Surajeet Das Gupta, Subhayan Chakraborty

Stories by Surajeet Das Gupta, Subhayan Chakraborty

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 .

Qualcomm launches India-made chip to compete with MediaTek in 5G market

Qualcomm launches India-made chip to compete with MediaTek in 5G market

Rediff.com   31 Jul 2024

Qualcomm launched its new affordable, India-designed chipset, the Snapdragon 4s Gen 2, on Tuesday. This chipset will enable mobile device makers to sell 5G smartphones operating on a standalone (SA) network for Rs 8,300 or less.

'You Can't Solely Rely On Electric Cars'

'You Can't Solely Rely On Electric Cars'

Rediff.com   22 Jul 2024

'At present, hybrids emit lesser carbon despite using fuel than pure play electric cars.' 'That is because EVs have to be charged and 76 per cent of the country's electricity is still coal-based and not renewables.'

Want A Job In The Movies? Click Here!

Want A Job In The Movies? Click Here!

Rediff.com   18 Jul 2024

The ministry of information and broadcasting is working on a proposal to set up a mega movie production studio -- akin to those in Hollywood -- with an investment of Rs 10,000 crore (Rs 100 billion), which will be supported by the government.

Apple Sales In India Up to 67,000 Cr

Apple Sales In India Up to 67,000 Cr

Rediff.com   16 Jul 2024

Despite the robust growth in this country, Apple's India share in its overall global sales remained modest -- constituting 1.5 per cent of its overall turnover of $389 billion in FY23.

How to make India an electronic & semiconductor products nation

How to make India an electronic & semiconductor products nation

Rediff.com   11 Jul 2024

A task force set up by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (Meity) for transforming India into an "electronic and semiconductor products" nation is on the verge of finalising its report, which is likely to recommend an allocation of Rs 44,000 crore between 2024 and 2030 to support homegrown companies in their quest to develop products and build global brands. The task force's recommendations include significant incentives: Rs 15,000 crore dedicated to electronic products (systems), Rs 11,000 crore for semiconductor products, and Rs 18,000 crore for various other incentives such as talent development, common infrastructure, logistics, and technology & IP (intellectual property) acquisition, a member of the panel revealed.

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.

CRED's Kunal Shah Is Top Startup Founder-Investor

CRED's Kunal Shah Is Top Startup Founder-Investor

Rediff.com   3 Jul 2024

Kunal Shah has funded over 266 startups including Razorpay, Snapdeal, Zetwork, BlueSmart, Unacademy, Bliss Club, and Spinny, amongst others.

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.'

India now 3rd-largest domestic airline market; capacity doubles in 10 yrs

India now 3rd-largest domestic airline market; capacity doubles in 10 yrs

Rediff.com   20 Jun 2024

India is the third-largest domestic airline market in the world, up from number five position a decade ago, according to analysis based on OAG data. The data shows India's domestic airline capacity doubling in a decade from 7.9 million in April 2014 to 15.5 million in April 2024. In reaching the third slot, India has replaced Brazil (pushed to fourth place with 9.7 million) and Indonesia (relegated to fifth in the rankings with 9.2 million).

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.

iPhone exports from India hit $2 billion in April-May

iPhone exports from India hit $2 billion in April-May

Rediff.com   12 Jun 2024

Technology giant Apple Inc has pushed the pedal on exporting iPhones from India by racking up exports valued at over $2 billion in the first two months of the current financial year (FY25), according to the data provided by vendors to the government. This accounts for 81 per cent of the country's total production of iPhones worth $2.6 billion. In May, Apple repeated its performance of April and once again crossed $1 billion of iPhone exports.

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.

Feud in Godfrey Phillips: Samir Modi files FIR against mother Bina

Feud in Godfrey Phillips: Samir Modi files FIR against mother Bina

Rediff.com   4 Jun 2024

Godfrey Phillips executive director Samir Modi has lodged an FIR in New Delhi's Sarita Vihar police station, alleging that her mother Bina Modi and Lalit Bhasin, one of the company's board members, orchestrated an assault on him during the board meeting. It further exacerbated the ongoing feud among the late KK Modi's family members over the distribution of the Rs 12,000 crore inheritance. Bina is also the director of Godfrey Phillips.

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.