Honest

Low cost Internet phone revolution beckons for India 23 Aug, 2008, 0210 hrs IST, ET NEW DELHI: Battle lines are being drawn after telecoms regulator called for full-blown telephone services via the Internet, paving the way for another fall in already cheap call rates. Internet service providers (ISPs) are delighted at the prospect of a new revenue stream but fixed line and mobile players are objecting that they paid high market entry fees, whereas ISPs will not have to stump up any money. Under the plan proposed this week by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, people could call from their personal computers with Internet connections to a landline or a mobile phone and vice versa. The move could ring in another big drop in calling prices in the world's fastest-growing phone market, where consumers already enjoy some of the lowest telephone costs, the regulator said. The proposal is aimed at putting telecom sector "in tune with global trends" in which such "Internet-based services are very popular" and boosting paltry broadband penetration, the regulator added. The government is keen to boost broadband use, especially in poverty-hit rural areas, where the Internet is seen as key to development. But Cellular Operators Association of India chief TV Ramachandran said the regulator's proposal was not fair to existing telephone companies. "There should be a level playing field ... it's unfair to allow unrestricted Internet telephony to ISPs at no additional cost," he said. The telecommunications department just recently issued pan-India licences to several telecom players, charging each an entry fee of Rs 1650 crore ($37.7 million). Country's largest phone company, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd, said the entry of ISPs would hurt revenues. Under the regulator's plan, international call rates via the Internet could drop to one-two rupees (two-five cents) a minute from the average seven, while national long-distance rates could fall to less than half a rupee. Local calls could be virtually free. But experts say it would take a long time for broadband subscribers to pose a threat to fixed-line and mobile licence holders, given India's low Internet penetration. India has just 4.38 million broadband subscribers, while there are 287 million mobile users and 38.9 million landline subscribers. Internet telephony could become "the killer application" to boost broadband penetration, which has "lagged far behind the very successful mobile telephony," said Internet Service Providers Association of India head Rajesh Chharia. Analysts are betting the government will go ahead with the idea. "The government has been pushing reforms in telecoms, I think they'll give it the green light," said an expert at an international consultancy, who did not wish to be named. The regulator said telecom companies have no reason to fear. ISPs rely on lines leased from telecom companies to carry their signals so they have to sign deals with existing licence holders. The regulator calls it a win-win situation as 85 percent of an ISP's revenue is earmarked for resources mainly from telecom licence holders. "In other words, an increase in the ISPs' business will also result in a boom for existing telcos. Given this scenario, the government would do well to accept (the regulator's) recommendations," said a newspaper editorial.

^^^ My dear Arun, actually he has mentioned above in Hindi language, that the sponsor company denied sending the prize. The sponsor company told him that Reliance didn't paid them. Regards.

^^^ I already signed my protest at the website link you had given my dear Raccoon. Actually Tata's are spoiling their name by such kind of activities. Regards.

Panel to study possible limits on camera phone use 23 Aug, 2008, 0000 hrs IST, ET Bureau • Ban on camera phones? • Jail for government officials making or receiving personal calls during office hours? These may sound bizarre but are just some of the recommendations being examined by a Rajya Sabha committee headed by BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu. The committee, which will study these recommendations before it frames norms on restrictions on use of mobile phones, is also considering if consumers should be mandated to take a licence for mobile phones and that too, only for professional purposes. It is also looking at a blanket ban on usage of mobile phones in public offices. The justification for considering a ban on camera phones is ensuring safety of women and non-violation of their privacy. Mr Naidu-led Committee on Petitions is examining a ‘petition for imposition of reasonable restrictions on use of mobile phones’ which includes other issues such as making cellphone usage while driving a non-bailable and non-compoundable offence. Its also looking at whether telcos can install apparatus along roads and highways to prevent calls from being made or received while driving. Other issues include regulation on barring mobile phones at places of worship and cremation & burial places and prosecution for students using mobile phones in schools and colleges. Needless to say, this has set off alarm bells in the industry. “We will be sending our formal protest to some of the issues being considered by the committee next week. If such norms are introduced, it will mean a huge setback to the booming telecom industry,” said AUSPI secretary general SC Khanna. AUSPI is the industry body representing CDMA operators. A section of the industry is also appalled at the nature of punishments being considered by the committee. “We are extremely concerned with some of the proposals as they can have a direct bearing on our business. The youth is a large segment for telcos but the parliamentary committee, in addition to examining a ban on mobile phones in schools and colleges, wants them to be prosecuted if they violate the ban,” said an executive with a telco. The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), the body representing all GSM players, will soon make representations to the government against some of the proposed norms. The body is studying the proposals and would make detailed representations soon, COAI’s director general TV Ramachandran said. Handset makers say that about 30% of all mobile phones sold in India today come with a camera. For Indian consumers who don’t possess a digital camera, it’s their mobile phones that they use for clicking pictures, and any ban on such phones would only deny this segment of this option, handset makers add.

BlackBerry Bold home launch fails to create buzz 22 Aug, 2008, 1004 hrs IST, ET TORONTO : Canadian wireless giant Research In Motion (RIM) quietly launched its latest BlackBerry Bold smartphone in the home country on Thursday. The BlackBerry Bold, which is considered to be RIM's response to the iPhone 3G launched here last month, didn't generate the euphoria that the Apple device created here last month. Like the iPhone 3G, the Blackberry Bold is also supported by third-generation wireless networks. Rogers, the country's biggest telecom service provider, will support the BlackBerry Bold service across Canada. The new subscribers will have to sign a three-year contract with Rogers Wireless, with an initial payment of $399 which includes cost of the device. ``Rogers Wireless is proud to be first to offer Canadians the world's fastest BlackBerry smartphone on Canada's fastest mobile network,'' said John Boynton, senior vice president and chief marketing officer at Rogers Wireless. ``The much awaited BlackBerry Bold smartphone is a 'must have' for connoisseurs of premium products and mobile workers who want to remain connected and productive no matter where their jobs may take them," he said. After reports of disrupted services by the users of the iPhone 3G, which is also supported by Rogers Wireless, the BlackBerry makers have reportedly optimized the new smartphone for Rogers' 3G wireless data network. The launch of the BlackBerry Bold in the Canadian market comes after RIM unveiled it in many European and South American markets. The news smartphone features a newly designed, precision QWERTY keyboard, built-in GPS, enterprise-grade Wi-Fi and many multimedia capabilities. These include a two- megapixel camera with video recording and an advanced media player to play music, watch videos and view pictures. Boasting a very high resolution display, the BlackBerry Bold smartphone also features a next-generation 624 MHz mobile processor. Users can also edit Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents directly on the handset using the preloaded DataViz Documents to its Go software suite. ``The new BlackBerry Bold exudes confidence and elegance as it delivers blazing performance on Rogers' high-speed 3G network," said Mark Guibert, vice president for corporate marketing at RIM. ``We're very pleased to be launching the BlackBerry Bold with Rogers, providing Canadian customers with a breakthrough smartphone that will help them make the most out of their work and personal time.''

Vodafone seeks hefty damages from Ruias 22 Aug, 2008, 0825 hrs IST, ET Bureau MUMBAI: Vodafone Essar (VEL, earlier Hutchison Essar) has sought damages, which could be upwards of Rs 1,100 crore, from the Ruias of the Essar group for not transferring the shares of Mumbai-based BPL Mobile to the company. Countering the claim of Rs 1,300-crore damages made by the Ruias, VEL said it should be compensated for non-transfer of shares of BPL Mobile as that has adversely affected its business plans. “In case BPL Mobile is not transferred to Vodafone, the company will claim the consideration it has paid (Rs 1,617 crore), interest on this amount and damages for not transferring the shares. As the business plans for merger of licences (of VEL and BPL Mobile) could not take place, VEL has suffered loss of business and it wants to be compensated for the same,” sources told ET. Sources in the legal fraternity peg the damages due to business loss at over Rs 1,100 crore. However, if the Ruias agree to handover BPL Mobile to VEL, the amount of damages due to delay in the transfer will be much lower, sources added. The claims were made before the three-member arbitration panel set up for settling the dispute between Ruias-managed BPL and VEL. The tribunal last met on August 5 and is now slated to meet next month. “Apart from claiming damages, VEL has also disputed the liability of Rs 1,300 crore. They have contended that shares of BPL Mobile must be transferred to them and that the termination of the agreement by the Ruias was illegal,” sources added. BPL is seeking Rs 1,300 crore damages, saying an injunction on the sale of its shares has hurt its shareholders. Spokespersons of Vodafone as well as the Essar group declined to comment. BPL Mobile is now far more valuable to the Ruias than it was two years ago when the matter was referred to arbitration by the Bombay High Court. BPL is now the Ruias’ vehicle for their telecom initiatives, which extend beyond their 33% stake in Vodafone Essar, India’s third largest cellular operator. The Ruias have acquired a separate unified access service licence (UASL) under Loop Telecom — a subsidiary of the disputed BPL Mobile. Loop Telecom is now learnt to be scouting for a foreign joint venture partner. The Ruias had acquired BPL on behalf of Hutch in 2006, but have been refusing to transfer the shares. They had terminated the agreement for sale of BPL Mobile citing non-receipt of Department of Telecom (DoT) clearance for the merger of BPL with Hutch (now VEL) after its share purchase agreement expired on July 31, 2006. Neither the Ruias nor VEL is ready to give up BPL Mobile because the single circle operator has 14.4 lakh subscribers in India’s most competitive Mumbai circle. Meanwhile, the Ruias have pumped in Rs 200 crore into BPL Mobile in the last almost two years, ramping up networks, brand and increasing value added services. BPL Mobile is also offering BlackBerry services and its subscriber base, which was stagnant for a long time, has increased by around 3.5 lakh in the last one year.

Airtel techies dare hackers to crack iPhone code 22 Aug, 2008, 0238 hrs IST, ET KOLKATA: When it comes to iPhone hackers, techies at Sunil Mittal’s Bharti Airtel expect to have the last laugh. They claim even the most deadly hackers on the planet won’t be able to crack the codes that support the iPhone’s Airtel applications with rival company SIMs. So, even if a hacker manages to make voice calls from an Airtel iPhone using the SIM of a rival GSM operator, he would be denied access to both exclusive icons—’Airtel Live’ and ‘Airtel Apps’—which are gateways to the full spectrum of Airtel applications built into the iconic gizmo. This means a potential hacker of an Apple iPhones procured from Airtel won’t get to access either content or entertainment features on Airtel Live — a customised portal designed purely for Airtel subscribers. With no access to Airtel Live, he can’t access any text, audio, video, static images, music or gaming options available on the preloaded Airtel Live portal application. Neither does he get to use the powerful Google search engine. Worse, the hacker also draws a blank if he tries activating any super secure applications like mobile payment (m-Chek) that can otherwise be accessed by Airtel users by clicking the ‘Airtel Apps’ icon on the iPhone. m-Check, would typically enable a user to manage his Airtel account or even do money transfers from his iPhone. Confirming this, Bharti Airtel’s IT director Jai Menon, who is also chief information officer (CIO) of Bharti Enterprises, told ET: “Even if a hacker figures out a way to make voice calls from an iPhone procured from our stores using a non-Airtel SIM, he will not be able to access any of the ‘Airtel Live’ or ‘Airtel Apps’ features built into all the iPhones sold by Airtel. We’ve built in suitable levels of security to ensure both applications remain out of bounds for hackers. All iPhones distributed by Airtel will run on OSX (Version 2) OS which also powers Apple notebooks worldwide.” He adds, “Airtel’s IT group has worked with Apple for over a year to uniquely evolve a bunch of operator-specific applications on the iPhone. In fact, Airtel is perhaps the only mobile operator besides Australia’s Optus that has evolved operator-specific applications on Apple’s iconic phone.” Incidentally, “developing operator-specific iPhone applications was pretty much a stealth exercise that transpired by leveraging Airtel’s service delivery platform, which is a $100-million tech initiative,” said Mr Menon.

iPhone faces unique challenges in India 22 Aug, 2008, 0249 hrs IST, ET Bureau NEW DELHI: While India may be amongst the hottest markets for Apple’s iPhone 3G, the country presents several unique challenges which the US-based multinational will have to address before it can succeed here. Not just Apple, but its partners in India—Bharti Airtel and Vodafone—will have to play their roles to perfection for their customers to enjoy the iPhone. India is amongst the few markets where the partner telcos are spending huge sums training thousands of their employees to activate the iPhone. This because, unlike their western counterparts, Indian customers cannot be expected to activate the phone online. Low internet and PC penetration is a roadblock here and even amongst those in metros and large cities who own PCs, only a small minority have Apple’s iTunes on their systems. The other catch is slow internet speeds which can frustrate users attempting to download iTunes. The solution: “We have trained over 3,000 employees across 41 locations and 400 stores in the top 45 cities to help activate the iPhone. We have also trained a large number of our call centre executives who will help our customers activate the iPhone,” explains Bharti Airtel president for mobility Sanjay Kapoor. Mr Kapoor added that it would take customers about five minutes to activate the iPhone at Bharti’s retail outlets. Ditto to Vodafone, which has gone a step further and even given appointments at its retail outlets to its customers who have booked the iPhone to help them activate and use the device. Apple no longer offers iTunes along with the products which includes the iPhone. In most Western markets, customers activate their iPhones online (via iTunes) or at Apple’s retail outlets. While, this strategy has been successful in developed markets, it may however not amuse its Indian consumers. Market surveys reveal that Indian users largely tend to install software packages that come with the product rather than downloading the same online. And Apple hardly has any retail outlets here. Market surveys also reveal Indians seldom download software updates. This brings new challenges. For instance, Apple on Tuesday had released a software (version 2.02 distributed via the iTune) to rectify problems with its iPhone 3G, but the approach is likely to find few takers here. In another unique scenario, come Friday India will be amongst the few countries which will have access to the iPhones, but not to iTunes music stores. This means large number of Indians will not have legal access to download music on the iPhone unless one does it via his computer. In most global markets, Apple’s customers buy music online or at iTunes stores. Worse still, one cannot download music in traditional formats—MP3, memory cards and bluetooth—on the iPhone. The list goes on. India is also amongst the few markets where telcos (Bharti and Vodafone) who are offering this handset are demanding an upfront payment for booking an iPhone. While it is Rs 5,000 for Bharti, Vodafone is charging double the amount. Add to all this the fact it will take a year or so before 3G services are rolled out in India, so that the users get to experience all that the iPhone 3G offers. So, once the hype is settled, it may not be easy to find many takers for iPhone 3G in India.

High price of iPhone could be a spoiler 22 Aug, 2008, 0548 hrs IST, ET NEW DELHI: Are customers in India going to be queuing up from midnight on Thursday to be the first to buy the Apple iPhone when stores open in the morning? Not likely, if early signals are to be believed. Bharti Airtel and Vodafone have priced the 8 GB phone at Rs 31,000, while the price tag on the 16 GB model is Rs 36,100. This might have put off many potential customers, who were expecting prices to compete with the US offer of $199 or roughly Rs 9,000. While Airtel claims 200,000 customers registered for the iPhone, Vodafone has reportedly registered half this number. Yet, Airtel is already calling Vodafone's subscribers and asking them to switch loyalties, with the iPhone as a bait. This attempt at cross-selling reveals that converting enquiries into sales already appears daunting. Customers, on the other hand, have no incentive to make this shift as both operators have identical prices for both models. A communications research analyst, told ToI on condition of anonymity that he would be surprised if the two companies were able to convert even 25% of their enquiries to actual sales at the present price. However, even at a price of Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000, sales could be as high as 5 to 7 lakh in the near term itself, he added. iPhone's limited availability through a binding service contract with Vodafone and Airtel and its premium pricing are likely to restrict market penetration. This could be similar to the experience that RIM faced when it launched Blackberry devices exclusively with Airtel, says Naveen Mishra, analyst, communications research, IDC India. However, Sanjay Kapoor, president-mobile services, Bharti Airtel defends his price proposition. "The US price comes with a two-year airtime contract, so it is not fair to compare these rates. We are selling these phones to enhance customer experience, not to make a profit," he says. However, price-sensitive Indians are quick to point out that the iPhone is available in the grey market for between Rs 18,000 to Rs 22,000, so they need not pay so much more for the same gadget. The issue of guarantee is the only problem one confronts when purchasing from the grey market. But in this case, the Apple brand is guarantee enough, says a senior executive in a MNC. Mishra also explains the market dynamics. Music is a big draw for the youth - especially any Apple offering. This pricing could keep the phone off limits for this very significant segment, he says. The 3G iPhone combines three products in one a revolutionary phone, a wide screen iPod and a breakthrough internet device with rich push e-mail and a desktop-class web browser. With competition from Nokia's N96, Samsung's Omnia, LG and others, it remains to be seen whether the iPhone will survive its pricing strategy.

^^^ Lets wait and watch my dear friends. Hope they should bring down the price of Iphone soon. But even then this handset is not worth at all except the looks. Regards.

^^^ MY dear Ravi, I don't think that this handset can record the conversation during a call. But still I'm not 100% sure about this. May be some other user of RD6600 can help you out in this matter. Regards.

^^^ Well my dear Sachin, I think IDEA too is leading towards the path of Airtel and Vodafone. Actually in my point of view, this matter should strictly be forwarded to TRAI. They can't force us to view their Advertisements at all. Regards.

^^^ The news is really shocking my dear Raccoon. How can they do like this. Its no good of them at all. Regards.

Delhi High Court dismisses COAI petition on dual technology 22 Aug, 2008, 1701 hrs IST, PTI NEW DELHI: In a setback to GSM operators, the Delhi High Court on Friday dismissed a petition challenging the government's decision to allow use of dual technology for mobile services and revised spectrum allocation norms. The High Court imposed a cost of Rs 50,000 each on six petitioners, including Bharti Airtel, Vodafone-Essar and Idea Cellular, and their association Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI). The money will be deposited with the Delhi High Court Legal Service Authority. The verdict was pronounced by Justice Gita Mittal, who had reserved the judgement more than five months ago in the high stake matter. The matter is also being heard in the telecom tribunal TDSAT. Anil Ambani Group company RCOM and Tata Teleservices, both CDMA-based operators, are the major beneficiaries of this verdict as the government has already allocated GSM spectrum to RCOM in all circles and Tatas are getting the radio frequency as and when it is becoming available. GSM lobby group COAI had challenged the Centre's decision to allow use of dual technology under which an operator is allowed to offer services on both GSM and CDMA platform under a unified licence. The case filed by the COAI witnessed a marathon argument for over two months, virtually involving the entire telecom industry. COAI had sought quashing of DoT's October 18 and 19, 2007 decisions to permit the use of dual technology and acceptance of sectoral regulator TRAI's recommendation for adoption of an enhanced subscriber-linked criteria for allocation of additional spectrum. The Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) on December 12 last had refused to stay implementation of government's decision and COAI had also challenged TDSAT's order before the High Court. GSM operators'lobby group COAI had alleged that the allotment of crossover spectrum to rival CDMA service providers by the government was in violation of Unified Access Service License regime. COAI submitted that CDMA operators should provide GSM services only with the spectrum earlier allotted to them. On the issue of dual technology, COAI said it could be understood in relation to new entrants but it does not apply in case of existing players. Such a practice would go against the notion of level-playing field. However on the other hand, Reliance, a CDMA operator, submitted that the GSM players have got more than required spectrum and their effort is to stop it from getting the start-up spectrum for operations in the same segment. The government had submitted that it would implement telecom regulator TRAI's recommendations for spectrum allocation as an interim measure. COAI wanted the government to go by WPC criteria laid down on March 29, 2006, which recommends allocation of 10 MHz spectrum for 16 lakh subscribers in Delhi, whereas TEC suggests the same amount of radio waves for 48 lakh subscribers.

DoT panel to fix 3G allotment for CDMA cos 22 Aug, 2008, 0220 hrs IST, ET Bureau NEW DELHI: In a potential setback to Reliance Communications (RCOM), the department of telecommunication (DoT) has constituted a committee to decide the methodology for allotment of 3G radio frequencies for CDMA players. The government had earlier decided to allot 3G spectrum in the 800 MHz to the CDMA player with the highest subscriber base provided it was willing to pay the same price that the highest GSM operator was paying in that particular circle. The decision to set up a committee follows telecom regulator TRAI’s observation that allotting spectrum without auction is against the principles of equality. DoT, meanwhile, has brushed aside the regulator’s concerns about directing successful 3G bidders to apply for UASL licences without providing them start-up 2G spectrum that so far automatically came with the licence. As among CDMA players, RCOM has the largest subscriber base in all circles except Delhi and Maharashtra, this effectively gave the company the right of first refusal (RoFR) for offering 3G services in the 800 MHz band, which is the most efficient and cost-effective frequency for CDMA players to offer high-end services. DoT’s move to review the policy therefore brings some relief to other CDMA operators like Tata who may now get to bid for the coveted 800 MHz band. At present only one operator can be accommodated in this band as the rest of the band is occupied by the defence services, who will take at least one year to vacate it. Existing guidelines also make it mandatory for successful 3G bidders to buy UASL licences for Rs 1,651 crore but do not provide them with 2G spectrum. Traditionally, an UASL license holder is entitled to 4.4 MHz of second generation radio frequencies. TRAI had questioned the concept of an UASL license without 2G spectrum, saying, “this would require changes to the licensing conditions for which its (TRAI’s) recommendations were necessary”. ET has learnt that DoT has rejected TRAI’s concerns on this issue. Its logic: UASL holders can provide voice, data and video and since these services can be offered via 3G radio frequencies, the government is not mandated to give 2G spectrum to successful bidders. It added that 3G service providers were not a new category of licences, but would be offering high-end services under the existing UASL. TRAI’s recommendations were not required on the issue, DoT added. But DoT has accepted several suggestion to the recently-unveiled policy for auction of third generation (3G) and WiMAX radio frequencies made by TRAI. For instance, it has decided to change the WiMax policy to include radio frequencies in both the 2.3 GHz and 2.5 GHz which will be allotted through an auction process.

Make iPhone payment in easy instalments 22 Aug, 2008, 0230 hrs IST, ET Bureau MUMBAI: The midnight launch of iPhone by Vodafone Essar will be accompanied by offer for payment in easy installments by credit cards. The GSM giant has tied-up with credit card-issuing banks including Barclays, ICICI Bank and Axis Bank for providing installment option to iPhone customers. “EMIs will be of six months and 12 months duration,” a company spokesperson told ET. Customers holding credit card of these banks can buy phones at any Vodafone outlet and convert it into one of the EMI options. To begin with, Vodafone will sell the 3G iPhone, priced at Rs 31,000 for 8GB version and Rs 36,100 for 16GB version, in 50 cities through 250 stores. At midnight, the company will start selling iPhones in six cities: New Delhi, Kolkata, Bangalore, Pune, Jaipur and Chennai. A similar midnight launch is being done by Bharti Airtel across six cities in the country.

Product Review: Apple iPhone 21 Aug, 2008, 0740 hrs IST, ET Bureau NEW DELHI: After a few days of playing around with the new iPhone 3G, I’m convinced that Apple’s iconic piece of gadgetry is a misnomer. The “mobile phone” is clearly the most unimpressive and probably the most unimportant part of the third generation iPhone. It’s a great computer , or rather, a great mobile internet device—probably the best ever made—and it’s a pity that it’s debuted in the country before 3G networks are up and running. The other pity, of course, is that the two Indian operators whom Apple has chosen—Airtel and Vodafone—have both decided not to subsidise the handset as AT&T , for instance, does in the US, where it retails at $200 (approx Rs 8,600) with a compulsory extra charge by the operator for a two-year usage plan. At a whopping Rs 36,100 for the 16GB (which comes in black and white rear panels) and Rs 31,000 for the 8GB model, the iPhone is destined to border on being a luxury product rather than a mass appeal phenomenon. The 3G iPhone has plastic rear panel and metal external buttons (the 2G version—which was widely available in Indian grey marketshad metal panel and plastic buttons ). The ‘flush’ port allows use of any standard 3.5 mm earpiece you wish (the original iPhone allowed only bundled headphones, to the frustration of its customers). The smoother rounding off on the sides means that the phone’s dimensions have undergone a tiny change — too small to notice, but small enough to prevent it from fitting into speaker docks that were made for the original iPhone. Aaargh! The actual phone itself is just a programme that you can access from the home screen and is average, to say the least. Simple things like transferring contacts from the phone to the SIM card or selecting multiple contacts are unavailable, while the SMS program lacks the ability to forward or copy-paste text. The absence of flash, auto-focus , optical zoom or video recording takes the camera well behind the curve. The saving grace is that pictures once taken, can be expanded or shrunk or moved around by literally squeezing them on the screen with two fingers or flicking them with a single finger. This is the quintessential iPhone experience and typically the first thing you would want to show off about your gizmo. The “iPod” program that controls music and movies is great if you’re familiar with the iPod-iTunes system. If you’re like most Indian users who get music onto their phones through bluetooth transfers or memory cards, you’re in for a steep learning curve. After all there’s no external memory option on the iPhone and the bluetooth feature—which most other high-end phones exploit for data transfer and wireless music—is configured to only allow handsfree calling. The star of the show is clearly internet browser Safari, which renders web pages better than any browser on any mobile device I have seen. Most websites are shown true to their form instead of scaled-down mobile versions and the multi-touch features allows you to easily move the page around, zoom in on the region you want to read and tap on a link to navigate. This single-handedly takes web-surfing into a new dimension compared to clumsy joysticks , keys or even a stylus. The iPhone 3G’s browser allows you to click and save pictures in web pages. The crowning glory though is App Store, an online marketplace where users can download software applications. These apps could range from games to medical encyclopedias to social networking tools to online auctions to pretty much anything that one can use a computer for. The games are especially addictive since iPhone has no controls except one large screen button. All the movement in a game have to be controlled by physically moving the phone so that the accelerometer can detect which way you’re orienting the device. The 3.5 inch screen puts your gaming experience on par with handheld devices from Nintendo and Sony while the improved loudspeakers guarantee that the experience will be incredibly annoying to those in your vicinity if you decide to dump the earphones. Some apps are free to download while others cost anything from a few dollars to a few hundred. If you’re an incurable gadget freak, then go ahead. FOR Pictures can be expanded or shrunk or moved around by literally squeezing them with your fingers Assisted Global Positioning System is there Google Maps comes pre-installed Net browser Safari renders web pages better than any browser on any mobile device You can download apps ranging from games to encyclopedias to social networking tools from App Store, the online marketplace The 3.5 inch screen puts your gaming experience on par with handheld devices of Nintendo and Sony, and it has loudspeakers Pushmail and enterprise-grade data security AGAINST THE PRICE! At Rs 36,100 for 16GB model & Rs 31,000 for 8GB—against $300 and $200, respectively, in the US—iPhone 3G looks a luxury SMS can't be forwarded or copy-pasted No external memory option Bluetooth can be used only for handsfree calling Camera does not have flash, auto-focus , optical zoom and video recording facilities Options to transfer contacts from phone to the SIM card and select multiple contacts are unavailable

DoT rejects TRAI’s call for 3G policy review Business Line New Delhi, Aug. 21 In a move that would keep the roll out of third generation services on track, the Department of Telecom has rejected telecom regulator’s call to review some parts of the recently announced third generation policy. The TRAI had sought a review on several issues in the policy – the key one being DoT’s decision to allocate spectrum to CDMA players based on subscriber numbers. The regulator had also asked the Government to refer the issue of allowing new and foreign players back to TRAI so that it can suggest the terms and conditions of the new licence category. Rejecting TRAI’s view on foreign players, an internal DoT note said, “ The unified access licence are authorised to provide triple play – voice, data and video without any limit on speed of data. 3G service providers are not new category of licensees and they shall be offering 3G services under terms & conditions of the UASL licence. Therefore, the provision of the TRAI ACT 1997 is not applicable in this situation.” New category TRAI had earlier shot off a letter to DoT saying that since foreign and new players will be given a unified access licence without any right to 2G spectrum, this would be a new licence category. The regulator had said that the TRAI Act stipulates that the Government should consult it before laying down the terms & conditions of the new licence category. TRAI had also raised questions on DoT’s decision to allocate spectrum in the 800 Mhz frequency band to operators with most number of subscribers. TRAI had said that this would not be fair to new entrants as they would have no chance of getting 3G spectrum in this band. 800 Mhz is the most efficient band as far as CDMA players are concerned. Committee set up The regulator had urged DoT to consider auctioning this spectrum to give everyone a fair chance of acquiring it. In response, DoT said that a committee has been constituted to recommend the methodology to be followed for allocation of spectrum for telecom access providers. “The methodology may also include subscriber base and such other criteria as shall be deemed fit by the Committee,” the DoT note said. The note has been put up for consideration of the Telecom Commission, the highest decision making body in DoT.

College student gets first iPhone at Gurgaon mall 22 Aug, 2008, 0019 hrs IST, ET GURGAON: Swati, a college student, beat thronging crowds to become the first customer to get an Apple iPhone from a mall in this satellite town on Thursday midnight. Swati was waiting at the Sahara Mall from 7 pm. The phone was handed over to her by Sanjay Kapoor, president of Bharti Mobile Services. The iPhone is priced at Rs.31,000 for 8GB and Rs.36,100 for 16GB of memory space, The phones are being given on first come first serve basis.

iPhone at midnight: A fantasy turned sour? 21 Aug, 2008, 2146 hrs IST, INDIATIMES NEWS NETWORK NEW DELHI: In probably a first for a gadget launch in the country, iPhone lovers will be able to lay their hands on their favourite toy at midnight on August 22. To celebrate the launch, both service providers, Airtel and Vodafone, will keep their select stores in key metros open well past midnight. The companies have taken special permission for the same. Airtel will open three of its stores, one each in national capital region of Delhi (read Gurgaon), Mumbai and Bangalore to cater to prospective iPhone buyers on a first-come-first-serve basis. In NCR, the unveiling will take place at Airtel brand shop in Sahara Mall, Gurgaon. The company claimed that over 2 lakh prospective buyers had registered on its website for an iPhone. What it did not mention was the fact that it was before iPhone prices for India had been announced. At Rs 31,000 for the 8GB model, many a prospective customers may simply choose not to buy an iPhone. Both, Airtel and Vodafone, expect a huge rush and people queueing up to lay their hands on the ultimate piece-de-resistence. However, it remains to be seen how many people eventually queue up to buy the iPhone at a price more than four times that in the US. Unlike in other markets where iPhone sales have been marked by huge marketing and branding hype, there has been virtually no media blitzkrieg from the two service providers or from Apple prior to the Indian launch. Both GSM operators have been authorised to sell iPhone in India by Apple unlike in most countries where the company has stuck to choosing only one operator for the sales. As reported by Indiatimes Infotech, Essar Vodafone had, on Wednesday text messaged its pre-registered customers that it would start selling the 8GB iPhone at Rs 31,000 and the 16GB model at Rs 36,100. This has spelt disappointment for a large number of potential buyers who were expecting a price tag closer to US pricing. Many upset readers wrote in expressing their disappointment with the development. Bharti Airtel, too, intimated its prospective buyers by mail on Thursday that the company would sell iPhones at exactly the same price as Essar Vodafone. The two companies will be the first in the country to have a midnight launch of a tech product. The concept of a midnight launch did not exist in India until now, as authorities do not allow stores to remain open until midnight. The reason behind the midnight launch could be many, right from anticipating iPhone frenzy like the one the world witnessed when the iPhone had its global debut on July 11. Or it could be just hype, or a marketing gimmick by these companies to catch the early birds! Whether the iPhone mania results in snaking queues and genuine customers camping outside, remains to be seen.

^^^ Yes my dear Hritik, now their is no roadblock for Reliance to launch its GSM service throughout the country. Lets hope for the best and the cheapest tariffs from Reliance GSM. Regards.

All GSM cos to connect with RCOM's network 21 Aug, 2008, 2014 hrs IST, PTI NEW DELHI: The deadlock between GSM operators and Reliance Communications was finally settled today with all the operators agreeing to provide interconnection to RCOM's GSM network. "There is no row.. they (GSM operators) have agreed to provide interconnection to the company (Rcom) .. they will honour the TRAI directive", Nripendra Misra, chairman, TRAI said. Although the truce was brought about by TRAI, Misra said the regulator "did not mediate.. we just discussed the matter with them... heard their grievances and they have agreed to provide the interconnection." This means Bharti and Vodafone will now connect their GSM network with RCOM's upcoming network in the same technology platform, averting a full-blown legal battle. Earlier, the country's largest telecom operator BSNL agreed to provide interconnection to RCOM's GSM network. "When others are doing it (giving link to RCOM), we will also do it. We have no choice. We always follow TRAI's directives," BSNL Director Finance S D Saxena said. COAI Director General T V Ramachandran said, "We are happy that we are moving towards a resolution under the good offices of TRAI on the matter in a fair and equitable manner. Since there seems to be all-round efforts to resolve the issue, there is no need of going to TDSAT over the matter." Five other operators - MTNL, Aircel, Tata Communications, Spice and Idea Cellular - have already agreed to open their networks to RCOM. TRAI had alloted time till today to give interconnection to RCOM or face penalty. The move would pave way for RCOM's smooth GSM network rollout as its subscribers would be able to connect with other mobile users. Misra said, "We are clear that interconnection is fundamental right of all companies and any problem among them has to be settled on this issue. This has been settled."

^^^ Yes my dear Kesav actually we all are eagerly waiting for open market handsets which can be used with Reliance. Regards.

Nokia, Samsung, Motorola unperturbed by iPhone Press Trust Of India / New Delhi August 21, 2008, 19:00 IST As Apple's ultimate mobile gadget 'iPhone' prepares to conquer gizmo geeks in India, rival camps are anything but perturbed saying the iconic touchscreen phone was hardly a threat to their sales. A lot of hype has been generated ahead of the launch of iPhone, which would be available at Rs 31,000 a piece for the 8Gb memory model and Rs 36,100 for 16GB from the stroke of midnight tonight. Leading service providers Vodafone-Essar and Bharti Airtel, who have been accepting bookings from customers, have said the response has been extremely good. Finland-based Nokia Corp, which dominates the Indian handset market, said that its sales would not be impacted by the launch. But the company's decision to launch its latest multimedia device N96 in India, almost a month ahead of global launch, speaks volumes about Nokia's concerns. "Our sales will not be affected by the launch of iPhone in the country...There are different segments of consumers whose needs are different," Nokia India Director-Marketing Devinder Kishore had said. Samsung, which also has music phones in its stable, said: "There is a global trend towards touchscreen handsets and we have a strong line-up available, which we are in the process of introducing globally and in India." US major Motorola is of the view that heightened interest in mobile devices benefits the entire mobile device industry. "The Indian mobile phone industry is one of the fastest growing in the world. With the massive size of this industry, we believe, consumers should have a wide choice of products to choose from," Lloyd Mathias, senior director (Sales and Marketing), Motorola India, said.

LG joins hands with Reliance Retail to sell new CDMA handsets 21 Aug, 2008, 1816 hrs IST, PTI NEW DELHI: Consumer durables major LG has entered into an arrangement with Reliance Retail for retailing of its latest CDMA handset. The newly launched LG-10,000 handset would be available at Reliance exclusive stores and retail outlets across the country, in the price range of Rs 22,000 to Rs 25,000, LG said in a statement. The company is touting the new handset model as a unique blend of multimedia and business user applications. "This handset is the first of its kind from LG, dedicated to our CDMA customers and is of special interest to their business needs. With features like the full touch screen, QWERTY keypad, HTML enables browser and Push and Pull mail, it is the most ideal phone in this segment," LG Country Head (CDMA) Steve Koh said.