Himanshu Singh

Guys I must say that in Delhi its better to move to MTNL for better SMS deals as I did on Aug 15th. I opted for their Student Recharge Voucher (which, thankfully is now applicable to all the existing subscribers never mind if they are not students). It cost me Rs. 310 for one month validity and Rs 100 Talktime and I get the followings: *Unlimited free local SMS to any operator throughout Delhi and STD SMS @ Re. 0.50. *Unlimited free local calls to MTNL mobiles/landline/cdma phones. *STD calls to all networks landline/mobile@Re.1.00 I had apprehensions about voice quality and singal problems. But to my delight I had no such issues till now and I am very happy at making this switch from Idea to MTNL in gsm.

Govt to refer issue of tariff hike to TRAI The Government said on Wednesday that it will refer the issue of recent tariff hike by mobile operators to TRAI and would take a decision only after knowing the regulator’s opinion. “SMS is a mode of tariff. Definitely tariff is in the control of the ministry. Let TRAI decide on it first,” Telecom Minister A Raja said on the sidelines of a function organized by Telecom Equipment Manufacturers Association. When contacted on the matter, TRAI chairman Nripendra Misra told media: “There has been no reference from DoT to look into the matter so far. I would have to get a communication from them first to be able to say anything on the matter.” Earlier, the regulator had cited the market forces as a cause for the hike in SMS and local call charges by Airtel and Vodafone Essar. GSM operators earlier this month hiked SMS charges 20% flat to Rs1.20 per message and local call charges within their network by 20% to Rs1.20 per minute from Re1 for prepaid customers. Prior to that, most private GSM players hiked STD tariffs over 10% for prepaid users. “Mobile tariffs fall under forbearance (whereby the operators have freedom to fix tariffs)... Although the recent hike in tariffs of SMS and local calls is not a consumer- friendly measure, there is no scope for intervention as long as there is forbearance,” Misra had said.

@Adminsitrators,please post this one as a new topic as some error keeps coming if i try to do so. TRAI may opt for unlimited players in a circle Regulator’s proposal at variance with DoT line of thinking; TRAI also to push for a limit of 25% from current 10% which a telecom company can hold in another licencee in the same circle Telecom regulator TRAI is understood to have recommended continuing the current practice of unlimited number of players in a service area. “We are not mandating any cap on the number of players,” a senior TRAI official said. The regulator is all set to bring out the recommendations this week. This proposal will be at variance with the Department of Telecom’s line of thinking. At present, there are 5-8 access providers in each of the 23 service areas. An increase in the number of service providers for wireless and wireline access telecom services has significantly raised the demand on the limited spectrum resources for wireless access, said a DoT official. While leading GSM operators wanted to cap the number of players in a circle, saying spectrum is a concern for more number of players, CDMA operators demanded the numbers to be left to market forces. The regulator is also likely to propose a higher limit of 25% from the current 10% which a telecom company is allowed to hold in another licencee firm in the same circle. The licensor wants this cap of 10% to go off entirely. The situations when this 10% limit was proposed are no more there as the industry has matured. Operators should be allowed to hold stake in other companies in the same circle without any hindrance. The 10% cap had forced Tata group to exit Idea Cellular as Tata Teleservices and Idea cellular were operating in the same circle in most part of the country.

@Adminsitrators,please post this one as a new topic as some error keeps coming if i try to do so. RELIANCE,MAXIS TALK AIRCEL DEAL India’s second-largest wireless telecom firm, Reliance Communications Ltd, is in talks with Maxis Communications Berhad Ltd to potentially take a controlling stake in Aircel Cellular Ltd, the Indian unit of the Malaysian cellular operator, according to executives at the two companies and an independent consultant. Aircel could be worth about $7 billion, or Rs29,000 crore, in a deal scenario, say analysts. Maxis, Malaysia’s biggest cellular phone firm, owns 74% of Aircel with the remaining 26% held by promoters of Hyderabad’s Apollo Hospitals Ltd. Anil Ambani, who chairs Reliance Communications’ board of directors and also leads its affiliate, Reliance Telecom Ltd, which runs GSM-based cellular networks, has been trying to secure new licences for starting and expanding GSM cellular services across the country for over a year, but Aircel beat him to it by receiving approvals for the new countrywide licences in December. With new licences and wireless spectrum allocated to it in eight circles, or licensed areas (mostly states), and frequency allocations expected in another 13, Aircel is seen by analysts as among the most valuable telecom assets in India. (GSM stands for global system for mobile systems.) Executives at both Reliance and Aircel refused details, saying in private that the two companies have been exploring options, such as a buyout or a joint venture. A Reliance official said it is too early to talk of specifics such as valuation ahead of regulatory issues at play. Sandip Das, chief executive of Maxis, referred queries from Mint to a company spokesperson who did not immediately revert with answers. Calls to Sangeeta Reddy, an Apollo Hospitals director, for comment were not returned. A consultant with extensive experience in arranging mergers and acquisitions in India said Ambani was aiming at management control at Aircel. “The buzz has been that Anil Ambani is looking at a controlling stake,” said a partner at a New Delhi-headquartered consulting firm, preferring that he not be identified. “But whether that will be through a direct stake or a deferred stake, such as a call option, will depend on the changes to the crossholding regulations being put in place by the telecom regulator.” Under telecom M&A regulations, no phone firm in India can hold more than 10% of a competitor in the same licensed area, preventing Reliance from acquiring a GSM operator to expand in the fast-growing market. Despite aggressive marketing tactics, including handset subsidies, Reliance, which runs services on CDMA networks, has found its wireless customer growth lag at around 1.2 million a month against nearly 2.1 million at its bigger GSM rival Bharti Airtel Ltd. Smaller competitor Vodafone Essar Ltd adds some 1.7 million customers despite being present in just 16 of the 22 licensed areas. (CDMA stands for code division multiple access, a cellular telecom standard.) The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) is widely expected to recommend the scrapping or relaxation of the 10% cap this week in a review of the M&A rule. Trai will also rule on whether or not firms can offer both CDMA and GSM based services under the same operating licence. Despite such a relaxation, Reliance is unlikely to be allocated GSM spectrum as Cellular Operators Association of India, a trade body representing GSM networks, has threatened to go to court if its members are not given the first claim over any spectrum made available in the future. Analysts saw synergies in a Reliance-Aircel union. “There are many reasons why RCom and Aircel are a good fit,” said a Mumbai-based telecom stock analyst, requesting anonymity as the news of the talks isn’t official. “RCom needs the GSM licence and the spectrum that comes with it, and for Maxis, it is a matter finding the right partner to roll out and compete in an extremely competitive market.” Though Aircel has licences in all 22 licensed areas in India, it has substantial operations in just one: the Tamil Nadu-Chennai circle, which accounts for nearly five of its 7.1 million customers. Analysts pointed out that without a partner, Aircel will have to build its own network infrastructure, or go for a passive infrastructure partner. Aircel will also have to invest in marketing its brand in the other circles as well as build a new management team. Aircel’s valuation could command a significant premium compared to recent deals. If valued at the $950 per-user rate as February’s Vodafone Group Plc-Hutchison Telecommunications International Ltd’s deal for a two-thirds stake in Indian cellular operator Hutchison Essar Ltd (before it was renamed Vodafone Essar), Aircel’s value will be $7 billion. But an expert said valuing a company which has realized only a fraction of its “market potential” in the form of subscribers typically involves two stages. “The first aspect is the circles where the company has been operational for some time and has got a decent marketshare. Here you can apply the traditional per-subscriber or multiple-of-revenues valuation,” said Alok Shende, head of the tech practice at consulting firm Frost & Sullivan in Mumbai. The second stage would take into account the target company’s licences in other areas where it is yet to start operations. “Here, we have to go for a five-years-from-now kind of a model where we expect it to have so much revenues or so many subscribers in five years and work backwards,” Shende said, adding that smaller companies are valued at a discount to ones with operations of larger scale and scope such as Hutchison Essar. Source: The mint

Product Advisory: Nokia BL-5C battery Dear Nokia Customer, This is a product advisory for the Nokia-branded BL-5C battery manufactured by Matsu****a Battery Industrial Co. Ltd. of Japan between December 2005 and November 2006. This product advisory does not apply to any other Nokia battery. Nokia has identified that in very rare cases the affected batteries could potentially experience over heating initiated by a short circuit while charging, causing the battery to dislodge. Nokia is working closely with relevant local authorities to investigate this situation. Nokia has several suppliers for BL-5C batteries that have collectively produced more than 300 million BL-5C batteries. This advisory applies only to the 46 million batteries manufactured by Matsu****a between December 2005 and November 2006. There have been approximately 100 incidents of over heating reported globally. No serious injuries or property damage have been reported. Consumers with a BL-5C battery subject to this advisory should note that all of the approximately 100 incidents have occurred while charging the battery. According to Nokia's knowledge this issue does not affect any other use of the mobile device. Concerned consumers may want to monitor a mobile device while charging that contains a BL-5C battery subject to this product advisory. While the occurrence in the BL-5C batteries produced by Matsu****a in the time-period specified is very rare, for consumers wishing to do so, Nokia and Matsu****a offer to replace any BL-5C battery subject to this product advisory. The BL-5C batteries which are subject to the product advisory were used with the following Nokia models or separately as accessories: Nokia 1100, Nokia 1100c, Nokia 1101, Nokia 1108, Nokia 1110, Nokia 1112, Nokia 1255, Nokia 1315, Nokia 1600, Nokia 2112, Nokia 2118, Nokia 2255, Nokia 2272, Nokia 2275, Nokia 2300, Nokia 2300c, Nokia 2310, Nokia 2355, Nokia 2600, Nokia 2610, Nokia 2610b, Nokia 2626, Nokia 3100, Nokia 3105, Nokia 3120, Nokia 3125, Nokia 6030, Nokia 6085, Nokia 6086, Nokia 6108, Nokia 6175i, Nokia 6178i, Nokia 6230, Nokia 6230i, Nokia 6270, Nokia 6600, Nokia 6620, Nokia 6630, Nokia 6631, Nokia 6670, Nokia 6680, Nokia 6681, Nokia 6682, Nokia 6820, Nokia 6822, Nokia 7610, Nokia N70, Nokia N71, Nokia N72, Nokia N91, Nokia E50, Nokia E60 “Nokia” and “BL-5C” are printed on the front of the battery. On the back of the battery, the Nokia mark appears at the top, and the battery identification number (consisting of 26 characters) is found at the bottom. VISIT www.nokia.com for further details.

Reliance woud not folow them, I think. If it does it would lose patronage from a lot of its customers.I think Reliance would come up with better sms packs to pac a punch to the GSM gang so that some of the subscribers migrate to it.That would be a master stroke.

Right Nirvana. And secondly its s promotional Pre Paid offer. With prepaid you never know when it would be taken off from the market or when it would be altered. In future you might have the situation where the number of sms is capped. Remember Reliance was the first company to give us unlimited on net local and std sms for prepaid as well as post paid. Its been two years now that Rs.55 sms card for unlimited sms was stopped. And all this while tpost paid customers were enjoying the same benefits. Now even the post paid sms have been capped wef aug 21st. So the bottomline is that look before you leap!

Reliance has a post paid plan for all customers.Motnhly rental 300Clip freeMigration charges nilFree R to R 1000minsFree local sms to all mobiles 1500Local calls to mobiles and landlines @ re. 1Std @2.4Activate the STD pack worth Rs. 99 and all mobile std calls @ Re. 1SO Effective Rental 399.Plan is available to new as well as existing customers.Reliance has a post paid plan for all customers.Motnhly rental 300Clip freeMigration charges nilFree R to R 1000minsFree local sms to all mobiles 1500Local calls to mobiles and landlines @ re. 1Std @2.4Activate the STD pack worth Rs. 99 and all mobile std calls @ Re. 1SO Effective Rental 399.Plan is available to new as well as existing customers.

Its good only for Idea to Idea usage.One has to take a new connection.Which means bye bye your old number.I dont know how many of us can do that.I certainly cant. There is no way one can reduce the riduculously high std call charges in this pack.No special tariff voucher applicable. So go for it if you really want to SMS a lot. At 10 paise for STD sms it would save a lot of money.But its of no use if the person to whom u send std sms cant reply you back. Which brings us back to Reliance wonder product on net sms pack. Even with a cap of 2000 sms it means 2000*.10=200 for Gang Card holder. To Reliance customer it means only Rs 50 assuming its on the same network.And anyways if Gang card holder sends sms to a non idea network i am not sure he would get as many replies back.

Guys I pity other Telcom operators.They would be helpless if and when Reliance does all what it plans.

The day fools at AIRTEL decided not to renew Sachin's contract I was hoping Reliance to go for a kill. And boy havent they done exactly the same thing? First they got Sachin to advertise their world cup pack known as SACHIN NAZARA pack. Now they have done the next best thing by winning the rights for CWC globally. Now I guess they would sign Sachin as their Brand Ambassador as soon as the cool off period of contract woth AIRTEL gets over.

Its working in my case. I am using chat and play plan in which kb rate doesnt apply. So does it mean I can surf net without paying anything?

There are certain points to be noted here. 1. Its just a position taken by DoT.Wait till there is final decision on the issue.Its not only a policy decision for DoT to make but it also has legal implications.Its a matter of time before Reliance and Tata decide to go to courts against such an order. 2. Reliance already has GSM service in 8 states...Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa, Bihar, West Bengal and North Eastern states.So thats practically one third of the entire country.Reliance would, as reported yesterday by the Economic Times, invest heavily in such territories and make itself as the best player.Thereby it would make its case stronger. 3.Reliance has been the best operator as far as the efficint use of bandwidth given to it.It has done well in its landline services and rural telephony which are the obligation the operator has to fulfill as a licence condition. 4.They will buy out some smaller players in the different territories if the opportunity comes calling ,as an alternative,as Reliance tried to buy out Hutch unsucceessfully. 4.My guess is that BSNL and MTNL might be privatised in a few years of time and then one could bank on Reliance to bid aggressively for them.My guess might sound crazy but not without reason.Remember the NDA government decided to sell IPCL ( indian petro chemicals limited then a sick PSU ) and Reliance industries bought it. Today it is earning huge profits in a matter of less than 4 years. The coming times would be interesting to watch out for.

another useless service to increase revenues!!!

i would like to disagree about some of the above comments..why?..well first..tata, air tel and reliance all are offering cheap on net std rates...so it might not be very useful for people who call off net std.. second..if one has to make random std calls from delhi it would be best advised to take the 444 postapaid plans from hutch and idea which has a rental of 444 and gives full value talktime applicable to local and std on net as well off net besides 444 sms a month.the call rates are flat at 1 rupee for std and 6 paise for local calls.

hello guys..someone tell me what is a ruim based phone? is it possible to use ruim based phones for 2 cdma operators,tata and reliance on the same handset?

hey himanshu frm delhi here...09313484873..