Karthik R

CBI looks into spectrum to Telecom companies in DTH business Widening its probe in the 2G scam, the CBI has now turned to investigate spectrum allocation made to direct-to-home (DTH) broadcasters by seeking details of sanction of bandwidth. The decision to probe the DTH broadcasters was taken after agency sleuths found that some of the telecom companies, under probe in the 2G scam, were also broadcasters of the service, official sources said on Sunday. The CBI had sought details including the original files containing applications for assigning of spectrum and wireless operating licence for DTH services. The files pertained to Dish TV India Limited, Reliance Big TV Pvt Limited, Bharti Multi-media Limited, Bharti Business Channel Pvt Limited, Doordarshan, SunDirect TV Pvt Limited and Tata Sky Limited. CBI sources said it would examine the files as some of these companies were under probe in the 2G scam which included role of former Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran in Aircel-Maxis deal. The CBI is also looking into a possible kickback received by a south India-based TV channel. In its charge sheet, the CBI has alleged that DMK MP Kanimozhi, daughter of former Tamil Nadu chief minister M. Karunanidhi, had got Kalaignar TV in the Tata Sky bouquet in conspiracy with party colleague and former telecom minister A. Raja. Reliance Telecommunications has already been charged with criminal conspiracy and cheating in the 2G case. Bharti and Tatas, which are in both DTH and telecom fields, have not been made accused in the 2G scam. Dish TV and Doordarshan are not into telecom business. VIA : The Hindu

Complete ban on encrypted communications not desirable : DoT NEW DELHI : In some relief to BlackBerry, the Telecom Ministry is understood to have said that a complete ban on encrypted communications is not desirable as long as solutions exist to have the data intercepted in a readable format. "Banning of encrypted communication is not desirable as long as some solutions exist to get the (data) intercepted in readable format. Therefore, accent should be on regulation of these services in such a manner that security assistance needs and communication security needs are balanced," an expert committee set up by the Department of Telecom (DoT) said in its report. Read full article here

Qualcomm outs Snapdragon S4 SoC details, promises improved battery life and true world capability Qualcomm has laid out its details of the upcoming S4 SoC, and yes, there's definitely reason for excitement with this next generation Snapdragon. First, it'll usher in a new 28nm manufacturing process alongside the company's Krait CPU and Adreno 225 GPU. The move from 45nm to 28nm promises smaller components, lower power consumption and improved thermal performance, while Krait will introduce a new pipeline architecture that promises a full 60% boost over the current Scorpion lineup with clock speeds ranging between 1.5 and 2.5GHz -- along with support for asynchronous multiprocessing and dual-channel memory. As for the GPU, the latest chip flaunts 50% greater performance over the current Adreno 220, where it also provides support for DirectX 9.3 fo rWindows 8, in addition to OpenGL ES 1.1 and 2.0. Should be quite the gaming experience, eh? It doesn't end there, as the S4 MSM8960 promises multi-mode world capabilities with support for all the commonly used frequencies from 700 to 2600MHz -- quite a feat, indeed. It handles Cat. 3 LTE (up to 100Mbps) and Cat. 24 HSPA+ (up to 42Mbps), along with EV-DO Rev. B, 1x Advanced and TD-SCDMA, as well as GSM, GPRS and EDGE. Oh, and there's also simultaneous support for GPS and GLONASS, along with Bluetooth, WiFi, FM radio and NFC. With samples already being sent to manufacturers, we're quite excited for what 2012 may bring. VIA : Engadget

US carrier AT&T stated that the iPhone 4S has ushered in its best iPhone launch to date, receiving over 200,000 pre-orders for the device during the first 12 hours of availability (crediting its success to having the only US version operating over 14.4Mb/s HSPA+, aka FauxG). While that's good news for Ma Bell, as of today, you'll be looking at a wait time of "one to two weeks" after placing an order for this latest iThing.

Wall Street also had its iPhone 5 bubble burst, with investors shunning Apple stock. Shares were down almost five percent..

next....

Gingerbread has apparently made a substantial mark on Android users, with new figures showing it holds a 38.2 percent share of all Google OS-powered devices. That's some kind of growth from the one percent sliver it held earlier this year. Froyo still remains dominant at 45.3 percent, but fragmentation continues to shrink, with 95.7 percent of all Google-coated devices now running Android 2.1 or above. These figures, taken from Android Market statistics over the last two weeks, give a pretty good illustration of the gulf between Android smartphone and tablets, as well, with Honeycomb versions accounting for a meager 1.8 percent. But the tablet version will likely get a boost from Ice Cream Sandwich -- which, as we all know, is just around the corner.

Samsung looks to block iPhone 4S sales in France, Italy Not exactly a shocking development here, but Samsung has just announced that it's looking to block sales of the iPhone 4S throughout France and Italy, opening up yet another frontier in its ongoing patent war with Apple. In a statement, the company confirmed that it will file two preliminary injunction requests in Paris and Milan today, on the grounds that Cupertino's new handset infringes upon two patents related to WCDMA standards for 3G-enabled devices. And it looks like this could only the beginning, with the manufacturer stating that it plans to pursue similar actions in other countries, as well. "Apple has continued to flagrantly violate our intellectual property rights and free ride on our technology," reads Samsung's statement. "We believe it is now necessary to take legal action to protect our innovation." Apple has yet to comment on the filings, but we'll be following the drama very closely. VIA : Engadget

Waiting for the Ice Cream Sandwich update

Nothing revolutionary about iphone 4S, they just bumped up the specs, made changes to the wireless radio to meet the market demands. What I find disappointing - screen is exactly the same like that of the predecessor at 3.5 inchs. Grow up! 4.3 inch display is the norm now thanks to android.

5.3'' inch screen - perfect for my above average palm size

Revised versions of EVDO like EVDO Rev.B was not widely adopted by CDMA operators so it is not wrong to say GSM 3G standards like HSDPA / HSPA have theoretical max speed. This topic will shed some light on your doubts - Basics about CDMA / EVDO

Resistive touch display will give the user the pleasure of touching everything thrice before the touch gets registered! Not commenting on other specs as it won't be fair considering the dirt cheap price tag. Let's keep our fingers crossed that the device have passable quality.

When was the last time you saw an ad of TI mobile serivces in TV or print? It was two years ago when they launched Tata Photon Plus on Mobile!

New NFC spec enables two-way communication, potentially makes Bump obsolete The NFC Forum just released the latest update to the growing close-range standard and it includes a nice little treat called SNEP, which stands for Simple NDEF Exchange Protocol. (Side note: the NDEF in SNEP, stands for NFC Data Exchange Format -- it's like a matryoshka doll of abbreviations.) What makes SNEP exciting is that it allows for sending and receiving of data between two devices. This could be used to exchange contact information between phones (similar to Bump, but without the need for an app) or collect links to trailers from movie posters which could be played back on your TV at home. It's potentially exciting stuff, so long as manufacturers actually make use of it. Source : Engadget

Samsung releases 1.5GHz Exynos processor and 16MP CMOS for mobiles, if you're nice Samsung's just announced the newest and fastest version of its Exynos mobile processor. The 4212 is a dual-core ARM Cortex A9 clocked to 1.5GHz, built using a 32mn process that makes it 30 percent more efficient and 25 percent faster than the 4210. Last year's model was capable of many impressive feats, but its 3D abilities were hampered by the limits imposed by its HDMI 1.3 controller. The new boy gets version 1.4 and hence the freedom to run stereoscopic imagery at an impressive 70fps. The chips will be available in Q4 of this year, but only to "select customers" who -- we guess -- look after Mr and Mrs. Samsung's cats over the holidays. The chip comes too late for the Galaxy S II LTE but we can expect to see it in future superphones before too long. At the same time, the company released a 16 megapixel CMOS sensor designed for mobile devices. It can shoot stills at the quoted figure and is theoretically capable of 30fps video at around half that, although we're unlikely to see a device that can record 8 megapixel video in the near future. If you hadn't guessed, "select customers" will get their extra-polite hands on the Samsung S5K2P1 in November, other OEMs will have to wait outside, in the snow. Of course, as everyone knows, it's not about how big your megapixel count is, it's what you do with 'em that really counts. Source : Engadget

Pros The phone looks premium and solid to hold. Excellent voice quality when on phone! Performance is snappy thanks to the 1Ghz tegra 2 processor and 1 Gb RAM under the hood. It comes with a light version of motoblur which is a huge improvement over its predecessors. Cons The display is just average - I can see pixels! (more on it soon...)

Kanaga, a brand new one with box pack and CDMA / GSM unlocked will cost you somewhere in the region of 22K. Your Epic is still a contemporary device, so don't be in a hurry to upgrade..

Just collected my Photon from the courier office. Bought it from the awesomeness personified - Hetal ji. Will write up my review soon

Broadcom Unveils First NFC Chips, Smallest On the Market? Broadcom, one of the biggest Wi-Fi chipmakers in the world, on Monday unveiled its first line of near-field communications (NFC) chips for smartphones. The announcement comes on the heels of Google Wallet, a groundbreaking, if small-scale, step intended to popularize the use of phones to pay for items. NFC radios can transmit information between devices when held just a few inches apart; the technology has been used for mobile payments in Japan since 2004, but the rest of the world has been remarkably slower at aligning all the necessary players. But more are betting on the mobile payments industry, which is expected to double to $670 billion by 2015 from $240 billion this year, according to Juniper Research. Broadcom claims its first NFC chipset, BCM2079x, is 90 percent more energy-efficient and 40 percent smaller than any other NFC solution on the market, and was developed using 40 nm chip processing technology. Interestingly, Broadcom has also said its chips can communicate with devices using Bluetooth and Wi-Fi radios, which are competing wireless communications technologies. "Broadcom is committed to making NFC as ubiquitous as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are today," Craig Ochikubo, vice president and general manager of wireless personal area networks at Broadcom, said in a statement. "These solutions provide the features and performance that enable disruptive innovation that will reshape the mobile consumer experience. Our leadership and proficiency in wireless connectivity influenced the architecture of these new chips to meet the performance required by OEMs, allowing them to more easily add NFC to their designs." Source : Pcmag

CBI wants to add stringent charges against Raja, other accused in 2G case NEW DELHI: Spelling fresh trouble for jailed ex-telecom minister A Raja and other accused in the 2G case, the Central Bureau of Investigation sought to file new charges of breach of trust and criminal conspiracy against them that can result in a sentence of life imprisonment. The agency on Monday moved a special court to add the charges against Raja, his former personal secretary R K Chandolia and former telecom secretary Sidharth Behura. All three are in jail. Until now, the maximum punishment these public servants could have received in the 2G scam in the light of charges they faced was seven years. CBI also wants to file similar charges against 14 other accused, who are not public servants. The move, coming as it does in the wake of submissions by law and corporate affairs ministries and the telecom regulator that appear to weaken the prosecution, indicates there is no slackening in the agency's resolve. The counsel for the accused alleged the CBI's move is aimed at delaying bail for those in jail and this can add to the frustration of key Congress ally DMK as Kanimozhi, daughter of party chief M Karunanidhi, is in jail along with Raja. CBI's hunt for tougher provisions shows that it is not deterred by arguments put up by the accused like Raja that top government functionaries like home minister P Chidambaram - finance minister in 2007-08 - approved of his decision to sell 2G airwaves at 2001 prices and that this was endorsed by Prime MinisterManmohan Singh. While the government has said that pricing of spectrum was a policy decision, the failure to consider auctions or a revision of the 2001 rates is central to the CBI's case. The agency has accused Raja and Co of deliberately not considering options to gauge the market prices of spectrum and selling precious national resources cheap. The CBI has been boosted by the Supreme Court's recent remarks that the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India report supporting "zero loss" claims in the sale of spectrum as "highly debateable". The agency has been troubled by government agencies offering opinions that tend to benefit 2G scam accused. Moving an application before special CBI judge O P Saini, the agency said, "The accused Raja, Behura and Chandolia were public servants having a dominion over valuable 2G spectrum in their respective capacities as public servants." CBI added they flouted the law in award of licences that amounted to a case of criminal breach of trust. The agency said there is evidence "on record" to "certainly" make out the charges in addition to offences stated in the chargesheet. The other 14 accused, including Kanimozhi and Swan Telecom promoter Shahid Balwa, will be also be charged for being in cahoots with Raja and the two public servants. It would also make others liable to face the same jail term if held guilty. Earlier, the accused were booked under Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 420 (cheating), 468 (forgery) and 471 (using forged documents as genuine) of the IPC besides other sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act carrying a maximum term of seven years. Elaborating the role of the accused, the agency said, "The accused public servants in pursuance of conspiracy with other accused dishonestly disposed off the valuable 2G spectrum illegally and in violation of the existing policies and the eligibility criterion in order to confer wrongful gain on accused no. 4 (Swan Telecom promoter Shahid Usman Balwa), 5 (Vinod Goenka), 6 (Swan Telecom), 7 (MD of Unitech Sanjay Chandra) and 8 (Unitech Wireless Tamil Nadu Ltd)." Defence lawyers opposed the application saying CBI wants to delay judicial proceedings with the sole motive of keeping the accused behind the bars. "We are not on bail. We are in jail and are co-operating with the probe but the prosecution (CBI) is bringing new materials and points daily. This is not justified at all on the part of prosecution," Raja said. "They just want to delay the proceedings of framing of charges against the accused," one of the defence lawyers said. The court, which took the CBI's plea on record, asked the accused to file their responses by September 30. Meanwhile, Raja again sought calling Chidambaram as a witness to prove the minutes of a Cabinet meeting that cleared the offloading of shares by Swan Telecom and Unitech to two foreign firms though he clarified that his plea was not to make Chidambaram as an accused. "In the meeting, the then finance minister had clarified that dilution of shares to attract foreign investment does not amount to sale of equity. Chidambaram is a party to it and I am not calling him as an accused. CBI should have recorded his statement and the next step should be the Prime Minister. CBI should examine Chidambaram not as an accused but as a witness," Raja's counsel Sushil Kumar submitted before the court. Arguing on the reports of the law ministry and TRAI, Raja denied the CBI's allegations that Swan Telecom (now Etisalat DB) and Unitech Wireless (Tamil Nadu) Pvt Ltd, alleged beneficiaries of the 2G scam, illegally secured "huge windfall profit" by offloading their equities to UAE-based Etisalat and Norway-based Telenor respectively after getting the Unified Access Services Licenses. The recent examination of Jaswant Singh, who headed the finance ministry in the NDA regime, by CBI was also cited by Raja's counsel to allege that the probe was still on and there was no obligation to auction the spectrum. He accused CBI of "threatening the witness (expert committee of TRAI) that gave us (CBI) a favourable report saying otherwise we (CBI) will not accept it." "This (TRAI report) is a solicited report and it completely destroys CBI's case," Kumar said. He also accused CBI of withholding documents saying it has 1.35 lakh pages but has placed only 80,000 pages on record. Source : Times Of India

Relief for mobile users: no more pesky calls from Tuesday Finally, mobile subscribers will get the much needed relief from unsolicited telemarketing calls and SMS from Tuesday when the new strict regulations of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to check pesky calls come into effect Source : The Hindu

Trai seeks additional info from telcos on tariff hike New Delhi: Not satisfied with their replies, telecom regulator Trai has sought additional information from leading service providers, including Bharti airtel and Vodafone, on their recent decision to hike mobile tariffs by up to 20 percent. "Trai has received replies from various operators and we have asked for some more inputs from some of the service providers for their reasons to hike tariffs," a Trai source said. Earlier, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) had sent letters to all the companies that recently hiked tariffs, seeking their justification for the tariff hike. Companies like Bharti airtel, Idea Cellular, Vodafone and Reliance Communications recently raised tariffs for their services by about 20 percent in most operating circles. Most of the companies cited inflationary pressure in the country as being responsible for the tariff hike. Industry experts are of the view that the hike in mobile tariffs is anti-consumer and it will only result in an abnormal increase in companies' profits. Most of the operators have been given spectrum free of cost so that they can provide affordable services. Trai, a source said, would also look into this aspect before taking any decision. Airtel had raised the tariffs for its 'Advantage' and 'Freedom' pre-paid tariff packages, which are based on per minute billing, to 60 paise per minute for local and STD mobile-to-mobile calls. Earlier, it was 50 paise per minute in this category. "Telecom is probably the only industry where, despite increasing inflation, tariffs have been falling unabated. Continuously declining margins, high 3G and BWA auction prices, constrained spectrum and rural roll-out aspirations leave us with little choice but to make some price corrections," Bharti airtel had said in a statement. Source : zeenews

No rethink on limit of 100 SMSes : TRAI

Adding on to what Mr. S.V. Pathy said, I will insert two more clauses for the peace of mind of the seller - the customer should have strong credentials to avail this offer and an one time refundable deposit of Rs.10,000 should be made to the seller. Appropriate amount should be deducted if the phone is returned with unacceptable damages.