Starting December 1, the country's 3.2 million Direct-to-Home subscribers will be able to ask for refunds on DTH equipment (the set-top box and antenna) if they choose to discontinue the service.
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has set the ball rolling for the second phase of telecom reforms with the issue of a consultation paper seeking the industry's views on review of key license conditions and capping the number of access providers.
Telecom operators Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea on Tuesday submitted applications to participate in the Rs 3.92 lakh crore spectrum auction scheduled to start from March 1, according to official sources. This round of auction will be held for 2,251.25 Megahertz (MHz) in seven frequency bands -- 700 Mhz, 800 Mhz, 900 Mhz, 1800 Mhz 2100 Mhz, 2300 Mhz and 2500 Mhz -- at a cumulative base price of Rs 3.92 lakh crore. "Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea have submitted applications (for the spectrum auction)," an official source told PTI.
Availability of Wi-Fi is also expected to provide local airlines an additional source of revenues amid stiff competition in the fast growing Indian aviation market.
The new "combo vouchers" will enable customers to add value in their mobile phone account as well as avail services at discounted rates.
India is ranked below Bhutan and Sri Lanka in terms of broadband penetration, says TRAI.
Trai's decision to reduce the rates of ADC after due consultation would pave the path for lower telecom tariffs, sustained growth, while reduction in rate of ADC on international calls would reduce arbitrage.
The investment limit for news and current affairs TV channels has been retained at 26 per cent.
Broadcast regulator Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has struck down Nimbus' appeal to price its two sports channels at a premium to market rates, including in conditional access system areas.
At present, consumers are offered a number of innovative services through Intelligent Network deployed by telecom service providers in their network.
Cellular operators' body COAI had, last year, alleged that the new entrant Reliance Jio was attempting to acquire customers by offering connection loaded with freebies, in the guise of a trial launch.
Telecom subscribers had it good during Rahul Khullar's watch as Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) chairman.
Vodafone Idea Ltd (VIL) CEO Ravinder Takkar did some plain speaking. In an analyst call after its quarterly results recently, Takkar said that the main stumbling block to raising fresh capital from investors is "pricing" - telecom tariffs, in other words. Nine months ago, the telecom company's board had cleared a proposal for raising Rs 25,000 crore from investors, after the promoters made it clear that they were not ready to pump in more money. But potential investors are concerned that without clarity on tariff hikes (there have been none for more than 18 months) they might just lose their money. The lack of visibility on raising tariffs has also impelled VIL to request the Department of Telecom (DoT) for a fresh reprieve by extending the two-year moratorium on paying its spectrum instalment of Rs 8,200 crore for another year till FY23.
Jio says it has completed mobile number portability testing and is certified MNP-compliant
The move will help telcos, including Reliance Jio, Vodafone, and Idea Cellular
Govt says there is enough spectrum, telcos differ
The auction will help operators augment expansion of high-speed 4G voice and data services in the world's second largest mobile phone market.
In what could give a big relief to new mobile players, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is unlikely to cancel 53 licences - as recommended by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) - for non-fulfilment of rollout obligations.
The department of telecommunication has decided that the existing variable licence fee structure for telecom operators should be replaced with a uniform one. An departmental note suggests a uniform licence fee of 8.5 per cent for all types of services.
The government will have to make substantial payments, as well as forego revenues in FY'23, if it wants to work on the survival of Vodafone Idea because it will have to extend the same incentives to the entire telecom sector. According to estimates, the industry has to spend around Rs 21,000-Rs 25,000 crore for spectrum which it bought on a deferred payment basis. Vodafone Idea has asked for a moratorium for another year (FY23). If granted, the government will have foregone the instalment payout for a third year in a row as it has already provided a moratorium for two years, giving telcos Rs 42,000 crore worth of relief.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India on Monday proposed a Rs 8,000 crore (Rs 80 billion) subsidy for creating necessary infrastructure in rural areas to take the tele-density there from the current below two per cent to 15 per cent by 2007.
As per the service licence, three types of charges, including Per Port Transaction charge, which means the charge payable by the Recipient Operator (the operator, where the subscriber is willing to port his number) to the MNP service provider for processing the request, are applicable in case of MNP. The second charge is porting charge -- the charge payable by the subscriber for porting his number -- and the third is dipping charge.
Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Jio, however, continued to add wireless subscribers
Given the fragmented nature of the domestic cable TV market and the need for last-mile connectivity, RIL, said sources, would have to do more to achieve its target of reaching 20 million homes and 15 million business establishments with its broadband services across 1,600 towns in the next few years.
"I understand that DoT (Department of Telecom) should be able to take a decision in about 15-days. We (TRAI) should be able to announce a date soon...I don't think it will take long," Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) Chairman J S Sarma told reporters.
Roaming will be cheaper by up to 23 per cent.
Termination charges are paid by an operator from whose network calls or SMS originate to the one on whose network these communications end.
Reliance Industries vice chairman Anil Ambani on Thursday met Pradeep Baijal, chairman of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India.
This means the regulator can bring rates under regulation once again. Currently, the rates are determined by market forces.
The notices were issued on a petition filed by ESPN challenging a Kerala High Court judgement directing it to share its live feeds for the India-Bangladesh series with Doordarshan.
Envisaging to further expand the scope of radio, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India on Wednesday invited suggestions on issues relating to satellite radio service to chalk out a policy framework for the new technology which, among other things, ca
The incumbents Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea recorded adjusted gross revenue of Rs 10,701.5 crore and Rs 9,808.92 crore, respectively, during the quarter.
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India said on Thursday that the current access deficit charge of 11 per cent must be brought down to lower the tariffs and enable the sector achieve higher mobile growth like China.
Communication and IT Minister Dayanidhi Maran on Tuesday showered words of praise on Pradip Baijal, chairman, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India saying he has done a great job, especially in reducing telecom tariffs.
Mobile tariffs are currently under forbearance, which means these are determined by market forces.
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