savramesh

Business Standard Friday, May 15, 2009 From the time Reliance Big Entertainment announced its creative partnership at the Cannes Film Festival last year, more than 20 individual film projects of the company have been approved. Seven deals with Nicholas Cage’s Saturn Films, Jim Carrey’s JC 23 Entertainment, George Clooney’s Smokehouse Productions, Chris Columbus’ 1492 Pictures, Tom Hanks’ Playtone Productions, Brad Pitt’s Plan B Entertainment and Jay Roach’s Everyman Pictures were announced last year itself. These were followed by deals with Julia Roberts’ Red Om Films and Brett Ratner’s Rat Entertainment. While Cage’s Saturn Films’ ‘Voodoo Child’, written by John Collee, is under development, Carrey’s JC 23 Entertainment will roll out ‘O’Gunn’ with writers Ed Cannistraci and Fred Seton. Reliance will also be providing seed money to Columbus’ 1492 Pictures for three films, namely ‘Things They Left Behind’, based on Stephen King’s short story about 9/11 survivors, an adaptation of Thurston Clarke’s book ‘The Last Campaign’ and David Dorfman’s script ‘It’s A Miserable Life’. On the other hand, Ratner’s Rat Entertainment will develop ‘Youngblood’, based on Rob Liefeld’s graphic novel ‘Infinity’ with writer John Collee and John Delorean’s project with James Toback. Roberts’ Red Om Films will develop Dan Eldon’s project. So far, according to sources, nearly $10-12 million have been spent over the making of these 20 scripts. Reliance BIG Entertainment chairman Amit Khanna said, “It has been a very active and satisfactory first year and we have been delighted by the quality of the individual projects being presented to us for development financing. There are many others in the evaluation/negotiation stages and I’m confident of moving into the film-making stage on several projects before the end of the year”. “These creative partnerships call for Reliance to co-finance production at the US Studio, where existing first-look deals are in place. From the conversations to date, we know that the respective studios welcome our development silos and our subsequent co-financing ability. We have broken completely new ground by empowering some of the best talent in Hollywood,” he said.

Business Standard Friday, May 15, 2009 The Chief Executive Officer of Reliance Life, P Nandagopal, has resigned and is expected to join a new organisation in the next few days. "I have put in my papers. At the moment, I do not have the opportunity to talk about my new assignment," Nandagopal told PTI. Prior to joining Reliance Life Insurance, he was senior vice-president (alternate channel and group insurance) with Birla Sun Life. The country's fourth largest private sector insurer posted 28 per cent growth in first premium collection in 2008-09. It collected first premium of Rs 3,514 crore during the fiscal against Rs 2,753 crore in the previous year. According to sources, Reliance Life Deputy CEO Malay Ghosh has taken over Nandagopal’s functions. Reliance Life will begin hunt for new CEO. It could be either from inside the company or from outside, sources added. However, IRDA had asked all the insurers neither to terminate or appoint chief executives and directors without the prior approval of the regulator. "No appointment, re-appointment or termination of CEO, Whole-time Director or Managing Director of an insurance company is valid unless the previous approval of this Authority, in terms of Section 34A of the Insurance Act, 1938, is obtained," IRDA had said in a circular two years ago. All the insurers were advised that such references seeking prior approval should be made in the format and should reach the regulator at least 30 days prior to the commencement of appointment to allow sufficient time for it to examine such proposals and accord approval, it had said.

Economic Times 15 May 2009, 1818 hrs IST, PTI CANNES: In a bid to create a larger audience base for Bollywood films, Reliance Big Pictures plans to acquire mutiple screens in the US and Malaysia. The company is keen to tap the 50 million strong Indian diaspora in South Asia. "It would be the first independent circuit for Indian cinema," company's chairman Amit Khanna, who is here to market Hrithik Roshan starrer 'Kites', said. Big Pictures also plans to invest $300 million into Indian based film productions till December 2010. In the past year, the company had inked deals with top Hollywood filmmakers like Steven Spielberg's DreamWorks, Nicolas Cage's Saturn Films, Jim Carrey's JC 23 Entertainment, George Clooney's Smokehouse Productions, Julia Roberts' Red Om Films, Tom Hanks' Playtone Productions and Brad Pitt's Plan B Entertainment. Some of the films being planned are 'Voodoo Child' by Jonathan Lemkin, 'O' Gunn' and 'Things They Left Behind', which is based on a Stephen King short story about 9/11 survivors. The company has also entered into a pact with Deepak Nayar, whose credits included 'Bend It Like Beckham' and 'Bride and Prejudice', starring Aishwarya Rai. Reliance has distributed several films in markets such as North America, UK and the UAE. The new division of the company will be responsible for securing and facilitating deals with key distributors in all other markets to reach over 100 countries worldwide.

^^^ in my GSM i am getting a quick alert message...

MTS activated missed call alert today, its free of cost..

Business Standard Tuesday, May 12, 2009 The CDMA operators have urged a government panel, currently working on spectrum allocation and pricing suggestions, not to propose auction of radio waves beyond the initial 4.4 Mhz. The CDMA players’ body, AUSPI, in a letter to DoT Additonal Secretary and Chairman of the panel Subodh Kumar said any recommendation that allocates spectrum beyond 4.4 MHz through auctions would just not be legally tenable, apart from being against earlier policies of DoT and recommendation of TRAI. As per various judgements, UAS licencees have a vested right to 6.2 MHz of spectrum, and that auctioning for 2G spectrum was possible, the letter said. AUSPI also asked DoT to get tough on operators for not using spectrum-efficient technologies. The association also demanded for and availability of spectrum or instituting reward mechanisms, for efficient use of spectrum would have hurt the interests of operators, who use old and inefficient technologies or who hoard spectrum. It also asked the Government not to impose any flat fee on all the operators.

Business Line Friday, May 08, 2009 New Delhi, May 7 The Department of Telecom is finally taking action on mobile operators who have been found to be violating the subscriber verification norms. For example, DoT’s vigilance department has initiated action against Vodafone Essar for having unverified subscribers on their network in Uttar Pradesh (East). DoT’s vigilance officers, during the process of verification conducted in March-April 2008, found out that as many as 40 per cent of Vodafone’s subscribers did not have proper documents. Other GSM operators also had about 20 per cent of their subscribers unverified in 2008. The Government had notified the verification norms more than a year ago, which made it mandatory for operators to make sure the connections are being given to consumers with proper address proof and identification. Operators were also asked to conduct physical verification of subscribers by going to their residence. While operators appointed agencies for the purpose, they had sought more time to complete the verification of all the 300 million subscribers. Operators are adding more than 10 million new subscribers each month in a bid to compensate for lower average revenue per user and declining minutes of usage. “While we are doing everything we can to comply with the norms, it takes time to verify each subscriber. So at any given time DoT’s vigilance officers will find a few unverified subscribers if they take a random sample,” said a GSM operator. However, security agencies have told the Government that operators should connect a subscriber only after the identity details are verified. DoT has also asked the operators to shut down dealers who were not verifying the subscriber before giving out a connection. DoT had fixed a penalty of Rs 1,000 for each unverified subscribers found by the vigilance officers.

DoT notifies mobile number portability; service from September 20 Economic Times 10 May 2009 NEW DELHI: Come September, cellphone users in some parts of the country, including the four metros Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai, will have the facility to switch operators even while retaining their existing number. The Department of Telecom (DoT) has issued a notification in this regard saying, "Mobile Number Portability is to be implemented in Delhi, Mumbai, Maharashtra and Gujarat Service areas of Zone I and Kolkata, Tamil Nadu, Chennai, Andhra and Karnataka of Zone 2 within six months of award of licence by September 20, 2009, and in the rest of the country by March 20, 2010". Syniverse Technologies (Zone 1) and MNP Interconnection (Zoin 2) are the two companies who have been licenced by the DoT to carry out the MNP exercise. The DoT further said TRAI will decide on all kinds of tariffs related to MNP like the transaction fee to be charged from the customer for seeking change of number. But sources said number portability charges are likely to be below Rs 300 and it will take maximum two days to change the service provider. TRAI is learnt to be keen to keep the cost at a reasonable level so as not to discourage subscribers willing to change their service provider and at the same time make it a viable business model for the service providers. Mobile number portability is to be implemented in Delhi, Mumbai, Maharashtra and Gujarat service areas of Zone I and Kolkata, Tamil Nadu, Chennai, Andhra and Karnataka of Zone 2 within six months of award of licence (by 20 September 2009), and in the rest of the country by 20 March 2010," the department of telecom (DoT) said in a notification. MNP will be operated by Syniverse Technologies in Zone 1 and by MNP Interconnection in Zone 2, according to DoT. The tariffs, including transaction fee, would be decided by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), DoT further said. Zone 1 consists of Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh (E and W), Delhi and Mumbai service areas. MNP Interconnections Telecom Solutions India Pvt Ltd will provide MNP solutions in Zone 2 consisting of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, North East, Tamil Nadu, including Chennai, West Bengal and Kolkata service areas.

Subscriber verification: DoT to send notice to Vodafone Livemint MONDAY, MAY 11, 2009 DoT, worried over the use of mobile phones by criminals, had asked cellular firms to disconnect services to customers who did not have documentation New Delhi: In an effort to ensure that India’s phone service firms are in compliance with subscriber conditions in their licence agreements with the Union government, the department of telecommunications, or DoT, has decided to send a notice to a Vodafone Essar Ltd unit over discrepancies found in the operator’s subscriber verification practices. Vodafone Essar Digilink Ltd is the name of the firm under which Vodafone Essar, India’s third largest mobile phone operator by subscribers, offers services in areas of Rajasthan, eastern Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. “We have found a number of discrepancies in the verifications done over the past year. We are in the process of sending letters to all the operators with whom discrepancies were found as part of tests carried out over the last one year in the different circles,” a senior DoT official said on condition of anonymity as he is not authorized to speak to the media. “The letters should go out within the next 10 days.” Mint reviewed the letter to be sent to Vodafone Essar Digilink. A Vodafone Essar spokesperson, contacted late on Saturday, said he would not be able to comment until Monday. DoT, worried over the use of mobile phones by criminals, had asked cellular firms to disconnect services to customers who did not have documentation, such as a proof of address, which is mandated under government rules before issuing a connection, by 31 March 2007. It had fixed a penalty of Rs1,000 for each unverified subscriber and had also asked phone firms to physically verify each subscriber. According to a report by DoT’s vigilance and telecom monitoring cell for the eastern Uttar Pradesh service area, verification of bona fide subscribers is done by dialling 10% of the activations. In this exercise, it was found that 40% of verifications in March 2008 and 25% in April that year were faulty. “This indicates that the licensee is not ensuring adequate verification of subscribers before enrolling them as subscribers,” the cell said in a letter. India has some 400 million mobile phone customers, second only to China.

What i have heard is that the optical connectivity for rgsm and rcdma is common, so how do they sell cdma infra alone ?? did u mean selling spectrum alone like tata-virgin ??

^^^ no idea, but interesting !!

Techtree News Staff, May 05, 2009 1912 hrs IST Reliance Communications has rolled out a Rs. 32 SMS pack specially targeted at student community amongst its GSM customers in Karnataka. Once purchased, this pack allows users to send up to100 SMSes at no extra cost everyday for 30 days within Karnataka. This SMS pack is available through e-recharge in Reliance Mobile Stores, Reliance retail outlets, and Reliance World outlets across Karnataka.

^^^ your query will be attended by a techie soon. stay connnected..

Just now got an sms on my rgsm "Do not miss any of your valuable calls, subscribe to missed call alerts for only Rs 15 per month. SMS 'M' to 51234, Rs3/SMS" now we will be charged for using this service?? possibilities are less because we have not sent any activation sms.. lets see...

DoT clears plan to plant IMEI number through software Sify Business 2009-05-05 09:30:01 New Delhi: The 20 million mobile users in the country owning handsets without IMEI number can breathe easy. The Department of Telecom has cleared a proposal from the cellular industry to carry out a project whereby the IMEI number will be transplanted on the handsets through a software. Start service or give back spectrum, new mobile players told The Cellular Operators Association of India has tied up with Mobile Standard Alliance of India (MSAI) to set up 1,600 retail outlets across the country to provide international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) number on handsets without it. IMEI is a unique 15-digit code that identifies a mobile. It prevents the use of stolen handsets for making calls and allows security agencies to track down a specific user. However, a number of handsets sold in the grey market do not come with the IMEI, which is of concern to security agencies. Concerned over national security, DoT had asked operators to disconnect services to handsets that do not have IMEI number. However, the COAI, representing the GSM industry, has developed software that will provide the unique number to those who don't have it. This is a time-bound programme and it envisages opening of the centres across the entire country in a phased manner to carry out the implantation of genuine IMEI numbers.

Channel Times Mumbai, Apr 17, 2009 1825 hrs IST Intex Technologies has launched two more handsets - IN 5000 and IN 5040. With IN 5000, Intex has made a debut in the GSM touch-screen mobile phone segment. The 5cm TFT touch screen offers a clear medium to operate the phone and flip through the various functions, the company said. The leather flap eliminates the need of having separate mobile cover. Other features are FM radio, mobile tracker, camera, expandable memory up to 2GB, GPRS, Bluetooth, audio video player and a 1,000 contacts phonebook memory. The Intex IN 5040 is the second variant in the company's portfolio of G + C Dual SIM phones. Its features include camera, Bluetooth with A2DP, FM radio, USB PC connectivity, expandable memory, audio video player and a 1,000 contacts phonebook memory. Announcing the launch, Shailendra Jha, DGM, Intex Technologies, said, "In keeping with Intex policy of offering latest technology products at competitive prices, we are glad to announce the launch of IN 5000 & IN 5040 handsets. We are confident that these models, with their richness and diversity of features, will appeal to most cost-conscious and tech savvy consumers. Consumers can look forward to more dual SIM models in the G + G genre in the Q 1 of this FY."

Business Standard Monday, May 04, 2009 The mobile tariffs in the world’s cheapest telecom market are set to fall further by at least 20-25 per cent during the year, more so due to increasing number of telecom operators and infrastructure overcapacity. With local call rates at 33 paise (BSNL) and STD rates at 50 paise per minute (most mobile operators), the country has the lowest telecom tariffs in the world. To begin with, the industry is expecting the new licensees (including Loop Telecom, Datacom Solutions and Unitech Wireless) to commence operations in this year itself. This coupled with the expected expansion of operations of existing players like Aircel Cellular, Idea Cellular, Tata Teleservices and Reliance Communications (RCom) will have an impact on the mobile tariffs. “Whenever new entrants commence operations in the country, there is a high chance of reduction in tariffs as they come in with innovative strategies and prices, including freebies. This will increase competitive pressure on other players who will have to launch similar products to compete in the market. Moreover, apart from tariffs, the price reduction would also be extended to handsets,” European handset major Meridian India CEO Rajiv Khanna told Business Standard. Another reason is an expected overcapacity in towers. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) estimates that the country needs around 300,000 towers by 2010 to support the massive 10 million monthly subscriber additions. At present, the sector has around 2,75,000 towers. Operators like Bharti Airtel, Idea Cellular and Vodafone and independent tower companies like GTL Infrastructure and Indus Towers are increasing capacity and the 300,000-mark will be crossed much before the deadline, if not this year itself. “The increase in the number of players will benefit the consumers in terms of newer enriched applications, choice and affordability. The on-ground traffic is increasing, but quality of traffic is not, clearly indicating that there is a need for more capacity. The tower infrastructure availability is going at comfortable speed. The industry will have to now think of ways and means of handling the increasing capacity proportionately, but more resource effectively,” GTL Chief Operating Officer and director Charudatta Naik said. The recent slash in termination charges from 30 to 20 paise for domestic calls, which the operators have begun passing on to the subscribers, is also pulling tariffs down. Termination charges are the charges paid by one operator to another for terminating the calls on the latter’s network. Moreover, the expected allocation of additional 2G spectrum and auction of 3G spectrum will also lead to a further rate cut. “The new government will have to allocate 2G spectrum to operators for additional expansion plans, while 3G auction will also take place immediately after the government coming into power. While some players would get 3G spectrum, others will slash prices to thwart competition,” a Mumbai-based analyst said. However, the price reduction is not all that good. According to Idea Cellular Managing Director Sanjeev Aga: “Indian companies are rolling our predatory prices without conducting proper studies, unlike in the US or developed countries. Price reductions coming in from desperate companies are anti-competition and these are not based on economic sense, and in the long run this would be anti-consumer and anti-industry.” In the short-term, it is the customer who will reap the benefits of the tariff fall.

Telecom licence renewal may cost more [Economic Times] NEW DELHI: Companies providing cellular services may have to shell out sizeable sums to renew their licences’ to continue operating which may be due to expire in the coming years, if a government panel has its way. The panel, which was set up to resolve all spectrum-related issues, has recommended that telecom companies should pay a fee equivalent to the market value of the spectrum they hold at the time of renewal. Most telecom operators had got their licences in the early 1990s for a 20-year period which is set to expire over the next couple of years. More News here

one of my friend who is workig in reliance tech support, lost his job last week for checking personal mails during official hours.. they told him that "we were waiting for a chance to reduce man power and u gave it"..

Business Line New Delhi, May 3 Surveillance issues Operators are required to set up a network that allows security agencies to snoop around if required RCom says there is no need for seeking separate clearance for GSM network as it already has one for CDMA services The Department of Telecom has sought clarification from Reliance Communications as to why the company has started its GSM based mobile services in Jammu and Kashmir without taking clearances from security agencies. DoT has told the company to comply with the security requirements by demonstrating that its network can be monitored by the intelligence agencies. According to the conditions specified in the telecom licence, operators are required to set up a network that allows security agencies to snoop around, if required. The DoT has written the letter to RCom after the Intelligence Bureau said that the company had not demonstrated its network to the security agencies despite repeated reminders. Reliance officials said that the company had complied with all the conditions specified in the licence and that their network can be monitored by security agencies. "We are also offering CDMA-based services in J&K, therefore, our network has been designed keeping in mind the requirement of the security agencies. According to the licence, there is no need for us to get separate clearance from the security agencies for our GSM network. We had started the services after intimating the DoT. We are fully compliant with the rules and procedures," said a RCom official. RCom officials said that the company was offering mobile services for more than 5 years across the country and their network has always been available for the security agencies to monitor if it was required. DoT had issued a similar letter to Tata Teleservices for launching CDMA services in J&K without demonstrating monitoring capabilities. However, the company has since conducted tests on its network to satisfy the demands of the Intelligence Bureau. DoT sources said that Tata Tele has scheduled another demonstration later this month for the security agencies. DOT CRACKDOWN DoT has been cracking down on telecom operators who do not conform to the needs of the national security agencies. Earlier, DoT had raised concerns with Research In Motion as the security officials could not break into traffic being transmitted through Blackberry devices.

What is anil's plan ? there is no promotion for rcdma and rgsm.. i can see a huge number of diff advertisements from all other networks in TV and papers, whereas not even a single adv from reliance..

Economic Times 3 May 2009, 1249 hrs IST, PTI NEW DELHI: Mobile handsets offering both 3G (for voice) and WiMax (highspeed wireless broadband access) services are likely to gain popularity with the Indian telecom operators and give a fillip to WiMax services in the country. The dual mode devices which combine both the technology - 3G and WiMax - would help the operators in the country to offer the services in a cost effective manner once the spectrum for the services is auctioned by the government post the elections, WiMax Forum Chairman (India chapter) C S Rao said. "In India once the spectrum is auctioned, the operators are likely to go for 3G spectrum for voice services as the existing spectrum is saturated and to support the next 200 million subscribers they have to use the third generation spectrum," he said. However, for data services like video streaming and downloading WiMax could be used, as the technology is more efficient for data download and other applications, he said. Globally, Samsung has already started manufacturing such devices. However, Rao cautioned that the government should reduce the import duty, currently about 15 per cent, on such devices so that they become cost effective. The price points for the devices can range from $50 to $150, whereas a 3G device could cost around $200. The e-governance project of the government is also another factor which is likely to boost WiMax services in the country. "Lack of fixed line infrastructure makes WiMax technology an attractive proposition as it can be deployed easily and relatively inexpensively," he added. The cost of setting a WiMax base station is around 14,000 dollars against 35,000 dollars for setting up 3G base stations. WiMax and 3G spectrum auctions are expected to held once the new government resolves issues with regard to reserve price. Rao said that he expects the auction to take place within two months of the new government coming to power. "Notwithstanding which political party comes to power they are likely to settle the issue within two months," Rao said. WiMax or the Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access, is a telecommunication technology that provides wireless transmission of data without cables and even while on the move.

Techtree News Staff, Apr 30, 2009 1733 hrs IST Currently, Ray T65, M20 on sale The Mobile Store has announced the launch of its range of low-cost handsets under the "Ray" brand. This is the first time the mobile phone retailer has ventured into the mobile phone manufacturing space, a very competitive arena with major brands competing for a pie. The company has also set itself a revenue target of Rs. 200 core in the first year of Ray's existence. Ray has worked with equipment manufacturers on the designs and features of the handsets. The company currently sells two models, the Ray T65 and the M20, both of which are priced under the Rs. 7,000 mark. Ray M20 is the cheapest at Rs 2,399 and comes with an FM radio, MP3 player, expandable memory and GPRS. The T65 is a mid-range device costing Rs. 6,999. It features a 3-megapixel camera, a 262k, 1.8-inch display, music player, Bluetooth and a host of other features. It is touch screen as well. Both the phones are available for purchase from The Mobile Store outlets or can be purchased online. In the first phase of the product launch, apart from T65, M20, The Mobile Store will introduce two more models.

^^^ i think mobile store will take care of handset service..

Business Standard Sunday, May 03, 2009 HCL Infosystems is planning to enter the nascent mobile internet devices (MID) market in India. The company, which manufactures personal computers (desktops and laptops), plans to soon assemble MIDs at either of its two production facilities in Puducherry and Uttaranchal. MIDs represent a new class of emerging low-power mobile lifestyle devices. They are expected to rival notebook computers in features and capabilities and yet come in significantly smaller and lighter forms, spurring the birth of a whole new class of mobile multimedia devices that fall in between smartphone and notebook/tablet computer. Global MID shipments, according to electronics market research firm Forward Concepts, will grow from 305,000 units in 2008 to almost 40 million in 2012, involving a revenue of $12 billion. “This would be a high volume, low-cost manufacturing,” according to George Paul, executive vice-president, marketing, HCL Infosystems. Currently, the company’s two plants have a combined production capacity of two million units annually. HCL Infosystems simultaneously plans to focus on system integration and telecom infrastructure projects this financial year (FY10) to grow its business. Last financial year, the company reported a turnover of Rs 12,000 crore, with flat growth. “We will target the defence sector and telecom and roll out Wimax infrastructure services for telecom companies as the infrastructure is a huge investment sector,” said Paul, adding, “System integration has a huge potential. We have closed with an order book of Rs 1,300 crore worth of projects to be executed over the next one year.” The company, said Paul, had completed core insurance infrastructure projects and a power utility project for Himachal Pradesh. Typically, system integration projects cost between Rs 5 crore and Rs 300 crore. HCL Infosystems also intends to launch new business-to-business computing products for enterprises. The company is banking on defence and e-governance projects to drive its growth this financial year. “For instance, currently, we are piloting financial inclusion in East India for a leading private sector bank,” said Paul.