Banking on the recent cable landing station regulations, Reliance Communications is planning to launch global video transmission services on its new international long distance network.
State-owned Mahangar Telephone Nigam's (MTNL) ambitious drive to become a major player in the internet protocol TV (IPTV) services sector is facing a roadblock. IPTV is a technology that uses telephone lines to provide TV programming to viewers.
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India came down heavily on telemarketers on Tuesday by imposing a fine of Rs 500 on them for each unsolicited commercial call or message -- a move that would give relief to telephone users.
About 11.90 million wireless (GSM, CDMA and WLL(F)) subscribers were added in April 2009 as against an addition of 15.64 million during the previous month, taking the total subscriber base to 403.66 million, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India said. The total telecom (wireless and wireline) subscriber base stood at 441.47 million at the end of April 2009 as against 429.72 million in March 2009, it added.
Dish TV and Tata Sky, the two major DTH companies, have sought compensation from the government for the upgrade of the existing DTH set-top boxes due to the mandatory upgrade proposed by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India.
According to the Trai latest report, only around 18 million telephone subscribers out of the total subscriber base of more than 344 million have opted to register in NDNC. Of these, urban areas like Delhi and Mumbai constitute around 40 per cent along with states like Gujarat, Maharashtra and Goa.
The department of telecommunications has referred the issue of using multiple technologies under a single unified access services licence to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India.
Trai has submitted 26 recommendations to the government and released 30 consultation papers so far this year, up from seven and 20, respectively, in 2007. Few of its recommendations are actually accepted by the govt.
In the wake of recent submarine cable cuts that disrupted Internet and telephony services across the world, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) is looking at putting in place a mechanism to ensure immediate restoration of lines in case of such incidents in the future.
Initial fears of Internet access charges rising by 6-12 per cent following the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India recommendations to impose an annual licence fee for Internet Service Providers appear to be unfounded.
Internet services are likely to get more expensive.
Currently, ISPs pay only Re 1 as annual licence fee while Internet telecom service providers, or telecom operators providing Internet services, pay 6 per cent of their annual gross revenue as licence fee.
Concerned over poor track record of Internet service providers, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India recommended on Thursday lowering of foreign direct investment on par with telecom sector at 74 per cent from the existing 100 per cent.
Another priority is to prepare the country for the fourth generation (4G) technology. It will not only improve teledensity and improve data services, but also ensure that the country is prepared for all the future developments, says J S Sarma.
Trai has suggested abolition of ADC on private operators. This move will make telecom services more affordable.
Under the revised proposal, the regulator would levy a penalty of Rs 500 from a telecom service provider for the first instance of non-compliance, and Rs 20,000 per call for repeated offences.
Interconnect user charges are paid by one telecom service provider to another for enabling calls from one network to the other. The present interconnect charge of 30 paise per incoming minute was fixed in 2003. The price was considered high even then. Now, with equipment prices falling, a revision was called for, said industry analysts.
Deliberations by the government is being carried out to keep cost and charges at a level so as not to discourage subscribers willing to change their service provider, an optional facility, and at the same time make the service providers a viable business model. The charge is directly linked to the number of subscribers, who would seek the change in service provider out of the total mobile user base of about 400 million.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has recommended that the government ensure and expedite availability of more Ku band transponders (which can be used for TV as well as data transmission) so that DTH companies can also offer broadband services.
Tells operators to modify ads on speeds they offer.
According to the recent directives, subscribers are entitled to get full talk time on recharges and will have to pay administrative fee not exceeding Rs 2 per recharge and other applicable taxes. The new measures will be effective from September 15, and are applicable for both new as well as existing subscribers. Customers will also be insulated from any increase in tariff for a period of 12 months from the existing six month regime, according to Trai.
The government struck a cordial note with the GSM mobile lobby by agreeing on the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India's (Trai's) norms for spectrum allocation, a move described by rival CDMA player Reliance Communications (RCom) as "succumbing to pressure".
Proponets of subscriber-linked spectrum allocation and resultant reporting of correct user base got a further boost on Tuesday with Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Chairman Nripendra Misra supporting the authenticity of these figures.
Consider these numbers. The latest figures from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India reveal that the number of Indians using their mobiles to logon to the internet has increased from 16 million in 2006 to 38 million in 2007 (both GSM and CDMA).
The regulator has asked the DTH operator to file a status report over implementation of the new tariff regime
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India's (Trai) decision to stop issuing new licences for district-level operators or category 'C' players has effectively shut the door on smaller Internet service providers (ISPs) interested in setting up shop. Those who have moved on to category 'B' or state-level operations, too, are feeling the heat as they have to compete with the likes of Reliance, Bharti Airtel, BSNL, VSNL and Sify.
The country saw a net addition of about 7.89 million users in October as against 7.64 million in September. The total number of both wireless and wireline users now stands at 256.55 million, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India said in its latest update on subscriber figures.
The subscriber base is made up of 778.09 million broadband internet users and 47.21 million narrowband internet users.
Wannabe telecom operators will take a while to know whether they have passed the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India's test. But that hasn't stopped them from taking the next step: tying up with infrastructure providers such as tower operators for rolling out their nation-wide operations.
Credible growth in new users was not matched by revenue as the all-India blended Average Revenue Per User per month for GSM remained almost at the same level of Rs 297 as compared with Rs 298 for the previous quarter.The ARPU for postpaid GSM service has shown an increase of 7 per cent from Rs 613 in January-March to Rs 655 in April-June quarter.
The petitioner said the companies were increasing the prices just to earn huge profit. Companies like Bharti Airtel had posted an annual profit of more than 90 per cent, the NGO said.
Even as the slogan of their lifetime tariff promise customers one-time service charge throughout life, telecom operators have sought regulatory authority TRAI's
According to the data released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, the total number of telephone connections reached 308.51 million at April-end compared to 300.51 million in March. India surpassed the US to to have the world's second largest wireless network in the world after China with the addition of 10.16 million wireless subscribers at March-end.
The Delhi high court on Thursday fixed a timeframe for the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India
The move will deprive millions of the freedom to choose service providers without changing their phone numbers.
The regulator may ask broadcasters to abide by the tribunal's pricing formula.
With three new DTH companies set to offer DTH services, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has set new ground rules under which a DTH company will have to get into a commercial agreement within 45 days of it seeking a channel.
In a major relief to the mobile users, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India on Friday sought stakeholder's opinion in bringing down the roaming charges by various measures, including fixing a ceiling tariff for services based on usage.
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.
