Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

<keyword id="20812331" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="telecom-service-provider" source="keywords">Telecom service provider</keyword> <keyword id="19951944" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bharti-Airtel" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Bharti Airtel" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Bharti Airtel">Bharti Airtel</keyword> on Friday denied reports of any breach of its <keyword id="19966946" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="customer-data" source="keywords">customer data</keyword> and said that such a claim was a desperate attempt to tarnish the brand's image. "There has been a report alleging that <keyword id="19896909" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Airtel" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Airtel" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Airtel">Airtel</keyword> customer data has been compromised. This is nothing short of a desperate attempt to tarnish Airtel's reputation by vested interests. We have done a thorough investigation and can confirm that there has been no breach whatsoever from Airtel systems," the telco said in a statement. The statement comes after an account named 'xenZen' on the dark web claimed to have access to the latest database of over 375 million Airtel India customers, including phone number, email address, parents name, and government IDs including Aadhar, and put it up for sale. "The original threat actor that made the claim has been banned from the hacking forum for scamming people," sources from Airtel told PTI. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/webstories/upcoming-smartphones-launching-in-india-in-july-2024/slidelist/111304902.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/webstories/upcoming-smartphones-launching-in-india-in-july-2024/slidelist/111304902.cms" target="_blank">Upcoming smartphones launching in India in July 2024</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/hp-envy-x360-14-review/articleshow/111407165.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/hp-envy-x360-14-review/articleshow/111407165.cms" target="_blank">HP Envy x360 14 review – feature-packed laptop with a sleek design</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/webstories/motorola-razr-50-ultra-flip-phone-launched-in-india-for-99999/slidelist/111504950.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/webstories/motorola-razr-50-ultra-flip-phone-launched-in-india-for-99999/slidelist/111504950.cms" target="_blank">Motorola Razr 50 Ultra flip phone launched in India for ₹99,999</a>

Reports of data breach desperate attempt to tarnish brand's image: Airtel

UK-based <keyword id="698740" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="New-Call-Telecom">New Call Telecom</keyword> will invest $300 million (about Rs 2,000 Crores) in India to increase its presence in the country. 
 "New Call Telecom has announced investments worth USD 300 million in the next 12-18 months in India", its CEO <keyword id="2480290" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Nigel-Eastwood">Nigel Eastwood</keyword> told reporters today. 
 He said the focus will be on acquiring some more companies in India and enlarge business stakes in the country. The company had recently acquired leading global mobile technology brand <keyword id="167028" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Nimbuzz">Nimbuzz</keyword> and New Delhi-based Ozone Networks, country's largest <keyword id="2030638" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Wi-Fi-service-provider">Wi-Fi service provider</keyword>, the CEO further said. 
 
"Nimbuzz has rapidly growing revenues that have doubled every year for the last 3 years. Ozone Network has doubled its growth in last seven months," Eastwood added. 
 
Image credit: Indiatimes

New Call Telecom to invest $300 million in India

After the Internet and Mobile Association of India (<keyword id="149966" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="iamai" source="Orion">IAMAI</keyword>) slammed it for raising the 'revenue sharing' demand for telecom service providers (TSPs), the Cellular Operators Association of India (<keyword id="6373028" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="coai" source="Orion">COAI</keyword>) on Monday said the telcos' demand for reasonable 'usage charge' from OTT providers is fair and rational. The COAI reiterated its position that the demand of telecom operators for a reasonable 'usage fee' from OTT communication service providers for leveraging their networks to provide profitable services would aid in developing the country's digital infrastructure while contributing to the economy. "Certain entities with vested interests are misdirecting the issue of the need for a regulatory framework for the communication OTTs and the need of usage charge to be paid by OTTs to the TSPs, by bringing in the aspect of net neutrality in a misleading manner, to make it a populist issue," said <keyword id="164571" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="lt-gen" source="Orion">Lt Gen</keyword> Dr <keyword id="3200319" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="sp-kochhar" source="Orion">SP Kochhar</keyword>, Director General, COAI, without naming the IAMAI. The COAI said that there seems to be a lack of appreciation of the fact that net neutrality pertains to the non-discriminatory treatment of content which has no nexus to the usage fee issue. "Telecom service providers are committed to following the net neutrality principles, as per their license conditions, as also all other regulatory and security compliances which the TSPs undertake to safeguard consumer interest and security -- which OTTs presently do not," it argued. The COAI has been advocating for a model where the sending party network pays (SPNP) model would allow telecom service providers to exploit internet businesses by formalising rent-seeking. "The SPNP model would be a death knell for the digital economy and the creative ecosystem which it sustains," IAMAI had said last week. Calls for an SPNP mechanism have re-emerged even though the demand for telecom services is entirely dependent on the ability of OTT services to attract users. The COAI said that OTT platforms take a free ride on TSP-funded networks "without contributing to the setting up, operating and maintenance costs either directly or indirectly or for the expansion of networks". In fact, many OTT communication players are contemplating/already charging subscribers a significant fee for verified accounts, adding further leads to their revenues. "It is ironic that representatives of entities profiting themselves by levying charges on subscribers while riding free on the telcos' network are stating that paying for usage would effectively raise costs for users," commented Kochhar. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/news/rupee-falls-19-paise-to-82-94-against-us-dollar/articleshow/98265913.cms">Rupee falls 19 paise to 82.94 against US dollar</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/google-achieves-quantum-error-correction-milestone-says-sundar-pichai/articleshow/98266893.cms">Google achieves quantum error correction milestone says Sundar Pichai</a>

It's fair for telcos to demand usage charges from OTTs says industry body COAI

Alarmed at the rising pesky mobile calls and text messages by telemarketers, the <keyword id="30356" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="telecom-regulatory-authority-of-india" source="Orion">Telecom Regulatory Authority of India</keyword> (TRAI) on Thursday directed all telecom service providers to reverify registered headers and message templates on distributed ledger technologies (<keyword id="4388846" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="dlt" source="Orion">DLT</keyword>) platform and block all unverified headers and message templates within 30 and 60 days, respectively. In a new directive, the telecom regulator said that the mobile operators need to ensure that temporary headers are deactivated immediately after the time duration for which such headers were created. TRAI issued new directions to providers to stop the misuse of headers and message templates and curb unauthorised promotions using telecom resources. The telecom regulator told the mobile operators to remove confusion among recipients of messages and prevent their misuse and no look-alike headers (headers which are similar by virtue of a combination of small case or large case letters) are to be registered by <keyword id="16550150" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="access-providers" source="Orion">access providers</keyword> in names of different principal entities. "Access providers have been directed to bar all telemarketers, who are not registered on the DLT platform from handling the message template scrubbing and delivery of messages to recipients through Access Providers' network," read the TRAI note. It directed mobile operators to take action against erring telemarketers as per the provisions of the regulations and also initiate actions as per relevant legal laws. All the telecom service providers have been directed to comply with the above directions within 30 days. Earlier this week, a survey revealed that two in three Indians get three or more pesky calls every day and 50 per cent of them said such calls originate from the personal number of people. According to <keyword id="6379818" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="localcircles" source="Orion">LocalCircles</keyword> which conducted the survey, 45 per cent of people get on average 3-5 pesky calls each day while 16 per cent claimed to get 6-10 such calls per day. Around 60 per cent received most calls related to "selling financial services", 18 per cent got most calls related to "selling real estate" while 10 per cent received most calls "offering a job/earnings opportunity." TRAI has called a meeting with mobile phone operators on February 17 to discuss the quality of wireline and wireless services. The meeting will discuss potential "measures and action plan to improve the quality of service (QoS), review the current QoS standards, QoS for 5G services, and unsolicited commercial communications". TRAI in 2022 had released a consultation paper on the mandatory implementation of Calling Name Presentation (CNAP) in telecommunication networks which are designed to display the name of the caller (even if the receiver has not saved the same on their device/SIM) on the receiver's screen when the call connects. However, complaints from consumers continued to rise and unsolicited communications is something people have been regularly discussing about, according to LocalCircles. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/iqoo-neo-7-vs-oneplus-11r-mobile-phone-comparison-of-price-specification-and-features/slidelist/97973677.cms">iQOO Neo 7 vs OnePlus 11R – price, specs and features compared</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/maggi-kitkat-maker-nestle-india-reports-highest-domestic-growth-in-a-decade-in-fy22/articleshow/97974283.cms">Maggi &amp; KitKat maker Nestle India reports highest domestic growth in a decade in FY22</a>

Block pesky calls and texts from telemarketers, TRAI tells telecos

<ul><li>On 20 June the government issued a notice that allows individual telecom operators to offer their own online calling apps. </li><li>The recommendations made by the <keyword id="30356" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Telecom-Regulatory-Authority-of-India">Telecom Regulatory Authority of India</keyword> (TRAI) were green-lit by the <keyword id="158388" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Telecom-Commission">Telecom Commission</keyword>. </li><li>The only recommendation that wasn’t approved was where apps should have their own mobile numbering series. </li></ul>If users want to make a call using the internet, they have to do it using a over-the-top service like <keyword id="790242" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="WhatsApp">Whatsapp</keyword> or <keyword id="6354576" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="facebook">Facebook</keyword>. But with latest government notice, telecom service providers like <keyword id="6354287" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="bharti-airtel">Bharti Airtel</keyword>, <keyword id="6354504" type="DEFINITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="reliance-jio">Reliance Jio</keyword> and <keyword id="15492" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vodafone">Vodafone</keyword> can also enter the arena of <a href="https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/info-tech/govt-opens-up-internet-telephony-to-telcos/article24212550.ece">internet telephony</a>. Following the recommendations made by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) late last year, the Telecom Commission finally gave the green light last month, which the government followed with a notice on Wednesday, 20 June. More or less, all the guidelines put down by TRAI were accepted by the Telecom Commission except for the one pertaining to these apps having their own mobile numbering series. This basically means that internet phone calls can be done using one service provider’s app even if you’re using the internet service provided by a different service provider. Otherwise, users would have to been on the same network for on components for net calling to work. As per reports, TRAI is going ahead with this venture to increase the rate of successful calls. It specifically applies to indoor areas where mobile signals may not be strong, but Wi-Fi or public hotspots are available.

Telecom operators may soon be coming out with their own online calling apps

<ul><li><keyword id="3658" type="COUNTRY" weightage="20" keywordseo="India">India</keyword>’s Aadhaar card system will now use <keyword id="3735415" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Facial-identification">facial identification</keyword> for eKYC. </li><li>In a phased roll-out to Aadhaar Authentication User Agencies (AUAs), <keyword id="130693" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="telecom-service-providers">telecom service providers</keyword> will be the first to implement this service starting September 15, 2018.</li><li><keyword id="30939" type="TECHNOLOGY" weightage="20" keywordseo="facial-recognition">Facial recognition</keyword> will be a part of a two-factor authentication should iris or fingerprint authentication fail.</li></ul>The largest <keyword id="79483" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="identification">identification</keyword> database in the world, Aadhaar, isn’t mandatory for issuing SIM cards. But, if you are planning to use your Aadhaar card for eKYC (electronic know-your-customer), the face-recognition feature will <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/tech-news-technology/uidai-announces-face-recognition-for-aadhaar-from-september-15-heres-what-to-keep-in-mind-5315844/">start rolling out</a> on September 15, 2018. But, here’s the thing, when the measure was originally proposed in March, the aim was to help people who didn’t have <keyword id="102890" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="biometrics">biometrics</keyword> or poor biometrics. In the case of authentication failures and financial exclusion, the purpose of facial recognition was to ensure that people with physical disabilities or leprosy wouldn’t be kept from their pensions and provident funds. That being said, reports indicate that telecom service providers are only the first in line. The plan is for a phased rollout to cover all the other Aadhaar Authentication User Agencies (AUAs), once their devices are ready to accommodate face recognition. According to the nodal agency, the Unique Identification Authority of India (<keyword id="6355252" type="DEFINITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="uidai">UIDAI</keyword>), the face recognition verification has been put in place to curbs incidences of fingerprint spoofing and cloning. They also indicated that the measure will also increase the accountability of telecom service providers by tightening the audit process and overall security around mobile SIMs. How does it work The Aadhaar card face recognition feature basically means that users will have to get their picture clicked when using the Aadhaar card for eKYC. Keep in mind, this doesn’t replace fingerprint or iris verification. Those are still in place, but should verification fail at that level, facial identification will be the second factor of authentication. The telecom companies, in turn, will save those photos on their database and send it across on their registered device for verification against the picture of you on file with the UIDAI. Once that’s done, the telecom service providers will have to save both photos on their database for audit purposes down the line. This isn’t a suggestion, it’s a rule with consequences involved. If the telecom companies fail to do so, UIDAI has issued a circular on the financial disincentives that they will be subject to. However, it still isn’t mandatory to fish out an Aadhaar card for obtaining a SIM. It’s only if you choose to use your Aadhaar for eKYC, that face recognition even comes into the picture. Other forms of identification are still valid as KYC documents. Earlier this year, a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/nine-years-later-80-of-indians-are-still-not-convinced-the-worlds-largest-biometric-id-system-is-secure/articleshow/64406235.cms">survey</a> by Velocity MR ascertained that nearly 80% of Indians didn’t trust the Aadhaar card system. While the government has continuously reiterated that the Aadhaar database is safe, the concern isn’t with the central database being secure, but with middleman agencies that don’t keep a tight lid on their security when obtaining Aadhaar details are identification proof.

The world’s largest digital authentication system is rolling out facial recognition, but only for telecom services

New Delhi, The <keyword id="128625" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="internet-and-mobile-association-of-india" source="Orion">Internet and Mobile Association of India</keyword> (<keyword id="149966" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="iamai" source="Orion">IAMAI</keyword>) on Thursday raised concerns over privacy and implementation in response to the proposal of the <keyword id="30356" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="telecom-regulatory-authority-of-india" source="Orion">Telecom Regulatory Authority of India</keyword> (TRAI) mandating telecom service providers to display callers' names. The IAMAI argued that the TRAI's proposal to make it mandatory for telcos to enable Calling Name Presentation (CNAP) presents a material risk to the privacy of Indian citizens. It may also endanger individuals preferring not to be identified to the caller and open up individuals from vulnerable populations to targeted harassment, argued the industry body. According to TRAI data, there are approximately 1145.5 million wireless subscribers and 26.5 million wireline subscribers in India (as of September 2022). "The implementation of CNAP for such a massive quantum of users would require telecom providers to put in place a secure, synchronised, and robust system capable of supporting billions of calls daily. This will require a significant overhaul of the current telecom infrastructure, resulting in carriers incurring huge costs," said the IAMAI. Moreover, it will create a large privacy risk to users. In light of these issues, the IAMAI has recommended that TRAI consider providing citizens with an 'opt-in' approach as an alternative. "Giving citizens a choice to voluntarily opt in and out of CNAP services will ensure that citizens' choices and preferences are put at the forefront while ensuring that their right to privacy is protected," said the industry body. The TRAI has called a meeting with mobile phone operators on February 17 to discuss the quality of wireline and wireless services, especially around the 5G rollout.

TRAI's move to display callers' names endangers privacy, imposes costs says industry body IAMAI

New Delhi, Nov 19 () The telecom department has allowed sharing of in-building network infrastructure among service providers at public places - which is expected to reduce call drops and increase mobile data speed.
The permission to share telecom network gears like optical fibre, boosters etc will also lower cost of operations for the operators.
According to Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, around 80 per cent of the mobile services are accessed inside building and therefore telecom operators should be mandated to share in-building telecom infrastructure to provide good quality service.
The DoT instead of mandating sharing of in-building solutions (IBS) has only issued advisory for it.
"...all the TSPs (telecom service providers) are advised to share the in-building infrastructure with other TSPs, in all the existing government, public buildings, places like Airports, railway stations, bus terminals, metro stations and lines, hospitals etc, as per the terms and conditions of their respective licenses," the Department of Telecom said in its advisory dated November 18, 2019.
Trai has said that in-Building Solutions have become as vital to the buildings as water or electricity and data-hungry devices simply cannot be served by the outdoor network.
The evolution to 5G, combined with the explosion of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, IBS and its sharing will become more important, it said. PRS SR BAL
BAL

DoT allows sharing of in-building telecom network at public places

Union Minister of Communication Jyotiraditya Scindia held the second round of meetings with the Stakeholders Advisory Committees (SACs) on Satellite Communication and Internet Service Providers &amp; Infrastructure Providers, said the <keyword id="20510599" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ministry-of-Communication" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Ministry of Communication" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Ministry of Communication">Ministry of Communication</keyword> on Friday. The ministry stated that discussions in the meeting revolved around current regulatory provisions and the seamless adoption and facilitation of the <keyword id="22125599" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="right-of-way" source="keywords">Right of Way</keyword> (RoW) for a digitally connected India. This initiative is critical in engaging industry leaders in expanding and shaping the future of India's <keyword id="22639384" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="telecommunications-ecosystem" source="keywords">telecommunications ecosystem</keyword>. "Department of Telecommunications (DoT) under the leadership of Minister of Communications and Development of North Eastern Region Jyotiraditya Scindia along with Dr Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, Minister of State for Communications, started the second round of meetings with the recently constituted SACs, and met with SACs on Satellite Communication and Internet Service Providers &amp; Infrastructure Providers," said Ministry of Communications. The ministry added that the committee commended the recent progress in RoW processes but emphasized the ongoing need for integrated governance and enhanced cooperation from state governments and local municipal bodies. The Secretary (Telecom) also assured that the new rules under the New Telecom Act are designed to address many of the issues raised in the meeting. The Minister also encouraged industry stakeholders to actively participate by providing their feedback on the RoW rules. The Advisory Committee on Satellite Communication presented their views on Indian space policy, spectrum allocation, and SUC and suggested various measures for advancing India's position as a global hub for satellite communication. The committee also commended the Ministry for including key provisions in the New Telecom Act, which are set to modernize India's telecommunications framework by enabling more flexible, liberalized, and technologically neutral spectrum utilization. These changes will greatly benefit the advancement and efficiency of satellite communication services. Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, to facilitate a consistent two-way dialogue with the government on matters related to the telecommunications sector, constituted six distinct SACs to provide valuable insights to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) on various matters. The six advisory committees include members such as top CEOs, academicians, researchers, entrepreneurs, and industry thought leaders from the following sectors: Telecom Service Providers, Internet Service Providers &amp; Infrastructure Providers, Telecom Sector Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), Telecom Electronics Ecosystem, Satellite Communication Ecosystem, and Academicians and R &amp; D in the Telecommunications sector. The Department of Telecommunications stated that it aims to implement the recommendations and foster a productive and innovative environment for the growth of the telecom sector. The collaborative efforts of all stakeholders are crucial as we move forward in this consultative process. (ANI) SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/webstories/ola-electric-ipo-price-band-to-risk-factors-all-you-need-to-know/slidelist/112185870.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/webstories/ola-electric-ipo-price-band-to-risk-factors-all-you-need-to-know/slidelist/112185870.cms" target="_blank">Ola Electric IPO – Price band to risk factors, all you need to know</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/nothing-phone-2a-plus-with-dimensity-7350-pro-chipset-launched-in-india-starting-at-29999/articleshow/112164963.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/nothing-phone-2a-plus-with-dimensity-7350-pro-chipset-launched-in-india-starting-at-29999/articleshow/112164963.cms" target="_blank">Nothing Phone (2a) Plus with Dimensity 7350 Pro chipset launched in India starting at ₹29,999</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/indian-smartphone-shipments-decline-by-2-in-q2-2024-xiaomi-retakes-the-throne/articleshow/112162312.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/indian-smartphone-shipments-decline-by-2-in-q2-2024-xiaomi-retakes-the-throne/articleshow/112162312.cms" target="_blank">Indian smartphone shipments decline by 2% in Q2 2024, Xiaomi retakes the throne</a>

Telecom minister holds meeting with stakeholders on right of way for satellite communications

New Delhi, Mar 24 () The Department of Telecom on Tuesday reached out to state governments over difficulties faced by personnel of service operators in their movements due to lockdowns imposed by authorities to contain coronavirus outbreak. Telecom Secretary Anshu Prakash in a letter to chief secretaries of state and advisors to administrators of union territories has noted that telecom infrastructure is critical for maintaining communication, use of broadband, encouraging e-commerce and facilitating work from home during the ongoing restrictions to curb the spread of coronavirus. While telecom services have been listed within the essential services, employees maintaining the network and managing operations have complained of facing problem in their movement. "Instances are being reported where the local authorities have asked the personnel of the telecom service providers at network operation centres and call centres to shut down operations in the view of the restrictions. "Hence, it will be necessary that instructions reach the field level to permit personnel maintaining and providing telecom services to continue their work without interruption," the letter said. Employees of all organisations, that do not fall under list essential services, have been asked to work from home for business continuity using their phone and broadband connections. Prakash has requested to state governments and UT administration designate nodal officer with the name and phone number who can be contacted by the telecom operators and internet companies in the event of any difficulty. Telecom companies like Reliance Jio have announced free broadband service to new customers and doubled data limit for all existing customers to support work from home in fight against coronavirus. State-owned telecom companies BSNL and MTNL took lead last week to announce free broadband plans and additional data for their customers to support work from home. Telecom operator Bharti Airtel has written to its competitors Reliance Jio, Vodafone Idea, BSNL and MTNL for a roaming agreement to facilitate uninterrupted services to support work from home offered by almost all entities in the country amid the coronavirus outbreak. PRS MRMR

DoT writes to states to permit working of telecom personnel

New Delhi, Mar 17 () The Internet and Mobile Association of India, which represents companies like Google, Facebook, and Whatsapp, has opposed proposal to fix a minimum price for phone calls and data services. The industry body said that recent hike of rates by all three service providers prove that telecom service providers (TSPs) are responsive to market realities and there exists no evidence of market failure based on which any tariff regulation by way of floor price may be justified."The concept of having a floor price for telecom services is fraught with complications. The floor price will need to be based on the cost of the provision of service," the IAMAI said in a statement. It further said that as different TSPs have different cost structures and different cost of delivery of services, the selection of a representative cost is problematic. "Contrary to certain suggestions, it would be impractical to choose the highest or second-highest cost in a market with barely 3 service providers of consequence," IAMAI said.At present, telecom companies are free to decide on call and data rates but due to stiff competition they have sought regulatory intervention. Mobile subscribers get access to 4G data at a price as low as Rs 3.5 per GB but if the floor price is fixed as demanded by telecom operators, the mobile internet prices will rise 5-10 times from the current level. Debt-ridden Vodafone Idea has proposed that the minimum price of data should be fixed at Rs 35 per GB, Bharti Airtel has proposed minimum price of Rs 30 per GB for low data users and Reliance Jio wants it to be priced gradually to Rs 20 per GB. IAMAI said that the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) should continue its present position of forbearance by not actively intervening in tariff fixation and let the market forces determine future pricing. "Moreover, fixation of floor pricing will not address the key issues plaguing the telecom sector which is under huge financial burden severely affecting future investments. In order to correct this, regulators must identify and remove unfair cost advantages in the forms of spectrum fees, interconnection charges, etc," IAMAI said. PRS MRMR

IAMAI opposes fixing of floor price for telecom services

<keyword id="76827" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Indian-telcos">Indian telcos</keyword> have said that regulations for over-the-top (OTT) players such as WhatsApp and Skype, which provide communications services to their customers, need to be at par with the regulations that these telcos face. 
 
The telcos have said that since these apps provide similar services such as voice calling, they should also be brought under the same regulation. 
 "It is an undisputed fact that VoIP (voice over Internet protocol) service offered by <keyword id="3395662" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="OCSPs">OCSPs</keyword> (OTT communication service providers) is a substitute for services offered by <keyword id="130693" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="telecom-service-providers">telecom service providers</keyword> (TSPs), " Rajan Mathews, director general at GSM industry body <keyword id="105151" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Cellular-Operators-Association-of-India">Cellular Operators Association of India</keyword> (COAI), wrote in a letter that he addressed to <keyword id="6356988" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="TRAI">TRAI</keyword>. 
 "OCSPs offer these services without holding any licence in India, which is violative of the <keyword id="116276" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Indian-Telegraph-Act">Indian Telegraph Act</keyword>. The licensing and regulatory regime cannot allow a situation wherein the licensed entity (read: telcos) is treated at a lower footing than an unlicensed entity (read: OCSP)," COAI said. 
 
The main issue here is that communication apps offer calling services to their customers at far lower rates, most of them being charged only for the data consumed. This takes a major share from the telcos' revenue, for which voice calls still account for around 80%. 
 
If from telcos’ recommendation, these apps come under regulation, they would need to pay the same levies such as licence fee, spectrum charges, etc. and would also have to follow rules around security, lawful interception, quality of service, the cost of which would mean that the apps wouldn't be able to offer calling and messaging services for free. 
 
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Nq1meB_2Tzc/VzLFPAtU1UI/AAAAAAAADx0/7M5QySt5BEIEv1BKNd-6aDSZTyOvaPDngCLcB/s1600/Whatsapp.jpg">Image source</a>

WhatsApp and Skype should face similar regulations as us, Indian telcos tell government

“Now the general who wins a battle makes many calculations in his temple ere the battle is fought. The general who loses a battle makes but few calculations beforehand. Thus do many calculations lead to victory, and few calculations to defeat: how much more no calculation at all! It is by attention to this point that I can foresee who is likely to win or lose.” – Sun Tzu, ancient Chinese philosopher 
 Imagine that you are watching an intense <keyword id="64" type="SPORT" weightage="40" keywordseo="Football">football</keyword> match. Suddenly you start hallucinating, and things start looking very different … 
 No, it is not a football field; it is a telecom ecosystem. No, it is not a team like Arsenal or Real Madrid; it is a telecom service provider like <keyword id="15491" type="COMPANY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Airtel">Airtel</keyword> or Reliance. No, we aren’t talking of <keyword id="172347" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Mesut-Ozil">Mesut Ozil</keyword> or Cristiano Ronaldo; we are talking of key telecom network elements. No, these are not football fans, these are telecom subscribers. 
 Actually you may not be hallucinating. Like a telecom service provider, a football team too is a business, governed by rules of performance and profitability. With, however, one happy exception; fans hardly ever churn! An Arsenal fan would seldom commit the ultimate sin of becoming a <keyword id="6034" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="40" keywordseo="Manchester-United">Manchester United</keyword> supporter. 
 
Like telecom service provider managers, football coaches too have to define strategies that make sense from both a game performance and a business value perspective. The volume, variety, and complexity of elements to be taken into account while establishing game plans – whether in telecom or football – are similar to, what we call today, a big data problem. 
 As <keyword id="87" type="COUNTRY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Germany">Germany</keyword> wildly celebrates its World Cup victory, there is already serious discussion on what made this success possible – and many analysts believe that big data analytics made a big difference. 
 For far too long, football – unlike cricket – wasn’t considered to be a statistical beast. The only numbers that mattered were something like: Germany 1, Argentina 0. But look at the plethora of numbers that swamp us now in a football match: Cesc Fabregas ran 11.7 km during his 80-minute stint on the football field; <keyword id="6355518" type="COMPANY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Barcelona">Barcelona</keyword> enjoyed 69% possession in their 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid (is there a counter-intuitive story here about possession being negatively correlated to victory?); or this current best-selling story that Germany won the World Cup because their passes were more rapid than those of other teams. 
 
But what is really causing the big data wave in football is the use of video footage analytics. What is a player’s preference while taking penalties, which player is capable of attaining the maximum height as he attempts to head from a corner kick, is a team like France more vulnerable to a counter-attack via flanks than from the middle, does van Persie have a higher probability of being caught offside than a Suarez, what body feints of a Robben or a Rooney are indicative of willful dives? 
 
All these questions have been perennially discussed in pubs and in adda sessions – but analytics now allows us to quantify such observation and insights, it allows us to model, it allows us to do big data simulations of ‘what-if’ scenarios, and it allows us to compute probabilities. It also provides invaluable data to betting agencies – but that is another story! 
 
Big data brings in an exciting new dimension by using social network analytics. Who are the players who bring in the largest number of spectators, and maximize the number of TV eyeballs? Does advertising underwear or biting your opponent increase your personal valuation? 
 
For a telecom service provider there is a strong sense of déjà vu. All telecom service providers (football teams) have access to the same network elements (players). Why then are some service providers so much more profitable than the others? (Why does Manchester United win cups so much more often than Arsenal?). How does a telecom service provider offer the best revenue or margin assurance (buy the best suited players for the team at the best price), how does he optimize his call routing algorithms (how does a football team extract the best advantage from rapid and timely passing), how does he manage his network faults and performance (how does Barcelona ensure that Messi stays fit the whole year), how does he optimize his bandwidth and spectrum utilization (how does a team juggle its mid-fielders to play both attacking and defensive roles), how does he negotiate offset terms (how does a football team offer his excess players on loan to other teams). 
 
Some of these comparisons may seem tenuous, but surely readers are getting the drift. The insight that analytics offer is just the dribble needed to make telecom service providers (football teams) the leaders in their markets and playing feild. 
 
Authored by Srinivas Bhogle, Director and Country Head of TEOCO.

The Telecom Football Field

The Supreme Court has just allowed Centre’s plea to recover adjusted gross revenue from telecom service providers, according to IANS. As the news got out, Airtel’s share price fell drastically by 6.35% A three-judge bench, headed by Justice Arun Mishra, upholded the definition of adjusted gross revenue formulated by Department of Telecom (DoT). "We have held that definition of AGR will prevail," the bench, also comprising Justices Vineet Saran and S Ravindra Bhat, said. "We have allowed the appeal of Department of Telecom and dismissed that of licensees (telcos)," the top court said while reading the operative portion of the judgement. The apex court said it had rejected all other submissions of the telecom companies. It added that the service providers would have to pay penalties and interests to the DoT. The bench made it clear that there would no further litigation on the issue and it would fix a time frame for calculation and payment of dues by the telecom companies With inputs from PTI

You Searched For "telecom service providers" and got 14 results

Reports of data breach desperate attempt to tarnish brand's image: Airtel

PTI

New Call Telecom to invest $300 million in India

BI India Bureau

It's fair for telcos to demand usage charges from OTTs says industry body COAI

IANS

Block pesky calls and texts from telemarketers, TRAI tells telecos

IANS

Telecom operators may soon be coming out with their own online calling apps

Prabhjote Gill

The world’s largest digital authentication system is rolling out facial recognition, but only for telecom services

Prabhjote Gill

TRAI's move to display callers' names endangers privacy, imposes costs says industry body IAMAI

IANS

DoT allows sharing of in-building telecom network at public places

PTI

Telecom minister holds meeting with stakeholders on right of way for satellite communications

ANI

DoT writes to states to permit working of telecom personnel

PTI

IAMAI opposes fixing of floor price for telecom services

PTI

WhatsApp and Skype should face similar regulations as us, Indian telcos tell government

BI India Bureau

The Telecom Football Field

Srinivas Bhogle

Airtel share price falls after Supreme Court verdict

BI India Bureau

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides