Subhayan Chakraborty &Amp; Nivedita Mookerji

Stories by Subhayan Chakraborty &Amp; Nivedita Mookerji

Will Modi Achieve A Cease Fire In Ukraine?

Will Modi Achieve A Cease Fire In Ukraine?

Rediff.com   21 Aug 2024

Ukraine is currently in the middle of a strategic offensive into Russia's Kursk region.

Tech, startup groups push back against OTT licensing

Tech, startup groups push back against OTT licensing

Rediff.com   20 Aug 2024

Tech and startup industry bodies have again pushed back against calls by telecom operators to bring over-the-top (OTT) services under a licensing regime similar to telcos, and open them up to taxation. Ahead of public consultations on the issue later this week, the Internet & Mobile Association of India (IAMAI), Nasscom and the US India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), among others, have written to the government arguing against such efforts.

Bharti dials up UK telecom play with $4 bn stake in BT

Bharti dials up UK telecom play with $4 bn stake in BT

Rediff.com   13 Aug 2024

Bharti Global, the international investment arm of Bharti Enterprises, has decided to buy 24.5 per cent equity in BT Group - a move that will make the Indian conglomerate the biggest shareholder in the UK's second-largest telecom company both in terms of market value and subscriber count. The shares are being purchased from billionaire Patrick Drahi's Altice UK through a combination of cash and debt .

'Jobs Have To Be Created Everywhere'

'Jobs Have To Be Created Everywhere'

Rediff.com   25 Jul 2024

'I found it unbelievable that L&T said 45,000 jobs were waiting to be filled because of unavailability of suitable skillsets.' 'So, when the Opposition sweepingly says there are no jobs, I'm sorry... I'm not saying it's raining jobs, but there are jobs. The (skill) gap has to be bridged.'

Budget: Time To Bet On Big Ideas

Budget: Time To Bet On Big Ideas

Rediff.com   16 Jul 2024

The generation of quality jobs and skill development should be the focal point, cutting across ministries and departments, asserts Nivedita Mookerji.

Data stickiness likely to see users absorb mobile tariff hike: Analysts

Data stickiness likely to see users absorb mobile tariff hike: Analysts

Rediff.com   9 Jul 2024

Consumers are unlikely to disconnect their mobile connections and will most likely absorb the up to 22 per cent tariff hike imposed last week by Jio, Airtel, and Vodafone Idea (Vi), according to analysts. The last major tariff hike in 2021 was followed by a 4-5 per cent SIM consolidation, with people leaving mobile operators with more expensive plans for their peers offering comparatively affordable options.

BEWARE! Govt Can Intercept Messages

BEWARE! Govt Can Intercept Messages

Rediff.com   26 Jun 2024

Messages sent through Internet-based messaging service providers such as Whatsapp, Signal, and Telegram, as well as those which are encrypted, are understood to be within the Act's ambit.

DoT Sets 100 Days Agenda For New Telecom Rules

DoT Sets 100 Days Agenda For New Telecom Rules

Rediff.com   25 Jun 2024

'The idea is to frame the ToR quickly, so that Trai can begin its consultations with industry stakeholders.'

Value-add target in new PLI scheme for electronics manufacturing may double

Value-add target in new PLI scheme for electronics manufacturing may double

Rediff.com   19 Jun 2024

In a move to deepen manufacturing in electronics in India, the Centre is targeting 35-40 per cent value-addition through the yet-to-be launched production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for electronics components, sources in the government

India AI mission to be key priority for telecom ministry

India AI mission to be key priority for telecom ministry

Rediff.com   18 Jun 2024

Many who track the ministry and the technology sector closely believe that the space won't see much impact on the policymaking side, but the gestation time for regulations might get long, as now there could be a wider consensus-building exercise on policy matters under a coalition government.

Balancing green concerns with soaring energy demand

Balancing green concerns with soaring energy demand

Rediff.com   18 Jun 2024

Rising energy demand could tilt India's energy basket towards fossil fuels from coal to oil, natural gas.

How Trai Plans To Scuttle Scams

How Trai Plans To Scuttle Scams

Rediff.com   15 Jun 2024

Numbers could be classified further into (140) marketing and (160 or 161) for service calls to easily identify the purpose of the call in the future.

China Remains Jaishankar's Main Problem

China Remains Jaishankar's Main Problem

Rediff.com   15 Jun 2024

'China is India's primary strategic challenge, which will not go away.

Telcos reiterate demands over FSC, 6 GHz spectrum

Telcos reiterate demands over FSC, 6 GHz spectrum

Rediff.com   13 Jun 2024

Telecom service providers have doubled down on their demands for a proposed fair-share charge (FSC) to be levied on major over-the-top (OTT) service providers, opening up the 6 GHz spectrum band and increasing the number of testing labs for telecommunication products. Telecom industry body Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) on Wednesday said these were the topmost demands for Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government. The industry body wants this additional capital expenditure to be borne by these Large Traffic Generator (LTGs) OTTs as a proposed fair-share charge.

BPCL divestment completely off the table, says Hardeep Singh Puri

BPCL divestment completely off the table, says Hardeep Singh Puri

Rediff.com   12 Jun 2024

BPCL is a high revenue-earning public-sector undertaking (PSU) and plans to privatise it are completely off the table, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Tuesday after assuming charge of the ministry for the second time. "Why would we divest ourselves of highly successful Maharatnas like BPCL," Puri said, arguing the Centre was not in favour of divesting its stake in oil PSUs.

History Unfolds At Rashtrapati Bhavan

History Unfolds At Rashtrapati Bhavan

Rediff.com   10 Jun 2024

With the strain and anxiety of the longest Lok Sabha polls now behind the leaders, governance, with consensus, is the next step.

Spectrum auctions: Airtel likely to edge past Jio

Spectrum auctions: Airtel likely to edge past Jio

Rediff.com   29 May 2024

Bharti Airtel may end up cumulatively bidding for more spectrum than market leader Reliance Jio in the upcoming auctions. This is owing to its need for spectrum renewal, and a requirement for 900 MHz in a few circles, analysts have said. Despite the muted bidding expected in the upcoming auctions, Airtel may end up making more bids than Jio, they added.

'Kirana Stores May Adopt Quick Commerce'

'Kirana Stores May Adopt Quick Commerce'

Rediff.com   23 May 2024

'Traders must adopt digital payments as soon as possible within a set timeframe, as the nation is moving rapidly towards digitisation.' 'Ignoring digital systems is not an option for strengthening trade.'

How DoT Plans To Check Rising Spam

How DoT Plans To Check Rising Spam

Rediff.com   15 May 2024

Launched in March, it triggers re-verification of suspected fraudulent numbers. Failing re-verification, the number will be disconnected.

Analysts wary of Vodafone Idea's falling subscribers, broadband users

Analysts wary of Vodafone Idea's falling subscribers, broadband users

Rediff.com   14 May 2024

Vodafone Idea's (Vi's) subscriber loss reduced to a seven-month low in March, and alongside the company added 1.1 million broadband users after two months of net loss -- two things analysts have noted as key trends that need to be monitored. While Vi has been losing customers for more than two and a half years now, the churn reduced to below a million after five straight months in March, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) data has shown. "Jio's softer than usual subscriber growth in March, and VIL's slowing subscriber market share loss are key trends to keep an eye on going forward," global investment banking and financial services major UBS said in an analyst note.