You can make free phone calls to anywhere in the world now. An Italian software company - Seven Rings International - is launching its Voice over Internet Protocol service in the country that provides free international phone calls, instant messages (chat) and text messages.
These will be business and mid-market hotels that will sport brands such as Hilton, Hilton Garden Inn and Homewood Suites by Hilton (a long stay product). India is the second most important market for Hilton in Asia-Pacific after China, and accounts for 17 per cent of the 300-odd new hotels it plans to add in the region by 2017. It also expects India to account for 15-20 per cent of its revenues in the Asia-Pacific region by 2015.
The hearing of the forgery case filed by British mobile solution firm Upaid against Satyam Computer Services is not scheduled for hearing during this week.
The hearing of the forgery case filed by British mobile solution firm Upaid against Satyam Computer Services is not scheduled for hearing during this week. This means no Satyam official -- neither B Ramalinga Raju who stepped down as its chairman after admitting to a financial fraud nor any other top executive -- is in the US for the case. When contacted, a Satyam spokesperson confirmed the development and added that Raju was 'very much' in Hyderabad.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has sought details of the arrangements made by Reliance Communications to restore bandwidth in case of submarine cable failure.
The 3G and broadband wireless access spectrum auction is running into further controversies with a section of telecom firms opposing the timing of the auction and internet companies planning to move the Prime Minister's Office.Even though Reliance Communications is ready with $1-billion investment for 3G rollout, it intends to focus on GSM rollout at the moment. The company is "receptive to the opinion that the 3G auctions should be held at a later date," a source said.
Slow internet connections will continue till Friday, even as restoration work on two cables out of the three that had severed a few days ago is under way. In India, the latency will continue till the end of the week, even for customers who have opted for redundancy bandwidth. For those who did not opt for redundancy bandwidth, the latency would be higher till the restoration.
AMCs can invest $7 billion abroad, and $300 million per AMC, but investments are way below these levels. Most equity schemes can invest 35 per cent of their assets abroad and there are schemes that invest only in overseas equity. What's holding them back is that they are not very sure if they can buy these bonds.
Telecom infrastructure major GTL Infrastructure will use its Rs 2,200 crore cash reserves to buy back foreign currency convertible bonds.
However, this rule will not be applicable to companies holding licences for a period of three years, even if they acquire licences in other circles to expand their operations, according to sources close to the development. The suggestion was made by the DoT to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, which will decide on making it a regulation, along with other suggestions on the lock-in period put forward by the licensor.
Bankers expect RBI to drop rates though there may not be any increase in aggregate liquidity as banks are parking surplus funds with the central bank. Some sectors like the small and medium enterprises, real estate have not been getting adequate funds and RBI may extend a refinance line or special facility whereby they can borrow at a subsidised rate.
Expatriate CEOs, many of whom have made Mumbai their first homes, may be unnerved by the three-day terror strike in Mumbai, but none of them feel Mumbai or other parts of India have become unsafe to live and work in.
Risk perceptions will impact India's risk-rating, say experts.
The move gains importance after two new telecom players -- Swan and Unitech -- sold stakes to foreign companies at high premiums after the allocation of spectrum. The Left parties had also accused Telecom Minister A Raja of underselling spectrum that cost the national exchequer around Rs 60,000 crore (Rs 600 billion).
Nokia has already increased prices of its base models by around 3-4 per cent. Industry analysts expect other manufacturers to follow suit. "The 25 per cent increase in the value of dollar vis-a-vis rupee (the dollar rose to Rs 50 this month from Rs 40 in March) has resulted in our import costs going up. This has compelled us to increase the prices of our old models launched during the last 6-9 months," said HTC (India) Country Head Ajay Sharma.
The cost cutting efforts by corporates, like restricting travel, would also be beneficial to the industry. HotSpot, the multi-brand technology retail chain of the Spice group, will increase its presence to around 3,000 outlets in the next two years.
Mobile subscribers are in for a bonanza as telecom tariffs are set to come down by at least 25-30 per cent by the year-end. Factors such as a fall in the availability of international bandwidth, entry of new licencees and mobile virtual network operators, and the move to permit unrestricted Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephony will help bring down the tariffs.
At present, the cheapest business phone (with personal digital assistants) is priced at Rs 15,000, while high-end phones are available around Rs 13,000.
Mutual fund investors in equity schemes are not yet rushing to redeem their units but inflows have dried up substantially, said mutual fund distributors.
Dhirubhai sells. Against All Odds, a book on the life and times of Dhirubhai Ambani by advertising veteran A G Krishnamurthy, is trying to ride on the success of an earlier book on Dhirubhai by the same author.
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