Trai the other day that due to other telco’s non cooperation in giving adequate PoIs, the call quality is suffering. 
 
 
“We have put forth our point of view to Trai. It is for Trai to look into the matter. There is no time frame indicated by the Trai," Jio board member Mahendra Nahata told the ET after the meeting. "It is a fight for justice for Indian customers, and not those of Reliance Jio, Airtel, Vodafone or Idea." 
 
In a statement, market leader Bharti Airtel said it will provide Jio more PoIs, as per the bilateral agreement signed between the two operators, so that customers aren't affected. Incumbent telcos had signed interconnect pacts with Jio back in 2014, confirmed the ET report. 
 
Traffic Tsunami 
 
While common mass are happy to know about the freebies of Reliance Jio’s welcome pack, Airtel is quite nervous about the asymmetric traffic tsunami that would result from Jio. Airtel has asked Trai to intervene to curb the asymmetric traffic that might result in abusing the network. 
 
"In this regard, IUC (interconnect usage charge) is an effective tool in the hands of Trai, which we hope they will use judiciously," Airtel said, adding that Trai should make sure pricing by any telco is "IUC compliant, non-predatory and non-discriminatory". 
 
Airtel expects that once Jio starts charging its customers from January 2017, there would be no issue. "The traffic will inevitably get to a more balanced level and PoIs will be less of an issue," said an Airtel release. Top telcos have earlier said they do not possess the financial or network resources to handle the imbalance of the huge traffic generated through Jio's network due to the free offers. 
 
According to the news report by The Economic Times, Trai Chairman RS Sharma did not attend the meeting, which was led by Secretary Sudhir Gupta. Other Trai members, representatives of incumbent telcos that included Bharti Airtel's Chief Regulatory Officer Ravi Gandhi, Vodafone India's P Balaji and Idea Cellular's Rajat Mukarji, besides Nahata of Jio were present. 
 
Rajan S Mathews, director general of Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), which represents the top telcos as well as Jio, wasn't allowed to be part of the meeting, since only the three telcos were invited, marking a dramatic start to the crucial talks. At the meeting, incumbent telcos said given the volume of traffic from Jio, they can't give interconnect at 14 paise a minute which is very low. 
 
Jio countered saying the rate had been preset. Incumbents also said that traffic from Jio could go up to 4,000 minutes per user a month given the free voice offering, which would be practically impossible to handle, while Jio's officials said its traffic currently is 450 minutes per user a month. 
 
Where lies the end of the drama? 
It is believed that Trai has been able to bring some kind of end to a stalemate between Jio and incumbent carriers and the interconnection issue is expected to be sorted out within 90 days. 
 
Trai asked to increase points of interconnections incrementally. The regulator's concern was to improve service quality," Mathews said. "We expect Reliance Jio to start discussions with incumbent players and regulator should look into incremental numbers." During the meeting, incumbent telcos had sought clarity on whether the services of Jio were now "commercial". 
 
When told they were, incumbents pointed out that Jio then can't offer free services for more than 90 days. Sources at incumbent telcos also said they believe adequate PoIs have already been given for Jio which currently has some five million users, but are willing to give more once 70% capacity is reached for those existing PoIs. According to them, one PoI can support 12,000 subscribers, with Airtel itself having provided 700 of them. "As and when they (Jio) reach 70% capacity, they can request us, and we will provide incremental PoIs within 90 days, according to the ET news report.

TRAI plays the boss,
issues warning to Jio and other Telcos to settle their issue

The much hyped Reliance Jio, 4G services by Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Jio Infocomm has kept the telecom companies sweating in mid monsoon. As the day of its commercial launch nears , doubt, worry and tension have gripped the other prime players in the telecom industry fearing that Reliance may make voice call free and only charge for data. 
 
Jio will offer data and voice services at half or less than half the current rates at Rs. 300-500 a month, Ambani said in June at the annual general meeting of parent Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), according to a news report by The Economic Times. Last week, he announced an investment of Rs. 2.5 lakh crore as part of plans that include expansion of wireless broadband infrastructure and manufacture of mobile handsets at launch of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Digital India initiative to widen access and put governance online. 
 
Even if these weren’t enough to bleed telecom players’ treasury, , starting July 1, customers can change providers while retaining numbers. Even though voice call charges are among the lowest in the world, this segment still contributes more than 80 per cent to the total profit of phone companies, ET report further clarifies. 
 
"Jio needs to drive traffic up on its networks; its network will be completely empty. We will have no choice but to see how we can match it," said an executive of a telecom major. 
 
 
The Reliance unit could bundle devices with services but that's not seen as a likely strategy. In its initial entry in 2003, Reliance is estimated to have burnt through more than $1 billion offering talk time bundled with devices, said the executive cited above. "But they have been known to surprise and have deep pockets. They will be prepared to burn cash. It is only a matter of how much," he said. 
 
Rajan Mathews, director general of the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), told the ET that Jio would broaden the data market. COAI represents GSM phone companies such as Airtel, Vodafone and Idea besides Jio. 
 
But in a recent report, brokerage Jefferies warned that the entry of Jio would make the environment more harsh, especially on the data side, which is expected to drive sector growth. It pointed out that the industry has "a disproportionately high number of operators at seven-eight in each circle," which doesn't allow telcos to raise prices.

Mukesh Ambani is causing Sunil
Bharti Mittal and other telecom Czars some trouble!

The <a href="https://twitter.com/AP/statuses/288386320001294336">Associated Press posted its first ever sponsored tweet</a> yesterday but <a href="http://paidcontent.org/2013/01/07/how-long-will-twitter-allow-users-like-ap-to-sell-their-own-ads/">didn't pay Twitter</a> to do it:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
SPONSORED TWEET: Stay up to date on what's trending live from CES 2013 at <a href="http://t.co/7jjDJ4yq" title="http://bit.ly/V4uqA0">bit.ly/V4uqA0</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23SamsungCES">#SamsungCES</a>
— The Associated Press (@AP) <a href="https://twitter.com/AP/status/288386320001294336" data-datetime="2013-01-07T20:47:11+00:00">January 7, 2013</a></blockquote>
The tweet was paid for by Samsung as part of a package promoting its presence at CES, the giant electronics show in Las Vegas.
A <a href="http://wallblog.co.uk/2013/01/08/associated-press-stirs-anger-on-twitter-with-sponsored-tweets-announcement/">small number of people are angry</a> about the sponsorship, believing it will somehow devalue AP's coverage. Most, however, see it for what it is: <keyword id="35666" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="advertising">Advertising</keyword> akin to that which a newspaper would sell. Besides, the AP needs to pay the rent, too.
More interesting is the way in which the tweet was crafted: <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/jwherrman/the-ap-has-started-selling-its-twitter-feed">Without going through Twitter's own API</a> (the automated system for placing promoted and sponsored tweets). The big hole in <keyword id="6354616" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Twitter">Twitter</keyword>'s business model is that it does not prevent account holders from selling sponsorship of their tweets to third parties. As long as the account holder is manually tweeting each sponsored tweet, it does not fall afoul of Twitter's rules and Twitter does not take a revenue cut.
Twitter only gets a cut of the revenue if sponsored tweets are placed through the Twitter API, which is built to handle automated tweets and promoted tweets. As <a href="http://paidcontent.org/2013/01/07/how-long-will-twitter-allow-users-like-ap-to-sell-their-own-ads/">Mathew Ingram of PaidContent put it</a>, "How much longer can it allow this kind of practice to continue?"

You Searched For "mathews besides" and got 13 results

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Britney Spears will now be able to sign her own estate documents for the first time in 13 years, judge rules in new hearing

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Vast powers, options with govt to address sector's issues even in light of SC order: COAI

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EXPLAINER: How did Russia-Ukraine war trigger a food crisis?

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How to stay creative when you feel dejected: Advertising industry’s Creative Officers share some tips

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Mumbai rainfalls are become extreme because of warm ocean temperatures

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DoT to meet industry on Jan 6 on Budget-related issues; will 'support' cut in levies

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TRAI plays the boss, issues warning to Jio and other Telcos to settle their issue

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Mukesh Ambani is causing Sunil Bharti Mittal and other telecom Czars some trouble!

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Your Facebook data has probably already been scraped, Mark Zuckerberg says

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