Surajeet Das Gupta, Shine Jacob

Stories by Surajeet Das Gupta, Shine Jacob

How Ashish Bharat Ram transformed SRF

How Ashish Bharat Ram transformed SRF

Rediff.com   29 Dec 2019

SRF

High-end phone smuggling is costing govt exchequer Rs 2,400 crore annually

High-end phone smuggling is costing govt exchequer Rs 2,400 crore annually

Rediff.com   28 Dec 2019

As much as Rs 8,000 crore worth of mobile phones in this segment - out of a total of Rs 15,000 crore - come into the country through the grey market. The government imposed the duty on these phones primarily to encourage domestic production but the strategy has failed as the bulk of high end mobile phones are currently imported.

Govt to break 150-yr tradition, gives nod to Railway board restructuring

Govt to break 150-yr tradition, gives nod to Railway board restructuring

Rediff.com   25 Dec 2019

The new board will have a leaner structure on functional lines headed by the chairman and four members - covering infrastructure, operations and business development, rolling stock, and finance.

How Uber plans to cover 200 cities by 2020-end

How Uber plans to cover 200 cities by 2020-end

Rediff.com   25 Dec 2019

The key driver of this expansion will be not car-hailing but bike-taxi service. The company is willing to partner local players that have a similar offer and would like to come on their platform.

Railways in talks with Reliance Jio on tower use

Railways in talks with Reliance Jio on tower use

Rediff.com   23 Dec 2019

Indian Railways is in talks with Reliance Jio Infocomm to allow the Mukesh Ambani-led telecom major's use of its towers. The aim is seamless mobile and internet connectivity for passengers along the 67,368-km of tracks. The Railway Board has entrusted its RailTel Corporation arm to work on the modalities with Jio. The Jio tie-up is expected to bring down its telecom bill by at least 35 per cent from this financial year.

If Voda Idea shuts shop, Airtel to gain the most

If Voda Idea shuts shop, Airtel to gain the most

Rediff.com   11 Dec 2019

If Vodafone Idea shuts, a bulk of the high-paying ARPU customers will move to Airtel as Reliance Jio does not have a comprehensive postpaid offering like it, and have aggressively preferred to play in the prepaid market. The bulk of Vodafone Idea customers use 2G phones and only a few of them use data. It will be easier for Airtel to woo these customers as they can shift seamlessly to its 2G network without changing handsets or even SIM cards,

Only 61% homes used LPG as of Dec 2018

Only 61% homes used LPG as of Dec 2018

Rediff.com   26 Nov 2019

Only 48.3 per cent of the rural households used LPG, while the figures were much higher in urban areas at 86.6 per cent, according to a NSO report.

Reliance, Airtel and 2 others bid for three Anil Ambani group companies

Reliance, Airtel and 2 others bid for three Anil Ambani group companies

Rediff.com   26 Nov 2019

The three companies for sale are Reliance Communications, Reliance Telecom and Reliance Infratel.

The story behind Vodafone's fall in India

The story behind Vodafone's fall in India

Rediff.com   24 Nov 2019

Cut-throat competition, high spectrum costs, and frequent flip-flops in government policies have made it difficult for Vodafone to make money in the country.

Why air tickets in India are going cheap

Why air tickets in India are going cheap

Rediff.com   18 Nov 2019

Airlines say that they are keeping their fingers crossed for December - another peak period - when, based on current bookings, the air fares for those who buy early are more or less in line with last year.

Telcos told to clear AGR dues in 3 months

Telcos told to clear AGR dues in 3 months

Rediff.com   14 Nov 2019

However, the government is readying a relief package and it could include a cut in the licence fee to 5 per cent, two years' moratorium on paying spectrum charges with interest, and referring the GST tax refund issue to the Council.

Why stubble burning will continue to choke NCR

Why stubble burning will continue to choke NCR

Rediff.com   13 Nov 2019

To prevent rise in air pollution levels, oil marketing companies and thermal power units were planning to procure stubble from farmers to make bioethanol and promote the central government's 'Agricultural Mechanization' for crop residue management. But both have seen minimal success.

Airtel bids for RCom spectrum, Jio seeks deadline extension

Airtel bids for RCom spectrum, Jio seeks deadline extension

Rediff.com   13 Nov 2019

It is believed that apart from Bharti Airtel and Bharti Infratel, there are four players that have made a bid.

Indian skies fall short on wide-bodied aircraft

Indian skies fall short on wide-bodied aircraft

Rediff.com   7 Nov 2019

The collapse of Jet Airways has everything to do with the falling number of wide-bodied aircraft.

What Uber plans to do in India

What Uber plans to do in India

Rediff.com   4 Nov 2019

'12% of all our global trips are done in India.'

How govt plans to untangle the telecom mess

How govt plans to untangle the telecom mess

Rediff.com   30 Oct 2019

Analysts have pointed out that with the dues arising out of the SC judgment there could soon be only two private telcos in the country, and not three - Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea - as now.

Smokers, no need to kick the butt yet

Smokers, no need to kick the butt yet

Rediff.com   25 Oct 2019

Phillip Morris says its research shows that the product while giving the same delivery of nicotine to smokers, does not produce the toxic and carcinogenic effects of cigarette smoking known as harmful and potential harmful constituents.

'India is a fundamental part of Uber's growth'

'India is a fundamental part of Uber's growth'

Rediff.com   23 Oct 2019

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi says the younger generation doesn't dream of owning a car, but instead wants the freedom of having any service on demand.

Subsidy on kerosene likely to go by FY21

Subsidy on kerosene likely to go by FY21

Rediff.com   15 Oct 2019

A major reason for the decline in the consumption of kerosene was an increase in the number of LPG consumers in rural India after the government launched the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana. in 2016.

Diwali relief for viewers: Zee, Star, Colors drop prices

Diwali relief for viewers: Zee, Star, Colors drop prices

Rediff.com   12 Oct 2019

The move by these broadcasters comes close on the heels of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India announcing a review of its earlier tariff order, announced six months ago, which among others capped the prices for la carte channels.